Address delivered by Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Senior General Than Shwe at the graduation parade of the 7th Intake of the Defence Services Medical Academy :

I will now tell you what you should know at the graduation parade of the 7th Intake of Defence Services Medical Academy.

The academy’s aim is to produce good Tatmadaw medical officers endowed with brilliant physical and mental ability to safeguard Our Three Main National Causes.

Over 100 national races have been living in harmony in our nation since yore. Like the 100 fruits that bore from single stem they are living in all the parts of the nation with the Myanmar spirit. Our land is formed with mountain ranges high enough to pose as transport barriers, great rivers flowing from north to south and river basins. Because of poor transport, contacts between national races living closely to one another were difficult in the past. In some regions, language and customs were different between a village lying on one hill and another lying on the adjacent hill.

When the nation was under foreign subjugation, she suffered from the divide-and-rule policy for many years. Lack of education promotion programmes made the national people believe the deceits to be true. As the colonialists granted independence unwillingly, they created a blood bath among the nationalities. As predicted by the colonialists, the national unity fell apart due to racial, regional and ideological prejudices. And because of the falling apart of nation solidarity, the Union faced the danger of disintegration several times. If the Union breaks up, the nation will lose her sovereignty.

In this regard, the Tatmadaw has been safeguarding Our Three Main National Causes — non-disintegration of the Union , non-disintegration of national solidarity and perpetuation of sovereignty — for perpetuity of the nation.

Soon after taking over the State duties, the Tatmadaw first launched the border areas and national races development programmes. It has built a network of roads and bridges the length and breadth of the nation for ensuring smooth transport in all directions. Thanks to its efforts for national re-consolidation, 17 major national race armed groups and a number of minor armed groups returned to the legal fold. It has been conducting regional development undertakings the whole nation with greater momentum because of the prevalence of peace and stability in all places.

All the Tatmadaw’s endeavours are for Our Three Main National Causes.

You need to have full physical and mental ability to safeguard Our Three Main National Causes. Physical and mental ability are the qualifications that have interrelations. The physical ability of the Tatmadaw is combat skill. Mental ability includes good morale and discipline, loyalty and unity. As you are the gallant soldiers of the medical corps you are fully equipped with physical and mental ability for battle victory and the medical practitioners who will further glorify the Tatmadaw’s prestige.

You have already undergone military training as a platoon commander. So you must have the ability to lead a platoon in a battle as the infantrymen do. You must have the fighting spirit. You should have the ability to show your courage in accord with the motto — charge bravely, fight with velour and crush the enemy daringly.

You who are going to serve the national defence duties should always study military science alongside medical science to understand and know all kinds of medicines and medical studies of the age.

It is found that some nations of the world apply western medical science and upgrade their traditional medical science with the use of modern technique. They try to prove the potency of the ingredients scientifically and can remove their side effects. The potency of the medicine has improved due to research and development. Oriental medicines are produced from natural plants. Some medicinal herbs are not found everywhere and they grow only in one particular country like Myanmar . If medical scientists find out potent medicinal plants which have been used by forefathers in successive eras, a great number of medicines of Myanmar origin will emerge.

Quantum Theory first introduced by scientist Einstein of 20th century was applied only in the field of physics. Quantum touch theory based on Quantum Theory is now being used in medical field. In spite of the discovery of Quantum Theory, it can be applied a hundred years later. You comrades are to investigate unexplored, valuable technologies in other fields as theories found by scientists can be applied in various technologies.

You military doctors are to serve the interest of the people by taking care of health of rural people while they reach far-flung areas. Some seventy per cent of the population of the country live in rural areas. Therefore, you are to carry out the tasks for longevity of the people and for everybody to be free from diseases with nationalistic spirit.

Education and prevention are the most important in promotion of health.

Moreover, longevity is concerned with socio-economic life. So, you are to make efforts for raising of rural socio-economic life while implementing the five rural development tasks.

In conclusion, I urge you to discharge medical duty of Defence Services as well as defence duty, to study modern wars from the points of view of military science and medical science, to participate in national health care services and to preserve the twelve traditions of the Tatmadaw at the risk of the life.

********************************