USDA Close to Unveiling New Political Party

http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=15243

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By WAI MOE Thursday, March 5, 2009

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The Union Solidarity and Development Association (USDA), the main mass organization of the Burmese military junta, is reportedly very close to announcing the formation of a pro-junta political party for the 2010 general election.

USDA sources said that a pro-junta political party might be announced before Burma’s New Year Festival in April, if the election law is made public by then.

Some USDA units across the country are preparing to transform into a political party, sources said. The name of the political party has not yet been approved by senior members of the organization.

The USDA will remain as a mass organization even after the formation of a political party.

The organization has collected personal information on constituency candidates who will run in the 2010 election as pro-junta candidates at the township level.

In the 1990 election, there were 492 constituencies for the People’s Assembly. However, there are 440 constituencies for the People’s Assembly established under the 2008 constitution.

A total of 330 constituencies, or three-quarters, will be elected by vote in the 2010 election. A quarter, or 110 seats, will be selected by the commander-in-chief of Burma’s armed forces.

The number of parliamentary seats to be elected by citizens has decrease by 162, when comparing the 1990 election and the 2010 election, giving the junta a guaranteed majority and control over the parliament.

The USDA is considering pro-junta candidates from among core USDA members and respected people in local communities who are not USDA members, sources said.

“Candidates have been chosen on the basis of how they are respected among people; how they are clean from anti-government movements; how their character is good; how they are patriotic, and whether they have strong business experience,” one source said. Other USDA selection criteria include political and economic vision and contributions to society.

In the past, the former regime (1962-1988), the Burma Socialist Programme Party (BSPP), had chosen its candidates from among its party members.

Ahead of the 2010 election, the regime launched development programs for local communities, such as road building and improvement projects, more community libraries and other programs to try to gain local support.

The USDA recently provided soft loan credit to poor people in Rangoon’s poverty areas, such as Southern Dagon Myothit Township and Hlaingtharyar Township, a journalist in Rangoon told The Irrawaddy on Thursday.

The organization reportedly plans to start a daily newspaper in the country, according to journalists in Rangoon. Some USDA members attended a journalism training course in February, sponsored by the Ministry of Information in Rangoon.

The USDA runs training courses for its members, teaching public management, foreign affairs, public relations and debating skills. USDA members also are sent to training courses, forums and meetings in neighboring and Asian countries.

According to the USDA official Web site, 17 members of the USDA Youth Delegation left for Japan on March 3 to attend the Invitation Programme for Young Politicians from Five Mekong Countries, from March 4 to March 12.

Two USDA members also traveled to Malaysia to attend the International Youth and Counter Terrorism Meeting on February 25 to 28.