| Burma
has been ruled uninterruptedly by a military regime
since 1962. In 1989, a military coup overthrew the regime
led by Gen. Ne Win and a junta took power under the
name of State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC).
In 1997 the junta renamed itself State Peace and Development
Council (SPDC). Reshuffles and purges routinely take
place among the SPDC ranks. The purge and subsequent
imprisonment of former PM Gen Khin Nyunt in October
2004 exemplifies this. |
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Senior General Than
Shwe is the Chairman of the SPDC; General Maung Aye
and General Thura Shwe Mann are #2 and #3 of the junta.
Prime Minister General Soe Win currently heads the
33-minister SPDC Cabinet.
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The SPDC has adopted repressive laws to imprison political
activists. These include the 1962 Printers and Publishers
Registration Act; the 1908 Unlawful Associations Act;
the 1950 Emergency Provisions Act and the 1975 State
Protection Law. |
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The SPDC has been characterized over the years by growing
instability and power struggles among its top generals. |
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In November 2005, the SPDC abruptly moved the country’s
capital from Rangoon to the secluded site of Naypyidaw
near Pyinmana, about 320 kilometers north of the former
capital. |
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| Government
Organized Non-Governmental Organizations (GONGOs) |
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| Civil Society
organizations in Burma are, for the most part, junta-sponsored
organizations. Following its defeat in the 1990 elections,
the regime set up mass organizations to represent and
mobilize military interests within the society. Most
of these were founded after 1993, and these are referred
to as GONGOs (Government Organized Non-Governmental
Organizations). |
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GONGOs were either taken over from private initiatives
or they were set up explicitly under instructions
by the junta. |
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GONGOs typically seek to infiltrate communities, ranging
from state, district, township, to village and ward.
Many of them are institutionalized with offices at
various levels, and solicit money directly and openly
from individuals, businesses, governments and other
NGOs. |
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GONGOS in Burma include the Myanmar Maternal and Child
Welfare Association (MMCWA), Myanmar Women’s
Affairs Federation (MWAF), Myanmar Women’s Entrepreneurs
Association (MWEA), Myanmar Writers and Journalists
Association (MWJA) Myanmar Red Cross Society (MRC),
Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce
& Industry, Myanmar Women’s Development
Association (MWDA), Myanmar War Veteran’s Organization
(WVO), Myanmar Medical Association (MMA). |
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| The Union Solidarity
and Development Association (USDA) is undoubtedly the
most tangible example of junta-sponsored organization.
The USDA was created in 1993 by Burma’s military
regime. High ranking SPDC members are patrons, secretaries
and members of the USDA’s Central Executive Committee.
Based on its increased role, it is readily apparent
that the SPDC wants to use the USDA as a political party
and to take the remaining seats not reserved for the
Army in future elections. |
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The USDA is established at the village tract, ward,
township, district, and division levels. It claims
22.8 million members countrywide.
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The USDA’s aggressive and coercive recruitment
campaign of members involves incentives for students,
business owners, civil servants, and political opposition.
Refusal to become a USDA member inevitably results
in harassment and decreased opportunities for education
and professional advancement. |
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The USDA is responsible for numerous acts of harassment
and intimidation of pro-democracy activists, including
the May 2003 attack to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s
motorcade in Depayin, Sagaing Division. |
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| Also known as
the “Tatmadaw”, the SPDC Army numbers around
400,000, Southeast Asia’s second largest Army
after Vietnam’s. It has more than doubled in size
since the SPDC took power in 1989. About 3,000 military
officers graduate annually from different schools and
academies. There are also more than 80,000 police force
members in Burma. The SPDC Army is responsible for widespread
and systematic violations of human rights, including
arbitrary arrests, torture, extrajudicial killings,
rape and sexual violence against women, forced labor,
extortion, land and property confiscation, forced relocation. |
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The Tatmadaw operates through its 13 Regional Commands
(Naypyidaw, Rangoon, Central, Northwest, Western, Southwest,
Coastal, South, Southeast, Eastern, Triangle, Northeast,
and North). |
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The SPDC Army is believed to include the world’s
highest number of child soldiers (70,000 according to
some estimates). |
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Although official figures on Burma's military spending
are not available, estimates suggest military spending
makes up 40 percent of the regime’s overall budget. |
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| After signing
ceasefire agreements with most of Burma’s ethnic
groups, Burma’s military has increased militarization
of border areas to carry out attacks against the remaining
few armed opposition groups and to drive out anti-India
armed groups based along the Indo-Burma border. SPDC
Army military campaigns also aim at controlling the
territory where infrastructural projects (dams, pipelines,
roads, bridges) are planned. Major ongoing military
campaigns include: |
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• Military
offensive in Karen State, allegedly to combat the armed
opposition group Karen National Union (KNU) in what
is believed the world’s longest civil war that
started in 1947.
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Military offensive in Karenni State, allegedly to combat
the armed opposition group Karenni National Progressive
Party (KNPP), |
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Military offensive against Shan State Army - South (SSA
- S) armed opposition group. |
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Counter-insurgency operations in Chin State and Sagaing
Division against Burma-based, anti-Indian groups such
as the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN)
and the United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA). |
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In an effort to
bolster the armed forces, the SPDC diversifies the sources
of its military hardware by finding willing suppliers
in countries that are eager to gain access to the nation's
abundant energy resources. China and Russia are the
SPDC’s primary arms suppliers. In addition, military
ties with India have become progressively closer. Other
major arms suppliers include Israel, North Korea, Pakistan,
Singapore, South Korea, and Ukraine. |
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• China is
the principal supplier of military equipment to Burma:
it provides 90 percent of the regime's military hardware.
China's total military aid to the SPDC since the junta
came to power in 1989 is estimated at $1.6 billion.
China has provided Burma with nearly 200 battle tanks
of various types.
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In 2001, the regime acquired 12 MiG-29 jet fighters
from Russia. Other military hardware bought from Moscow
includes training planes and assault helicopters in
addition to radar and communication equipment. It is
believed that the junta is also negotiating for medium
to long-range air-to-surface missiles. |
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The SPDC has procured 80 75mm howitzers and various
types of anti-aircraft weapons, including shoulder-fired
surface-to-air missiles and rocket launchers from India.
The regime is also seeking naval expertise from India.
In November 2006, India offered the junta a multi-million
dollar military assistance package that would include
light helicopters, avionics upgrades for the regime's
fighter jets, and naval surveillance aircraft. |
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