Professional Documents
Culture Documents
By: Aung Lynn Htut
We have to acknowledge that Burmese military was born with Burma Independence. We must include the soldiers in
Burma’s change. With the right mindset and education, the military can become a great asset in changing Burma for the
better. I believe that democracy and human rights in Burma cannot be accomplished without the help of the military
and their families. They voted the NLD party in 1990 election because they mention their aspiration to change the
system in Burma. Soldiers are not afraid to die, but they love their family. We should know that they survive the under
the military codes of conduct. They all are under the control of Marshall Law. According to my experience, one or two
soldiers never report their problems to their officers, but if over ten soldiers have the confidence to stand up for the
beliefs, higher officers will be forced to listen. We need to support them to stand up against the military dictators. We
must encourage them to leave their barracks and collaborate with civilians from Burma.
There are three military units from No (66) Division and some military units from No (77) Division is demonstrating in
Burma. They demand their officers that they refuse to obey the orders from commanding officers because they have not
been given enough money and food to support their family. If they are arrested by military law, they are ready to go to
jail. Some military officers and other ranks from head quarter and commands have also joined this movement. The ways
we can show support for these soldiers are listed below:
· Change soldiers’ ideology
· Educate soldiers and their families
· Soldiers have to know thoroughly about corruption of military dictators
· Soldiers have to know thoroughly about mismanagements of dictator on nation resources
· Compare the significant gap between their lifestyle and the lifestyle of their leaders
· Form an understanding between the Burmese soldiers and the opposition members
· Make soldiers understand that they have the power and responsibility to protect Burma
· Encourage soldiers to disobey unfair order from military dictators
Change soldiers’ ideology: Soldiers from Burmese military have been brainwashed by military dictators for almost 50
years. The Dictator Senior General Than Shwe always talk about in front of the soldiers if Daw Aung Sun Su Kyi’s party
NLD take a state power, our military will be destroyed. Therefore, the soldiers must oppose Daw Aung Sun Su Kyi and
NLD and we need to defend neo colonialism from western countries. It is a current political policy of Burmese military.
All military training schools from Burma are teaching the soldiers about Than Shwe’s policy of politics. So, we need to
change soldiers’ ideology. I want to advise that if Daw Aung Sun Su Kyi has a chance to talk to the soldiers, she must
explain in detail about her point of view on the Burmese military. The soldiers and families want to hear her positive
view. She should speak to them about the difference in other international military compared with Burmese military and
the role of military in democratic countries. She needs to talk to the soldiers about the policy mistakes of military
dictators in Burma. We need to do educate the soldiers about other countries and government so they are more aware
of the situation they are currently in. With more knowledge, the Burmese soldiers can make an informed decision about
the government they want in the future.
Educate soldiers and their families: What a soldier wants is the best for his family. They want to their sons and
daughters to be educated persons, wealthy persons, and healthy persons. They want them to live in safety family shelter
lines and get enough rations in their units. But the soldiers from Burma do not possess enough resources in their units.
After 1992, Senior General Than Shwe increased more and more military units in Burma, especially around the border
area. Most of the new military units have no schools, no hospitals, and not enough shelters. The soldiers are
disappointed in the military dictators because they do not pay attention to their families. They blame their leaders
quietly. They know only one sided voice from military dictators in their mind. We should let them know about general
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knowledge inside and outside. Therefore, we need to educate the soldiers, if Burma is a democratic country, all people,
including soldiers and families can get basic facilities such as education, health, shelters and rations. Moreover, we need
to explain to them about what the future holds for their families if what is happening were to continue.
Soldiers have to know thoroughly about corruption of military dictators: Most of the soldiers are unaware about the
corruption of military dictators. There is a lot of corruption among the generals such as money, mistresses, family
business and other. If the military officer is a brigadier general, he can gain special benefit such as house, cars, money,
authority and property. They are above the law. They have a lot of power in Burma. Therefore, we let soldiers know
about the corruption among the generals. And then, we have to educate them that Burma is one of the poorest
countries in the world because military generals steal all properties and resources from our country. The generals ignore
health and education of the people of Burma. They spend the Burmese people money without audit.
