Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Aung San Suu Kyi against party contesting polls

 
Tuesday, 23 March 2010 22:43 Salai Han Thar San

New Delhi (Mizzima) - The National League for Democracy's General Secretary and Nobel Peace Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi is against her party being registered with the Election Commission, which will entitle it to contest Burma’s 2010 elections. She communicated her opinion to her lawyers on Tuesday.

Her lawyer, Nyan Win told Mizzima, “On the issue of re-registering the party in keeping with the new electoral laws, she said she can’t accept the one-sided unfair laws”.

Aung San Suu Kyi, who was sentenced to 18 months of house arrest, communicated her opinion to her lawyers, Kyi Win and Nyan Win when they met her today between 1 pm and 3 pm.

“She is neither instructing nor ordering the party. She said party members are free to take decisions democratically," Nyan Win said.

According to the junta’s electoral laws, political parties must register as a new party within 60 days from March 19 or else the parties will cease to exist automatically. At the meeting of the NLD CEC members on March 15 at its main office in Rangoon, Chairman Aung Shwe said the party should consider registering to survive. Eight days later, Aung San Suu Kyi has given her opinion.

In keeping with the Chairman’s view, to decide whether the party should register or not, a meeting of the CEC and Central Committee members from the States and Divisions will be held on March 29. On March 26, a meeting with NLD youth leaders will be held. Among 100 Central Committee members of the party, 10 are political prisoners.

Fifty representatives of youth teams from States and Divisions will attend the meeting, and give their opinion to the Central Executive Committee (CEC).

The electoral laws make it clear that to re-register NLD with the Election Commission, it must expel party General Secretary Aung San Suu Kyi, 10 Central Committee members, and at least 300 members.

The junta has cancelled the result of 1990 elections that was held by State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC) with its new electoral laws early this month.

In the 1990 elections, NLD won 80 per cent of the parliamentary seats but the junta did not hand over power.