Myanmar Military’s Attempts to Smear Suu Kyi as Corrupt Have Failed

By The Irrawaddy 17 Might 2022

Six years in the past, military chiefs and senior members of the military-backed Union Solidarity and Growth Social gathering (USDP) initiated a mission to smear Nationwide League for Democracy (NLD) chief Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and different NLD figures.  

Their mission started after the NLD received a landslide victory within the 2015 basic election. Now, following final yr’s coup, the mission continues. 

Forward of the 2015 ballot, army and USDP leaders intentionally infected non secular and racial sentiments to stop an outright NLD victory within the election. Usually, the NLD was portrayed as a pro-Muslim get together whose rise to energy would imply the autumn of Buddhism in Buddhist-majority Myanmar. Nationalist teams just like the Affiliation for Safety of Race and Faith, higher recognized by its Burmese acronym Ma Ba Tha, engaged in campaigns to slander the NLD, amid a rising wave of Buddhist nationalism within the nation.  

Their actions did have some impression on the NLD, however to not the extent of undermining public belief in Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, or in lowering the general public’s love, respect and help for the lady who has devoted her life to the reason for democracy. Individuals who needed change voted for her and the NLD within the 2015 election. 

After the ballot, army and USDP leaders reviewed the USDP’s defeat. They realised that individuals help the NLD due to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s repute and status. 

They’ve since systematically tried to defame Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and different NLD leaders. They imagine that if they’ll injury the title of a politician, public belief in her or him will decline. 

Military officers from the Workplace of Army Safety Affairs and police from Particular Department had been assigned with keeping track of cupboard ministers and NLD lawmakers. The Workplace of Army Safety Affairs was additionally tasked with spreading doctored narratives and faux information, blended with actual details about NLD ministers and lawmakers, on social media.  

In cooperation with so-called Myanmar specialists who had returned from international international locations to Myanmar, army leaders unfold misinformation about Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and NLD leaders amongst Myanmar folks residing abroad.  

Furthermore, media businesses had been established for that goal. Silent Discuss media, which is headed by former army intelligence officer Ye Moe Oo, was sponsored by a pro-military businessman. Admiral Moe Aung funded The Fifth Wave media outlet and the Thayninga Institute of Strategic Research, a think-tank shaped by ex-military officers, in response to those that have labored for these media shops.  

Funded by some USDP leaders, Folks Media and Bullet Journal, led by former army officer U Hla Swe, are well-known media shops which primarily featured information experiences and opinion items deemed to be defamatory to NLD leaders and lawmakers. Some experiences had been truthful, however some had been falsified.   

These media shops sponsored by the army and the USDP saved a low-profile underneath the NLD authorities. However for the reason that coup, they’re out within the open and asking questions in help of the army regime at junta press conferences.

Via these media shops and Fb, which is nearly synonymous with the web in Myanmar, the army and the USDP unfold false narratives that the peace course of and the financial system barely achieved progress underneath the NLD authorities. 

The Workplace of Army Safety Affairs and Particular Department looked for any details about NLD members that would do injury to the get together’s repute. They then forwarded the knowledge to military-linked media which turned them into tales blended with misinformation.  

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and NLD leaders saved their noses clear throughout their tenure. Former President U Htin Kyaw handed an envelope enclosing the checklist of his belongings to the Union Parliament when he assumed workplace, and he didn’t take it again when he stepped down in order that his wealth earlier than and after his presidency could possibly be checked. Nonetheless, USDP president U Thein Sein took again his envelope when he left workplace.  

When making official international journeys, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and President U Win Myint by no means used cash from state funds for themselves, and returned any surplus funds together with receipts and monetary statements.  

Below the NLD authorities, businessmen who often accompanied senior authorities figures on visits to international international locations underneath the earlier authorities weren’t allowed to affix authorities delegations.  

Authorities officers are entitled to a quota of gasoline offered month-to-month from state funds. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and her authorities leaders all the time returned their month-to-month leftovers.   

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi exercised zero tolerance for corruption and extramarital affairs amongst her authorities ministers. Lawmakers who had affairs or had been concerned in intercourse scandals weren’t chosen as candidates for the 2020 basic election.  

The NLD authorities additionally reformed the Anti-Corruption Fee and amended the Anti-Corruption Legislation to make it more durable on bribery and corruption. In consequence, departments lengthy recognized to be corrupt reported a big enhance in income.   

The income from municipal works, which is a significant supply of revenue for area and state governments, elevated nearly thrice in comparison with the income underneath U Thein Sein’s authorities. That income benefitted the nation’s infrastructure.   

Within the 2020 basic election, the NLD repeated its victory of 2015. However the army seized energy on the pretext that the election was marred by fraud. It then made additional makes an attempt to destroy Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s repute.  

Her energy just isn’t in weapons and her wealth just isn’t about cash. The power of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi lies within the public help and esteem for her.  

The army accused her of corruption and imprisoned her in order to defame her. It additionally charged NLD get together and authorities leaders underneath the Anti-Corruption Legislation and put them behind bars.  

In one of many corruption circumstances introduced in opposition to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, she was accused of accepting gold and US {dollars} from former Yangon Area Chief Minister U Phyo Min Thein. She was sentenced to jail, despite the fact that there was no proof. U Phyo Min Thein, who is just too sick to remain in jail, was compelled to testify in opposition to her. His spouse reportedly took poison as she didn’t need to make a false assertion. However she was saved by the army regime.  

Military chiefs who’ve accused Daw Aung San Suu Kyi of corruption are a few of the wealthiest folks in Myanmar. Junta chief Senior Basic Min Aung Hlaing’s son and daughter at the moment are on the checklist of the richest folks in Myanmar following their father’s coup.  

Offspring of different army leaders in addition to USDP leaders are additionally very rich. However their official salaries are rooster feed in comparison with the worth of the most cost effective luxurious automotive of their fleet of autos.  

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has just one home which she inherited from her dad and mom. President U Win Myint doesn’t even personal a home.  

However army and USDP leaders have luxurious houses in Yangon, Naypyitaw and Pyin Oo Lwin, and fleets of luxurious automobiles.  

Those that have amassed materials wealth via dishonest means have accused and imprisoned Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, who’s wealthy solely in integrity. They tried to defame Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and undermine public belief her. However the Myanmar folks don’t imagine their lies.  

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