Civil Society's Role Beyond the Election

Each of these organizations is, in fact, a strong civilian wing of the military regime, and the generals and their wives have assumed the role of patrons or active leadership roles in the organizations. The organizations, whose members wear green, blue and yellow uniforms, were formed under a socialist-style centralized power hierarchy.

Apart from these organizations' current dominance in the State’s civil society sector, the regime will create more Union-level organizations in the fields of economics, health, literature, art and the media.

In the economic sector, the leading organizations will be the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (UMFCCI), Myanmar Economic Corporation (MEC), Union of Myanmar Travel Association (UMTA) and Myanmar Economic Holding Ltd. (MEHL), the conglomerate of military-owned businesses. The UMFCCI is an umbrella organization under which there are 26 trade associations.

In literature, art and media, the dominant organizations are the Myanmar Writers and Journalists Association, Myanmar Music Asiayon [Association], Myanmar Motion Picture Asiayon, Myanmar Thabin Asiayon and Myanmar Traditional Artists and Artisans Asiayon.
 
In the health sector, there are the Myanmar Medical Association (MMA), Myanmar Dental Association (MDA), Myanmar Nurses Association (MNA) and Myanmar Traditional Medicine Practitioners Association.

During the colonial and democratic government periods, some of these civic organizations enjoyed a degree of independence and have a history of managing their affairs in a professional manner. To what extent they will be allowed to control their own affairs in light of the new Constitution is unknown at this point.

Some go back to the colonial era and early independence. The UMFCCI and MRCS were formed in 1919 and 1920, and the MMA in 1949.

Unlike them, the USDA, which was formed in 1993 by the current military generals, plays a dual role as a social as well as paramilitary organization.

The USDA has been used to launch violent public attacks on democratic icon Aung San Suu Kyi and her supporters, reminiscent of similar violent acts by the Pyu Saw Hti, a paramilitary group formed in the parliamentary democratic era of the country.

Although some of the organizations, such as the USDA, claim to be non-profit voluntary social organizations, they don't embrace the international humanitarian norms of “independence and impartiality.”

In the country’s history, such organizations have been used by the government or powerful individuals as a means to hold onto power.

In a democracy, the existence of nationwide civil society organizations are important adjuncts to government and can foster more effective cooperation between government and various public sectors.

The country may well experience conflict and strife from the emergence of established civil society organizations that try to wield real influence if they are not allowed the freedom to exercise their role in society in a professional, accepted fashion, but are subject to top-down control by the government.

Hope for the genuine development of civil society rests on the organizations being able to perform their role in an environment that respects their function and is free from intimidation or manipulation by a military government intent on dictating decisions that are not in the best interest of the people.