Nay Pyi Taw, May 16
As war veterans who took retirement from the Tatmadaw due to various reasons are a force for the State in line with a saying “Once a soldier, always a soldier”, they have to be loyal to the Tatmadaw which nurtured them and in which they discharged duty. Currently, the war veteran, being a citizen, needs to participate in development of the nation. As they have made sacrifice of lives for defending the State, their endeavours must contribute towards the State. The Tatmadaw is trying hard to become a reliable one of the country and the people, said Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Senior General Min Aung Hlaing at the meeting with war veterans from Myanma Thakaung war veterans housing (Laydauntkan) in Dagon Seikkan Township of Yangon Region today.
Also present at the meeting together with the Senior General were Commander-in-Chief (Navy) Admiral Tin Aung San, Commander-in-Chief (Air) General Maung Maung Kyaw, senior military officers from the Office of the Commander-in-Chief (Army), Commander of Yangon Command Maj-Gen Thet Pon and war veterans from Myanma Thakaung war veterans housing (Laydauntkan).
At the meeting, the Senior General went on to say that the war veterans are a reserved force of the Tatmadaw as well as a force of the State. War veterans who had received systematic training have served at the Tatmadaw in good service and they retired from the Tatmadaw due to various reasons such as aging, full of service term, health and personal issues. So, the war veterans need to accept a concept that they themselves are a force of the State. The Tatmadaw is always recognizing the war veterans and standing for them. As every serviceman will become war veteran at one time, the Tatmadaw solves their difficulties with appreciation.
With regard to food supplies, the Senior General said he assigned respective military commands for producing meat, fish and vegetables from military-owned agriculture and livestock breeding farms and for selling them at fair prices in order to contribute to food supplies of the war veterans. To be able to ease burdens of hiking prices of goods, the Tatmadaw operates military-owned agriculture and livestock breeding tasks and manageable scale agriculture and livestock breeding tasks. The personal goods manufactured by the Tatmadaw are sold with a narrow margin of profit based on large quantity for contributing to the food supply of the people.
Regarding the accommodation, the Senior General explained war veterans housings were built in respective military commands for providing accommodation to the war veterans. Priority is being given to families of those, who sacrificed lives for the State and those who lost limbs, for their settlement at the housings, followed by remaining war veterans on priorities. More and more war veterans housings are under construction. Likewise, promoting the ranks of servicemen is being carried out in line with the rules. Arrangements are being made for the servicemen to have convenient accommodation at a time when they take retirement from the Tatmadaw. At the same time, efforts are being made to promote education qualification of the servicemen of the Tatmadaw to keep abreast of international armed forces while education promotion is being undertaken for families of the servicemen. Deserved prizes are awarded to outstanding servicemen and students. Moreover, the Tatmadaw is carrying out education promotion programme of families of the war veterans as much as it can.
The Senior General noted that garment factories and other goods factories are being operated for creation of job opportunities for families of the servicemen and those of war veterans. War veterans can receive medical treatment at Tatmadaw hospitals and clinics from headquarters of regiments and units near them. War veterans should be careful with their actions and speeches in order not to be exploited by certain organizations. While Tatmadaw works for the welfare of war veterans, they also need to work in cooperation. Though Tatmadaw members are not blood relatives, Tatmadaw is formed with ethnic people across the country, and there is therefore unity within the Tatmadaw thanks to brotherly and family spirit. Similarly, if war veterans have unity with brotherly and family spirit, it will be the strength of the country. Tatmadaw has been trying to support the country, become armed forces that the country and people can rely on, and safeguard the sovereignty of the State and protect the government and citizens against the danger of subversives. Only when strong, capable, modern armed forces is built, will the neighbours and the international community respect our country. Tatmadaw is part of the country and must be loyal to the country.
After the meeting, Adjutant-General Lt-Gen Hsan Oo gave foodstuffs for war veterans. The Senior General then inspected construction of Myanma Thakaung war veterans housing (Laydauntkan). Commander Maj-Gen Thet Pon and Director of Directorate of Military Engineers Maj-Gen Maung Maung Myint explained progress in construction of the housing. And Lt-Gen Hsan Oo elaborated on plans for establishing a garment factory to provide jobs for the families of war veterans.
In response, the Senior General called for completion of the project on schedule, meeting the set quality and systematic growing of windbreaks along the fence. Then, he visited the construction site, and was conducted around by the officers.
Construction of seven units of six- storey buildings with two apartments in each story for other ranks started in 2017 and has been completed by 49 percent. Bored pile construction of four units of six-storey two-apartment buildings for junior officers and nine units of six-storey two-apartment buildings for other ranks started in 2018. At the same time, a layer poultry farm is being built to facilitate food sufficiency for the families of war veterans, and a garment factory will also be built to provide jobs for them.
The Senior General and party visited the basic education high school in No. 1 Sike Pyo Mwe Myu Ye Ward near the housing for war veterans, and fulfilled the requirements regarding installation of a transformer, furnishing with desks and benches, and computers as well as sanitation of the school.
They then visited the station hospital of the ward and attended to the needs to repair the operation theatre of the hospital.
