School teachers seen at a public rally organised by USDA in Rangoon last year.

The Union Solidarity and Development Association (Kyant-khaing-phont-phyo-yay A-thin) also widely known in Burma as Pyi-khaing-phyo or simply Kyant-phont claims that it has 24million members.

There are some speculations that the military government will use the USDA as their political backbone for 2010 elections.

Are you a supporter of USDA? Is USDA gaining people's support?

Is this organisation going to dominate the political sphere in Burma?

The followings reflect the balance of opinions received so far...

How many of the 24 million members joined at their own wills? Most members are government-salaried. If you are on government payroll, you are in. It is like that. The number does not mean anything.
Ryan Chu, NYC, USA

I do not support the "Kyant Phont" association at all. They force government servants to join their association. Thus, they have many memberships. I have to join that association three times. We cannot refuse to do. I hate them at all.
A university teacher, Mandalay University

When I was a kid, I was part of General New Win's Lanzin Lu Nge. I was there because I had no other choice. Therefore, many USDA members may not join the organization willingly. If someone is not stupid enough, he or she might not join USDA nor support USDA. However, many people still do not care the suffering of the citizens of Burma, maybe because military dictators make them blind to see things clearly. Becoming a soldier for General Than Shwe? Joining USDA? Becoming puppets? I will never be one of them.
Salai Tainamgaung, USA

Yes, of course. It has 24million members. I heard that even the prostitutes could be the members of USDA. Because the police cannot catch them when they show their member cards while they are working. Therefore, most people become member to have easier life than the other ordinary people do. People including me do not support USDA and it is not gaining people's support but there are chances for the people to have better life when they become members, so its members are increasing every year. However, some are forced to be members.
Richy, Bangkok

What has USDA achieved to deserve the support of people? So far, I do not see anything-good coming from the USDA.   Myint Naing, USA

If USDA, supported by SPDC, became as a political party or direct involve in the politics, there is a question for the members of the USDA either will resign from the association or from public services because SPDC ordered not all employees must involve in any political activities at all. If USDA became as a political party, it must be audited for their financial accounts, assets etc. for creditability, transparently and accountability of all transactions since the association was formed. The member list of the association is just a list, which made up by the SPDC.
Maung Maung, Yangon

Before we discuss about USDA gaining people's support, we should discuss about how these 24 millions people are USDA members. I do not think most of these USDA members are becoming member without consent.
Kyaw Linn, London, UK

Although I do not support the incident that happened last week at Shwepyithar, I am definitely not a supporter of USDA. USDA will never ever gain people's support. Honestly, they are still an organisation, which very easy to collapse at any time depending on political situation. Except a few numbers of so-called "executive committee" the rest of organisation members are in the organisation either "by force" or "under influences". Most of them do not know what they are doing. The first category "by force" is normally government staff and they do not care much about USDA other than their daily job. The second category of "under influences" is the peoples who do not even have a basic education/knowledge and are normally jobless. An organisation without proper disciplines is not going to dominate the political sphere in Burma.
Kyaw D, Singapore

I detest the USDA because of their treatment against the monks and unarmed protesters in last September. I believe that USDA will become a dominant political force back by the Tatmadaw and headed by former tatmadaw generals. Than Shwe will use the USDA just like Hitler's SS or Mao Tse Taung's Red Guards to hold on to power. USDA needs to be challenged by the Burmese people.
Keith, New York City, USA

Do Burmese people have a choice? In Burma, if you support the USDA, generally you will live a better life. It is the economic reason that people are joining the USDA. The generals have all the financial resources (from oil and gas revenue) and manpower to make the USDA a powerful political party in the future. Clearly, they are moving towards that direction for better or for worse. In contrast, NLD has been brutally suppressed and lack of both the financial and human resources. What NLD has is only the moral support from the west, which will not be enough to compete with the USDA politically and economically. I think the USDA will dominate the political sphere unless NLD and other opposition parties can show and lead us a better way out of current misery in Burma.
Saw Win, Bangkok, Thailand

Civil societies can hardly be seen in most of the countries ruled by dictators, as freedom of organisation is limited. The USDA is just a body of tool formed by General Than Shwe as the late General Ne Win had formed the Shayt Hsaung Loo Nge. It is clear that the USDA is not a true civil society at all. We can see clearly, what it had done badly to the NLD in Depayin as a proof. There is no doubt that the military will use the USDA to win the election in 2010 to push Burma in concerns that are more global!
Saw Day Day, Finland

there are chances for the people to have better life when they become members, so its members are increasing every year   Richy, Bangkok

I see USDA as the puppet of the military regime. In the same way, the SPDC may see NLD as the puppet of the west. What has USDA achieved to deserve the support of people? So far, I do not see anything-good coming from the USDA. I think if they become politically independent from the military and help improve Burmese people living standards, they could win more support from the people and dominate the political landscape. However, it would be impossible to disentangle the USDA from the military, as it would be impossible to disentangle the NLD from the west. Both of these two political parties bring nothing but economic hardships to our people. Whether we like it or not, USDA will become dominant in the future through unfair election.
Myint Naing, USA

I am definitely not the supporter of that organisation and my family either. I dare to say USDA never ever has the support of people because there are many reasons. They might say they are getting the people support by showing people rally in every parts of country. This is totally cheating to people. They might say they have members more or less half population of Myanmar. Yes, they can tell you the figure but you go in that environment and ask questions to those members. You will realise that there are two kinds of members. One is government staffs and related matter because they have not chance to avoid from that. Other is homeless and hopeless people. They have set up this organization and show to all media of their strength.
Tango Tin, Singapore

Supporting USDA is the same with handing a support to General Than Shwe. Who in the world who has the right mind will do that? People may participate with the organization but unwillingly. Burmese people are religious enough not to take someone's life away, which General Than Shwe handles it without mercy for his own sake. Therefore, majority of people will never support USDA, which is no less than a riot gang.
Zam Mang, USA

I have to answer the question with another question. Do Burmese citizen really know true rights and freedom? If they do so and the answer will be no, USDA is not wining Burmese people wish. The really wish of Burmese is to live in peaceful and secure life, plenty of good pay job and healthy economy, universal health care system, social welfare, good civil infrastructure, open road education system instead of one way drive education. Did USDA delivery these vital requirements? Burmese people know USDA hiding these requirements from Burmese people eyes. It is only temporary if USDA gets support.
Tom Tun, Canada