Independent Mon News Agency (IMNA)

July 23, 2003

Government servants are forced to attend basic military training for State defense

Most the government servants are forced by the authorities of military regime in Burma, SPDC, to attend the basic military training for defense force to defense the State if there is American or foreign invasion said by trainees.

But the training excluded the servants who ever attended the regime’s political university in Rangoon. Township Peace and Development authorities forced all government servants in 15-60 years old age range to attend this training.

In Mon State, the authorities provide training to them in Set-sae beach of Thanbyuzayat Township and in Kamawet village of Mudon Township since on July 21. The SPDC also registered the lists of other servants in other Township.

Accordingly to the trainees, the authorities provide training twice a day from 7:00 to 8:30 a.m. in the morning and from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. in the evening in these two places.

“We are not interesting to attend this training, no wish to attend, but the order instructed (all servants must attend) without failure, and so that we have to attend.”

The SPDC has been providing about four training such as: Anti-strike Training; Anti-foreign Invasion Training, People Vigorous Force and the current State Defense Force continuously after May 30 crackdown on the leaders and members of National League for Democracy (NLD) in Sagaing Division, upper Burma.

Although most government servants would not like to attend the training, but they are forced to give their names for the registration and are forced to attend the training.

Many government servants are disappointed for this order and some people also escape from their native homes.