Opposition’s Political Showdown

October 26, 2002 — "Watch out! Burmese politics is now becoming exciting again," exclaimed a former student activist inside Burma, in reference to the recent increase in members of Committee for Representing People Parliament (CRPP). In a statement released on Thursday, the CRPP announced that it has increased its membership from 10 to 13, with more representatives from the Mon, Shan and Zomi ethnic groups. The CRPP, which was founded by the National League for Democracy (NLD) and other ethnic groups in 1998, will continue to call for the emergence of a parliament and work like a legislature until a real one is convened, said U Aye Thar Aung, a secretary of CRPP. The newly expanded CRPP has given key roles to ethnic leaders: Khun Htun Oo of the Shan National League for Democracy, Naing Htun Thein of the Mon National Democratic Front and U Fu Cin Shing Htan of the Zomi National Congress. Analysts say that this latest move is an indication of the rising impatience and frustration of Aung San Suu Kyi and her party, the NLD. With ongoing refusals from the junta on the question of dialogue, the opposition seems to be testing the water by reviving the CRPP. "It is a right action. In order to advance the democratization process, the opposition can not be passive and they must take proactive measures. Otherwise they will end up committing political suicide", Thakin Chan Tun, a veteran politician living in Rangoon told The Irrawaddy. "Lack of political progress and the people’s daily economic hardships have impelled the opposition to take this action", Thakin Chan Tun said. "The NLD’s policy toward ethnic nationalities is now clearer than ever before. In particular, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has promised us that NLD will not make decisions on ethnic issues without the agreement of ethnic nationalities. We trust Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and have joined the CRPP with full commitment," Khun Htun Oo, a new member of the CRPP and representative of Shan National League for Democracy told The Irrawaddy. "The political atmosphere and space in which the CRPP can maneuver has improved," he added. The CRPP has now become a rallying platform for the major political forces of Burma. Any political party that won a minimum of three seats in the 1990 elections is welcome to join CRPP. Despite the clear victory of the NLD, the election outcome was never honored. "We have heard that the CRPP even has the will to embrace the National Unity Party—the former ruling socialist party of Burma," explained an inside journalist who asked not to be named. The NUP recently held its annual conference and criticized the junta’s economic mismanagement. The Burmese military regime has not made any move against the newly expanded CRPP, which was originally formed as a counterbalance against the junta-sponsored National Convention. But, it is uncertain how the junta will respond to the CRPP’s latest move. In 1998, shortly after the CRPP’s inception, the junta detained many of the would-be members of the proxy parliament. "The expansion of the CRPP is nothing new. We just did it in accordance with the UN resolution on Burma that calls for a tripartite political dialogue. We expect the international support," said U Fu Cin Shing Htan, chairman of the Zomi National Congress. Shan leader Khun Htun Oo is somehow optimistic: "I think we should see the CRPP as a negotiating token to deal with the current [political] deadlock". By mobilizing more ethnic support, Suu Kyi seems to be making an effort to broaden the scope of voices in the opposition and unify ethnic nationalities, analysts say. If dialogue ever takes place, it will not just be confined to dialogue "between Suu Kyi and the regime", but now "between the CRPP and the regime". Now with a commitment to coalition building among ethnic groups, the CRPP has increased its legitimacy. Suu Kyi, who is also a member of CRPP, will astute move to try to end the intricate political stalemate with the junta, analysts have predicted. However, as the military is still refusing to relax its grip on power, this expansion of the CRPP will not please the generals, thus running the risk of a return to confrontation.