Opposition NLD to make historic decision whether to register or not
The 106 members of the Central Committee of the NLD will meet on 18 November in Yangon to decide whether to return to national politics or not. The party led by Aung San Suu Kyi did not run in the 2010 election and has no representative in parliament. Burmese are divided over the issue.
Yangon (AsiaNews) –The National League for Democracy (NLD), Burma’s main opposition party, announced that it would hold a historic conference on 18 November to decide whether to re-register or not as a political party and contest seats in the national Parliament.
The NLD boycotted the 2010 polls, calling it a farce, because the military-drafted 2008 Constitution was undemocratic and the Political Parties Registration Law was unfair.
The Burmese government recently amended the aforementioned law to change certain provisions that the NLD objected to, allowing the party to register and Suu Kyi to be eligible to run for parliament.
Led by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, who spent 15 of the past 21 years under house arrest, the NLD had won the election held in 1990. However, the country’s military never recognised the results and have ruled the country for the past two decades.
The November 2010 vote supposedly marked the transition to a “civilian” government; however, the current administration is still beholden to the military.
Nevertheless, the largest opposition party has shown signs that it might want to make a comeback to national politics.
The NLD Central Executive Committee held a meeting on Tuesday at Suu Kyi’s home in Yangon to discuss the topic of re-registration, during which they decided to convene a conference at the NLD’s Yangon headquarters on 18 November and invite all 106 members of the party’s Central Committee. The latter will have to decide whether to rejoin the political process or not.
In March 2010, the NLD leaders held a similar gathering to vote on party registration when Suu Kyi was still under house arrest. At the time, a majority of the NLD’s Central Committee members voted not to register and to boycott the polls.
One major demand of Suu Kyi and the NLD that has not been met yet is the release of all political prisoners. However, there is an expectation that the government will announce another round of amnesty for political prisoners within the coming weeks.
On the Irrawaddy website, Burmese Internet users have discussed the NLD’s dilemma amid hopes and fears for a future that is one of censorship and freedom denied.
One commentator, Sai Suriya, said that the NLD is moving in the right direction and its leaders should be supported and respected.
Others want to go all the way to the elections and give Burmese a party to vote for.
Critics underscore instead that by registering the NLP is accepting the system set up by the military and getting their hands dirty with blood. In that case, the NLD could become irrelevant for the country’s economy, said Ohn.
The NLD boycotted the 2010 polls, calling it a farce, because the military-drafted 2008 Constitution was undemocratic and the Political Parties Registration Law was unfair.
The Burmese government recently amended the aforementioned law to change certain provisions that the NLD objected to, allowing the party to register and Suu Kyi to be eligible to run for parliament.
Led by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, who spent 15 of the past 21 years under house arrest, the NLD had won the election held in 1990. However, the country’s military never recognised the results and have ruled the country for the past two decades.
The November 2010 vote supposedly marked the transition to a “civilian” government; however, the current administration is still beholden to the military.
Nevertheless, the largest opposition party has shown signs that it might want to make a comeback to national politics.
The NLD Central Executive Committee held a meeting on Tuesday at Suu Kyi’s home in Yangon to discuss the topic of re-registration, during which they decided to convene a conference at the NLD’s Yangon headquarters on 18 November and invite all 106 members of the party’s Central Committee. The latter will have to decide whether to rejoin the political process or not.
In March 2010, the NLD leaders held a similar gathering to vote on party registration when Suu Kyi was still under house arrest. At the time, a majority of the NLD’s Central Committee members voted not to register and to boycott the polls.
One major demand of Suu Kyi and the NLD that has not been met yet is the release of all political prisoners. However, there is an expectation that the government will announce another round of amnesty for political prisoners within the coming weeks.
On the Irrawaddy website, Burmese Internet users have discussed the NLD’s dilemma amid hopes and fears for a future that is one of censorship and freedom denied.
One commentator, Sai Suriya, said that the NLD is moving in the right direction and its leaders should be supported and respected.
Others want to go all the way to the elections and give Burmese a party to vote for.
Critics underscore instead that by registering the NLP is accepting the system set up by the military and getting their hands dirty with blood. In that case, the NLD could become irrelevant for the country’s economy, said Ohn.
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