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Living poor on a Burmese soldiers' pay
Irrawaddy - December 30, 2009
Kyi Wai, Rangoon – Sgt Aung walks through Mingladon market, searching for ammunition to restock his cartridge magazine, which he sold when he needed some extra money to support his family.
He quickly found several shops in the military equipment area, selling all types of military hardware: uniforms, field equipment, cartridges, magazines and various brands of weapons.
Similar shops can be found in many markets around military installations in Rangoon, such as Htauk Kyant, Hlegu and Hmaw Bi markets.
Most of the shops rely on poor soldiers, who are often forced to sell their army-issued property when they need money and then must repurchase it when they have funds.
Sgt Aung (not his real name) sold his cartridges six months ago for 8,000 kyat (US $7) when he needed money. They cost 15,000 kyat to buy back now, but the shop owner offered a 2,500 kyat discount. Still, Sgt Aung is put off by the price.
He earns 35,000 kyat ($32) a month. He decides to walk around the market and think about it. Finally, he decides he can't afford to replace the cartridges. If he has an inspection and is found out, he could be suspended from duty or imprisoned.
"The poverty of soldiers isn't even comparable to civilians," he said. "We suffer from scarcity not only on the front line, but also in rear-base areas. We see almost no money."
As a sergeant in the Burmese army, he could earn an extra 5,000 kyat a month if he serves in a high-risk area. However, his pay is never enough to meet the needs of his four family members, Aung said.
Since 2007, he has been indebted. His wife and children try to cut back on everything, but he still can't afford to buy even the cheapest toothpaste or tooth brushes.
The economic strain is showing. Sgt Aung is haggard, weary and his cheek bones sharply outline his face. His uniform is faded. He said he can't recall how many times he has repaired family members' flip-flops.
A lance corporal also shared his story with The Irrawaddy.
"I earn less than 40,000 kyat (US $37) a month including regular salary, hazardous duty pay and other assistance. My family can't survive on my salary. We have no more possessions to sell. I can't even provide school fees for my children, and my wife sends them to her relatives for schooling," he said.
The army provides 3,000 ($2.70) kyat for each dependent child to help with school fees, but it's still insufficient to pay expanses, he said.
Soldiers are not allowed to work outside the military, but if their wives can work, many find it almost possible to stay even financially. However, he said the army sometimes demands full-time labor from family members on army farms and other production facilities.
"The family members of army men are like slaves," he said. "Not only do we soldiers serve, but our family members are often required to work for the army too."
Some servicemen receive an extra benefit when officers allow a few family members to start small businesses within an army unit's area, such as snack or tea shops while others sell groceries or illegal liquor.
Some families breed poultry and pigs for extra income, and some earn money with illegal or underground businesses such as selling illegal lottery tickets or betting on soccer matches. Some soldiers run short-haul, motorcycle-taxi services.
A private in a battalion in Mingladon Township said, "You can buy illegal lottery tickets in our unit. Some army families just keep books for the tickets. If you want to bet on a soccer match, they will help you to access outside book makers."
Since April 1, 2006, a private earns 16,000 kyat ($14) a month; a major-general earns 800,000 kyat ($$750) a month. The army pays 5,000 kyat a month for hazardous duty pay for the ranks of private through colonel.
"The salary gap between the generals and ordinary soldiers is very large, and the privileges are also very different. The generals earn 1 million kyat extra a month for state defense and administration fees," said a colonel who asked for anonymity.
Since 1988, the regime has raised the salary scale four times for public employees and military servicemen, in order to cope with inflation and raising commodity prices.
Sometimes the government or army officers order an army unit to be self-reliant. A soldier said a military commander in northern Shan State ordered the units under his command to find operational cost on their own, and the army units cut and sold timber in the area.
"It was not only our unit, but almost all army units in that area that cut and sold logs," he said.
Nowadays, many servicemen are given oral orders by officers to try to find girls to marry from well-off families, who can help support an army man's family.
A captain said, "For army officers, it's an unwritten law that we should marry a rich lady or an educated lady."
Typically, the army will summarily dismiss soldiers infected with AIDS/HIV, Hepatitis B or those who sustain physical disabilities, sources said.
A medic said there are many cases of suicide if a soldier contracts AIDS/HIV or Hepatitis B, because they can't face returning to their native region.
"If the infected person is an officer, he may be transferred to a civil administration post, but if the patient is a non-commissioned soldier, he is kicked out. For those who are injured in a fighting, they are treated at a national rehabilitation hospital and then asked to retire," the medic said.
A veteran who lost a limb said: "If they can still walk, the veterans may try to sell books and magazines on the street. They sell things in market. If the veterans can't walk, they knit rattan furniture and some work as carpenters. Some go out to the streets as beggars. The veterans get no assistance anymore from the government, and they are not even recognized as army veterans. They say we disgrace the pride of the Tatmadaw."
A veteran who is now surviving by begging in Insein Township said military officials told him not to beg while wearing any military clothing and not to say he was a veteran. He was then ordered not to beg in a public park.
Ironically, a lance-corporal from a Than-Lyin-based battalion said, "We would be better off if I resigned from the army and begged on the street. I could earn more money."
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