Headlines    

Yangon, 17 April - State Peace and Development Council Chairman Defence Services Commander-in-Chief Senior General Than Shwe on 15 April met with Tatmadaw members and families of Taunggyi Station, Kalaw Station, Bahtoo Station and Pinlaung Station in Shan State at Thanlwin Hall of Eastern Command in Taunggyi.

Senior General Than Shwe said since assumption of the State duties, the Tatmadaw has been placing in the fore Our Three Main National Causes. Our Three Main National Causes - non-disintegration of the Union; non-disintegration of national solidarity; and perpetuation of sovereignty - are the national duties concerned with the entire national people and the entire Union national races. The three national duties are the current as well as long-term requirement of the entire people. Thus, they must be accepted and practised as the inborn duty of every citizen.

There must be a strong sense of national unity in building a peaceful, modern and developed nation; and there must be community peace and the rule of law. Priority has been given to consolidating and ensuring the community peace. Firm national unity and long-term national interest can be achieved only if efforts are being made for political as well as economic development. Thus, the government has been paying attention to achieving peace and economic and regional development.

The special border areas development project is being implemented for development of the remote border regions which lagged behind in development and were facing hardships and poverty due to insurgency.

Thus, the border areas are now achieving material as well as spiritual development, and Union Spirit has been further vitalized and strengthened. All in all, the border areas can now catch up with the developed regions of the nation. Some regions, although they are not included in the border areas and inhabited by a certain stock of national races, were achieving slow progress due to their location. The 24-region development project has been implemented for the regions to achieve progress in every sector. Plans are being laid down and implemented to develop the health, education, economic and transport sectors in the regions covered by the project. Thus, all the regions of the whole nation will develop with greater momentum one day.

Moreover, the five tasks are being implemented to develop the rural areas, home to the majority of the population. The three projects - the special border areas development project; the 24-region development project; and the rural development project - are being implemented to ensure national peace and stability; to narrow the economic and social gap between the regions; and to ensure proportionate development in all the regions. In this regard, it is imperative for all the Tatmadaw members to be loyal to the State and the people, and join hands with the people in implementing the projects.

The Tatmadaw members will have to further strengthen the unity within the Armed Forces with the people. The Tatmadaw members and families should stand together with the people. They will have to deal with the people as their own parents and close relatives. There must be a sense of oneness between the people and the Tatmadaw, and the Tatmadaw members should always carry out the public welfare tasks.

The Senior General then cordially greeted Tatmadawmen and families.