Soldiers have to know thoroughly about mismanagements of dictator on nation resources: Burmese military regime
receive a lot of income from natural gas, forest, agriculture, mines, fishery and livestock. The Burmese military regime
gets over three billions US dollars every year from natural resources of country. The regime never announces the
statement of nation income and expenditure. They deposit the nation money to the foreign banks accounts. The
nation’s money is the under the control of Lieutenant General Tin Aye, Chairman of Myanmar Economic Holding. He is
the only other person besides General Than Shwe with the authority to sign checks. He spends a great deal of money to
build new capital Naypyidaw, to establish nuclear reactor, to produce nuclear weapon, to buy kinds of missiles and
artillery. He never considers how to upgrade the education and health for people. The Burmese soldiers do not know
about what the General is doing for our country and how much money the country receives from natural resources. We
should think how to give the message to soldiers about the mismanagements of dictator on nation resources and how
their lives are affected by it.
Compare the significant gap between the soldiers and the lifestyle of their leaders: There are major differences
between a general’s lifestyle and a normal soldier’s lifestyle. Generals and their families obtain more money than they
deserve due to corruption. Sons, daughters, grandsons and granddaughters of generals from Burmese military own
companies, properties, money, buildings, luxury cars, plots, jewelries, etc. Some generals bought mansions abroad. They
open bank accounts in foreign countries. Their wives and families go to Singapore, Bangkok, Hong Kong, etc for shopping
every month. They have owned three or four mansions and around ten luxury cars in Burma. They usually go to
Singapore for medical checkups because they do not trust medical doctors and medical equipments from Burma. All
generals are connected with businessmen in Burma. Even Senior General Than Shwe and family are shadow owners of
Htoo Trading Company (Tycoon Tay Za’s company). The Htoo Company bought a civil airplane and a helicopter in case of
an emergency for Than Shwe. Normal soldiers’ lifestyle is nothing like a general’s. For them, it is extremely difficult for
them to live in Burma. There are not enough shelters in their units. They struggle to keep their families surviving daily.
They do not get enough money for food and clothing. They always worry about the education of their children.
Sometimes they have no money to pay the school fees. If they have a health problem, they are not able to visit a doctor
because financial difficulties. We should let normal soldiers know this immense difference between generals and normal
soldiers.
Form an understanding between the Burmese soldiers and the opposition members: Dictator General Than Shwe and
generals brainwashed the normal soldiers of Burmese military to hate and see the opposition members as a threat to
Burma. Generals always explain to the normal soldiers that the opposition groups of Burma will demolish our military.
The soldiers are instructed by generals to against the opposition members for our military. Therefore, the opposition
members should understand and persuade to the normal soldiers to change their mind. We need to understand that no
all soldiers are in the military for the government. Most soldiers have joined for job stability in a corrupt economy.
Usually most of the basic level soldiers are uneducated. If we blame the normal soldiers, the generals are not affected. If
we organize and cooperate with the soldiers, the generals will have to address the issue. Anyhow, the opposition
members should try to approach the soldiers with kindness and understanding to persuade them to join their fight.
Encourage soldiers to disobey unfair order from military dictators: After the normal soldiers understand the points
made above, we have to give them guide lines to go against the orders from generals. We must collect the correct
information regarding the generals and soldiers, and we must use an espionage method. We need to search for any kind
of informers in Burma. We have to establish an intelligence net working in Burma. When we get the information, we
should use the subversion method and partisan movement method in Burma. We will announce the news regarding the
military generals and soldiers by Burmese radio station and etc. We will encourage the soldiers to disobey unfair orders
from dictator. We have to target a few soldiers that other soldiers would be willing to follow. We will persuade one
battalion to one division and one division to one regional command.
Subsequently, I believe that there are soldiers in the military who will understand and love Burma enough to listen to
our operation plan. They will remove the dictator Senior General Than Shwe. One of the military leaders will be born
from military side and he will admire the national leader Daw Aung Sun Su Kyi. After that, military soldiers and civilians
will work together in establishing democracy for Burma. To have this be a successful plan, we need resources such as:
high tech electronic equipments, communication equipments, modernize intelligence equipments, training, intelligence
men and women, and money. If the operation plan is successful, the citizens of Burma will have a brighter future to look
forward to.