B U R M A U P D A T E

27 O c tobe r 2010

THE REGIME’S PARTY, USDP CLAIMED VICTORY

EVEN BEFORE THE ELECTIONS

Claiming that the military government’s party namely the

Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) has the
awesome membership strength of 16 to 18 million,
Secretary General of the party U Htay Oo announced that
his party expects to win in the majority of the constituen-
cies where it has fielded its candidates.

This announcement was made by U Htay Oo, who is

former Army Major General and also current Minister
for Agriculture and Irrigation, at the USDP’s first press
conference held at the plush six-storied building, which
formerly belonged to the Union Solidarity and Develop-
ment Association (USDA) in which he was Secretary
General as well, this afternoon in Rangoon.

U Htay Oo revealed that out of 1158 constituencies at

stake throughout the country, USDP is contesting in a to-
tal of 1112 constituencies.

“Out of these 1112 constituencies, USDP has already

won 52 constituencies uncontested as there are no
other candidates except those from the USDP,” said U
Htay Oo happily.
U Htay Oo cut the ribbon at the opening cere-
mony of the USDP’s new HQs while party’s USDP members at opening ceremony of party HQs
Chair U Thein Sein gazing at the back

U Htay Oo then went on to explain how

and in what manner the USDP has come
to inherit its membership from USDA,
which was formed on September 15, 1993,
by the military regime to act as its social
and political arm.

In a matter of 17 years period up to July

2010 when it was dissolved to be USDP,
the USDA had rapidly grown in strength
and by the time of its dissolution, the
USDA had come to posses 26 million
members.

“As the current Prime Minister U Thein

Sein and 26 other ministers formed the
USDP on April 29, 2010, the USDP got to purge from it all civil servants and students in accor-
dance with the Political Parties Registration Law, which bans civil servants and people under age
25 from taking up politics. As such the USDP now has 16 to 18 million membership,” U Htay Oo
explained.

U Htay Oo also took pains to explain that since the beginning of its formation, the USDP has up to
now not received any monetary assistant from the military government.

Political Defiance Committee (PDC) •email: people@graceinpeace.com

 B U R M A U P D A T E
27 Oc t obe r 2010

He also insisted that the six-storied plush building, which the USDP inherited from the USDA, was
built with its own funds by the USDA. “So we have not got any financial resources from the gov-
ernment,” said U Htay Oo.

USDP leaders in front of USDP HQs in Nay Pyi Taw

In answer to a question posed by a newsman on the effect of sanctions imposed on Burma by the
West, U Htay Oo said: “These sanctions have never hurt the government. They merely hurt the
people and the workers especially those working for garment factories.”

In answer to another question on the way the National League for Democracy (NLD) led by Daw
Aung San Suu Kyi had decided to boycott the coming general elections, U Htay Oo said: “It is a
pity. They are still clinging to their victory achieved in 1990 general elections. Within 20 years much
has been changed.”

Regarding the ethnic ceasefire groups,

which continue to reject the military gov-
ernment’s plan of transforming them into
border guard force, U Htay Oo firmly said:
“That is up to them. They can do whatever
they like. As for USDP, we firmly believe
that there should be only one Tatmadaw
(The Armed-Forcese) and also that Tatma-
daw should be under one Commander-in-
Chief only.”

Continuing U Htay Oo made it clear that

USPD would continue to preserve the
military government’s objectives namely
non-disintegration of the Union, non-
disintegration of the national solidarity and
perpetuation of national solidarity. ####

U Htay Oo blessing the USDP signboard in front of

USDP HQs Office in Nay Pyi Taw

Political Defiance Committee (PDC) •email: people@graceinpeace.com

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