Pro-Government Militias
Union Solidarity and Development Association (Myanmar (Burma))
Basic Group Information
| Name assigned by coder: | no |
| PGM ID Number: | 135 |
| Country: | Myanmar (Burma) |
| Date formed: | Sept. 15, 1993 |
| Accuracy of date formed: | day |
| Details of Formation: | In 1993, the ruling military junta, the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC), formed the Union Solidarity and Development Association, a social welfare and self-described patriotic organization. |
| Date dissolved: | July 1, 2010 |
| Accuracy of date dissolved: | month |
| Details of Termination: | Before the election took place in November 2010, the USDA was transformed into a political party, called Union Solidarity and Development Party. Hence, the USDA as PGM was dissolved in July 2010. |
| Termination Type(s): | disarmed |
Former and Successor Group Information
| Predecessor group(s): | none |
| Successor group(s): | none |
| Private Military Company? | no |
| Former Group? | no |
| Former Armed Group? | no |
| Former Rebel Group? | no |
| Former Rebel Group UCDP ID: | none |
| PGM Becomes Rebel Group? | no |
| Successor Rebel Group UCDP ID: | none |
Government Relation, Support, and Training
| Government Relation: | semi-official (type 2) |
| Created by the Government?: | yes | Main Creating Government Institution: | military |
| Government Link(s): | state (institution); military (institution) |
| If link to party, name of party: | None |
| Training and Equipment: | yes |
| Shared Information and Joint Operations: | yes |
| Shared Personnel: | yes |
| Type(s) of Material Support: | domestic government |
| State Sponsor(s): | none |
| Other Connection(s): |
Group Characteristics
| Membership: | village/rural; urban; security forces; professional group |
| Primary Membership: | nationalist |
| Alternative Primary Membership: | no information |
| Location: | Nationwide |
| Force Strength: | [23000000, 25000000] |
| Target(s): | unarmed political opposition, government critics; rebels, insurgents, or other armed group |
| Purpose(s): | protect state, national or religious institutions; protect national borders and integrity; intelligence gathering; intimidate political opposition |
Ethnic Characteristics
| Ethnic Target(s): | none |
| Quality of Information for Ethnic Targeting: | not applicable |
| Ethnic Membership: | none |
| Quality of Information for Ethnic Membership: | not applicable |
| Ethnic Purpose: | none |
| Quality of Information for Ethnic Purpose: | not applicable |
Other Information
| Other Information: | The USDA has a close relationship to the Swan Arr Shin (Masters of Force) militia. It was dissolved in 2010 but replaced by the Union Solidarity and Development Party. Sometimes the group is also referred to as whiteshirts due to their particular clothing. |
New Variables from Meta-Analysis
Purpose
| Purpose: | The group was intended to provide domestic security and order, protect borders and national security, and serve as a social welfare organisation, according to officials. In practice, the group was used to suppress oppositional movements, particularly protests and the democracy movement led by Aung San Suu Kyi, and to collect information about political opponents, serving as a spy network for the junta. |
| Relative Benefit(s) of PGM Use | unknown |
Treatment of Civilians
| Treatment of Civilians: | The PGM attacked civilians taking part in demonstrations, e.g. beating and detaining protesters, which resulted in casualties and injuries. It intimidated the population and civilians were forcibly recruited or pressured become members. |
| Type(s) of Violence against Civilians: | killing; beating |
Reasons for Membership
| PGM Members Coerced? | yes |
| PGM Members Paid? | yes |
| Reasons for Membership: | Membership was compulsory for government employees and civilians were pressured to join. |
| PGM Members Killed? | no information |
PGM Size
| Size: |
Weapons and Training
| Weapons and Training: | According to reports the group was armed with slingshots and bamboo sticks. Moreover, “anti-riot training” was provided by the government and conducted by the military. |
Organisation
| Organisation: | The PGM was responsible to the Ministry of Agriculture and the head of the group (General Secretary) was Agriculture Minister Htay Oo. Members of the PGM’s Central Panel of Patrons included Senior General Than Shwe and Prime Minister Thein Sein. |
Reference(s) for Meta-Analysis
Evidence
- Examine the evidence for this coding.