Unity is strength and it is of vital importance for enhancing national defence power

Senior General Min Aung Hlaing meets with officers, other ranks and families of Yangon Station at Yangon Command Headquarters.

The Senior General and party cordially greet officers, other ranks and families of the station.

Nay Pyi Taw May 3

Strength of the nation lies within. Besides, unity is strength and it is of vital importance for enhancing the national defence power. Some people are making a wrong assessment of the stand and endeavours of the Tatmadaw that is making systematic cooperative efforts for the correctness and firmness of the current political trend. As they may destroy the unity and weaken the strength of Tatmadaw through various partition and disintegration plots, all must give priority to the internal unity of the Tatmadaw with special awareness, warned Commander- in-Chief of Defence Services Senior General Min Aung Hlaing during his meeting with officers, other ranks and families of Yangon Station at Yangon Command Headquarters yesterday morning.

Also present were Daw Kyu Kyu Hla, wife of the Senior General, Joint Chief of the General Staff (Army, Navy and Air) Commanderin- Chief (Air) General Khin Aung Myint, Commanderin- Chief (Navy) Admiral Tin Aung San, senior military officers of the Office of the Commander-in-Chief (Army) and the commander of Yangon Command.

At the meeting, the Senior General said the country is now at the second term of its adopted multi-party democracy system. After holding the first election in 2010, the elected government did best for ensuring peace and stability, the rule of law and national development. The Tatmadaw also lent a helping hand with utmost efforts for a safe and peaceful and stable march on the people-chosen road without any disturbances. It is the virtue of the Tatmadaw that it could ensure freeness and fairness before, during and after the second election while proclaiming its basic principles. I would like to recognize and take pride for undertakings of officers and other ranks from the Region Command. According to the multi-party democracy general election system, the people have elected one of the major political parties for the government’s term. The government which can fulfill the desires of people will exist for long. Take a look at the world political stages, some political parties and the government can assume two, three and four consecutive terms while some others have to step down before their terms come to an end.

Our country has many things to deal with tranquillity and the rule of law. For the long existence of the democracy system, emphasis should be placed on the end to internal armed conflicts, the enforcement of laws and the abidance of procedures. With regard to the national unity, some armed ethnic groups have emerged based on the demand of national races while some groups ask for their rights by turning a blind eye to the provisions of the laws. Some organizations are provoking the ire through the instigation. It would amount to undermining national unity, causing a danger to the country. It needs to control the acts and writing that may lead to disintegration of the national unity. Tatmadawmen are urged to maintain the unity with people by watching out for all their behaviours including personal affairs.

In every democratic country, an army is to serve the country’s defence duty and give priority to promoting its defence capability. Efforts should be made to become an army with better combat power and prowess. The Senior General stressed the need to improve combat skills by trying to promote the qualifications and calibres they already have and by using and upgrading high-end military weapons and machinery. He also pointed out the need for servicemen to work harder to further promote military capability. They were then urged to cultivate the reading habit that can promote wisdom, knowledge and reasoning power and arrange for the education as well as job opportunities for their children.

When it comes to unity within the Tatmadaw, the Senior General said unity could be achieved only if soldiers work together under the fair command of their Tatmadaw leaders at various levels and only if those leaders have correct leadership. He said the whole Tatmadaw (Army, Navy and Air) is taking measures to ensure unity and fairness without any discrimination in meals, accommodation, promotion and duty assignment on the basis of lower level servicemen. Those from the administrative area therefore are warned not to show discrimination at all, he added.

It is necessary to have the spirit of sacrificing without any hesitation in performing military duties. Tatmadawmen must also have the spirit of successfully carry out every task they are assigned in a fair manner, commented the Senior General. He also urged them to be careful about their dress code and manners as they could lead to tarnishing the Tatmadaw’s image. He then urged them to abstain from chewing betel quid, smoking and committing other immoral acts as they are detrimental to a person’s morality. The state has provided suitable salaries and allowances for civil servants including Tatmadaw members and their income mainly goes to meals. Measures are being taken for servicemen and their families to engage in a small-scale agricultural and livestock breeding tasks. They therefore need to be thrifty. The Senior General then urged the Tatmadawmen to lead a decent life and do considerably whatever they do. Families of the Tatmadawmen need to stand tall in the society with prestige. Although everybody has to enjoy rights of faiths in any religion, Myanmar which has more than 85 per cent of Buddhist people recognizes the faith of other religions.  The Five Precepts are included in the preaching of the Buddha. Although one Precept or two Precepts are flourishing in the respective sectors, the Buddhist who keeps at least Five Precepts is the best. All the Tatmadawmen must be ‘‘loyalty” like all the people. If the Tatmadawmen can keep four oaths they recite daily, it will be the best. The Senior General urged not only the servicemen but the veterans to take the oaths.  With regard to the sector on safeguarding the people, the Senior General pointed out that the Tatmadaw which was born of people is responsible to give a helping hand to the people and safeguard them. For example, providing health care services can contribute mental assistance to the local people in making greater efforts for the nation with health and fitness. In consequence, it is one of functions of Tatmadawmen to improve livelihoods of the people. The Senior General urged the servicemen to try hard to give necessary assistance to the people and to submit things they cannot do to the superiors.

The Senior General presented books and publications on various subjects to officers, other ranks and families of the station while Daw Kyu Kyu Hla, wife of the Senior General, gave cash assistance for maternal and child welfare associations in the station.

Joint Chief of the General Staff (Army, Navy and Air) Commander-in-Chief (Air) General Khin Aung Myint presented foodstuffs and Adjutant-General Lt-Gen Hsan Oo, sports gear to them.

After the meeting, the Senior General and party cordially greeted officers, other ranks and families of the station.

The Myawady Daily