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Myanmar opposition resolves to draft constitution |
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September 17, 2000
YANGON (AP) - Myanmar's democratic opposition declared Saturday it would draft a national constitution, a sign that a recent official crackdown against the party has not dented its ambitions to end military rule. Two hundred members of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy held a meeting at the party's Yangon headquarters, two days after authorities eased restrictions against NLD leaders. Party leaders had been confined to their homes for two weeks after Suu Kyi tried to travel outside Yangon on party work but was denied the right to do so. At the meeting, the party commemorated the second anniversary of its Committee Representing People's Parliament, a proxy parliament formed as a direct challenge to the ruling military government, which has refused to honor the NLD's victory in a 1990 general election. Military authorities had earlier blocked the road to the NLD office in downtown Yangon, but they allowed the meeting to take place, attended by 200 party members and diplomats. Reporters were barred from entering. The NLD passed three resolutions at Saturday's meeting: to demand the government to release all political prisoners; to maintain the proxy parliament until a proper parliament is convened; and to draft a national constitution. According to 1996 law, drafting a charter without the government's approval could result in a 5 to 20-year prison sentence. A state-organized national convention was set up seven years ago but was boycotted by the NLD on the grounds it was dominated by the regime. It has not met for four years and has not produced a constitution. "With the support of the people and with support from countries who support democracy, a democratic government will certainly emerge," a declaration released by the CRPP Saturday said. At the meeting, Suu Kyi announced she would take over as CRPP secretary and its representative for ethnic affairs, replacing Aye Tha Aung, who was arrested and sentenced to 21 years in prison in June for violating a publication law and an emergency law. On Friday, NLD leaders emerged from their homes and reopened the party headquarters, which were raided Sept. 2 by the authorities. The government justified its actions by saying it was investigating alleged NLD links with terrorists. Suu Kyi won the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize for her struggle for democracy in Myanmar, also known as Burma, which has been ruled by its military since 1962. She was kept under house arrest from 1989-1995. Her movements have remained heavily restricted. An NLD statement issued late Friday demanded the immediate release of 11 party members it said were arrested earlier this week in Yangon and the town of Kungyangon despite the government's announcement that the party would be allowed to go about daily activities as normal. In addition, 15 NLD members had been arrested outside the capital since Sept. 2, NLD Yangon Division chairman Soe Myint told reporters Friday. The government has yet to comment on the NLD allegations of arrests. The restrictions on NLD leaders came after a nine-day stand-off between Suu Kyi and the authorities that began late last month. She and NLD vice-chairman Tin Oo were blocked Aug. 24 by security forces as they traveled to a planned NLD meeting in the countryside. They refused to return to the capital and camped by their vehicles on the outskirts of the city until police forcibly transported them back to Yangon and confined them to their homes. The crackdown drew vehement international criticism, mainly from the United States and Britain, which accused the regime of blatantly violating the Myanmar opposition leaders' political rights. Myanmar accused both countries of meddling in its internal affairs.
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