By Zin Linn,
The Burmese regime has been repeatedly ignored calls for comprehensive, free and fair polls by international and regional players. The proposed 2010 elections will not lead to reconciliation among various parties in Burma or Myanmar, as the national reconciliation has been so professionally torn apart by the military junta.
The USDP – former Union Solidarity and Development Association (USDA) – is seen as the junta’s vehicle for parliamentary politics. The USDP appears to be copied on Indonesia’s powerful Golkar Party and claims to have 24 million members.
The Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) is planning to contest in all constituencies while other parties even cannot participate in a quarter of the seats in the upcoming November 7 election. Besides, the Burmese armed forces will take 25 percent of all seats in the upcoming parliaments so the current constitution will not grant the fundamental rights for the ethnic groups of the country.
Candidates from some registered parties have complained that special privileges are being offered to the junta-backed USDP, while other civilian parties are being hindered in their campaign processes. Politicians from some registered political parties say they know the election will be unfair, but they will participate to help expanding political space to some extent.
According to military regime’s media, the USDA was formed on 15 September 1993, and there have been 16 state and division associations, 63 district-level associations, 320 township-level associations and 14,865 village-tract associations with 24 millions members.
Senior General Than Shwe (Commander-in-Chief of the Armed forces) and Vice-Senior General Maung Aye (Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Armed forces) are key Patrons of the USDA. Lt-Gen Thein Sein (Prime Minister of the State) is the chairman, Brig-Gen Htay Oo (Minister for Agriculture and Irrigation) is the Secretary-General of USDA and All Army-Commanders are the Patrons of USDA States and Divisions Level.
Hence, people see clearly that USDA or USDP is similar to Hitler’s Nazi Party. The USDA is a paramilitary terror group within the Burmese state apparatus organized by the Army generals to suppress the populace. People cannot forget the Dapeyin premeditated ambush where Aung San Suu Kyi narrowly escaped on May 30, 200
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