Tatmadaw: serving national interest with pleasure

THE NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR
Friday, 23 March, 2007

HAILING THE 62ND ANNIVERSARY ARMED FORCES DAY:

Tatmadaw: serving national interest with pleasure

Only when the Tatmadaw is strong, will the nation be strong

Tatmadaw means a combined force of Army, Navy and Air Force for
national defence. The Myanmar dictionary defines the Tatmadaw as the
major force safeguarding the nation and the people against dangers
from inside and outside the country.

The strength of Myanmar Tatmadaw decreased in the late Konboung era.
Myanmar was defeated in the three Anglo- Myanmar wars and fell under
enslavement. With the leadership of patriotic leaders, the Burma
Independence Army was formed with a strength of 3000 men on 26
December 1941.

On 27 March 1945, the Tatmadaw with the participation of the people
launched the armed resistance against the Fascists as the Patriotic
Forces. It won a great victory. The strength of the Tatmadaw continued
to grow after the World War II. The colonialists were afraid of the
Tatmadaw's growing strength. The colonialists tried to reduce the
Tatmadaw's strength. Due to such circumstances, the Tatmadaw was
reorganized in October 1945.

The Tatmadaw born of the independence struggle has been striving to
stand as a powerful Armed Forces, while resolutely discharging the
historic duty of ensuring peace and stability in the entire nation and
serving the interest of the national races. This year marks the 62nd
anniversary of the Tatmadaw.

"Shan State lagged behind in development in health, education and
economic sectors in the past because of the absence of regional peace
and security resulting from insurgency. We have been striving for
achieving peace and regional development as soon as possible. As Shan
State is bordering some neigh-bouring nations, it is required for the
region to stand shoulder to shoulder with the neighbours in health,
education and economy. The region will see a bright future only if we
can promote our national character and strength", said Head of State
Senior General Than Shwe during his inspection of development
undertakings in Shan State in April 2002.

The government always keeps its words. With goodwill, the government
has been building infrastructures in all states and divisions.
National unity is the base of its endeavours. Its goodwill is to
develop and modernize the whole nation with the participation of
national races. For about half a century, the nation was burning with
conflicts and armed insurgency. The government worked with much
patience and goodwill to end all those dreadful problems. It has
brought rays of peace to the nation. The return to the legal fold of
17 major armed groups stands witness to the fact. Due to lack of peace
and security and poor roads, it took three days to travel from Loilem
to Kehsi before 1988. Because of those problems the region could not
free itself from the quagmire of health, education and economic
decline. Now the trip between the two towns taks a few hours drive.
Mountains and forests posing as natural barriers had divided national
brethren.

The Tatmadaw is able to end the conflicts between the national races
who were instigated by the colonialists for nearly half a century. It
has brought those national people back to the legal fold, and is
joining hands with them in developing their regions. Till 1988 there
were onlyMandalay-Nawgnhkio- Kyaukme-Lashio road and Meiktila - Thazi
- Shwenyaung road to travel to Shan State. Trade and passenger
transport services had to depend on the two motor roads and railroads.
The government built Hsipaw-Namlan-Panketu road and Yaksauk- Kyaukgu-
Nawgnhkio road linkingnorthernandsouthern Shan State. Hanmyintmo-
Myogyi-Ywagnan road and Pinlaung-Pyinmana road connecting Mandalay and
Shan State and inter-town roads within the state emerged.

Better transport has led to development of the education sector with
greater momentum. In the past, students of Loilem District who passed
the matriculation examination had only Taunggyi University to attend.
But only the children of the parents who could afford to send their
children to the university were able to pursue higher studies. Now the
district has the Panglong University.

My elder first cousin was able to get a degree from Panglong
University although he passed the matriculation examination in 1999. I
still hear him saying at the convocation ceremony that he is so happy
to get a degree as he has never thought of pursuing higher studies in
his life. In addition to institutions of higher learning, schools have
been opened even in villages and more teachers have been assigned to
open the eyes of the new generation local youths. It is an encouraging
sign for the nation.

In the past, boys and girls had to tend cows instead of attending
classes. The Tatmadaw government has brought light to them. Education
is an invaluable gift for local youths. My native town Kehsi is
included in Loilem District. It was just a big village in the past.
Every time I went back to my village, I was sad to see it unchanged.
But now it is developing annually with greater acceleration. Living
standard of the native people is improving daily. Towns are busy with
cars and people who own houses. The people of villages have corrugated
iron roof houses, trollergy cars, bicycles and motorcycles. The
results of the harmonious cooperation between the Tatmadaw and the
people are the victories they are achieving in development
undertakings all over the nation.

The self-less Tatmadaw has been giving priority to fulfilling all the
requirements of the nation and the people. Its achievements and
undertakings will be left in history with prestige as milestones of
national development. From the 62nd Anniversary Armed Forces Day, may
the Tatmadaw be able to continue to serve the interest of the nation,
race and religion with pleasure.

(Translation: TMT)

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