USDA to hold nationwide conference

by Salai Hanthar San
Tuesday, 10 November 2009 18:49

New Delhi (Mizzima) – The Union Solidarity and Development Association (USDA), the pro-junta social organization will hold a nationwide conference starting November 23 at its head office in Dekhina Thiri town in Nay Pyi Taw Division.

"All secretaries from each township, district, State and Division branch offices have been invited to come to Le Way town not later than November 20. The meeting begins on November 23. One person from our office has been selected to go," a member of Le Way Township USDA told Mizzima. Le Way is located south of Dekhina Thiri and in Nay Pyi Taw Division.

A member of the Rangoon Division, Tamwe Township USDA will have to go to Naypyitaw by November 20 also.

The conference will be attended by nearly 700 delegates from 325 townships across the country but the duration of the conference is yet to be announced.

The USDA, is notorious for its brutal crackdown on opposition forces along with security forces. Last year, its conference was held in Ywa Taw interrogation camp, near Pobba Thiri new satellite township in Naypyitaw Division. It was attended by over 600 delegates.

The rumours among members say the USDA will contest the general elections as a political party but officially the organization is silent on the matter. An announcement is expected on the organization's stand and policy on the 2010 general elections, as part of the junta's 7-step road-map to democracy. The organization claims they have 22 million members as of 2005.

Le Way Township USDA contributed to community development works in the local area such as donating desks and blackboards to the schools, repairing roads etc with its own fund.

"We have been doing social and community work for two years. On the instruction of our bosses, we are giving desks and blackboards to schools, renovating some schools etc. This year, the military command commander instructed us to replace old roofing with new ones in some schools," a Le Way USDA member said.

For fund raising of the association, some townships are running passenger bus services, building shops and selling them. Apart from these fund raising activities, they are receiving some fund from government ministries and some donations and contributions from some companies, he said.

The military regime convened the National Convention for the purpose of drafting the constitution on 9 January 1993. Two weeks after that, USDA was officially registered as a social organization and established on 15 September the same year. One of the patrons of this organization is junta chief Senior Gen. Than Shwe.

The report entitled 'USDA or pillars of junta's dictatorship' published by the Thai based Network for Democracy and Development (NDD), said that the USDA members committed brutal and inhuman crimes in the Depayin incident, in which dozens activists were killed, during the monk-led protests in Pakokku and in the 2007 saffron revolution by beating up monks, students and protesters.