Burma

NLD Denounces Conscription Law

By BA KAUNG Thursday, January 20, 2011

COMMENTS (4)

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The military regime should not have enacted a military conscription law without public consensus, according to Burma's main opposition party, the National League for Democracy (NLD).

“This law is directly related to the public,” said an NLD statement issued on Wednesday. “Therefore, it should be roundly debated by the the country's parliamentarians and should only be enacted if there is public consensus.”

The military conscription law will force every man between the age of 18 and 45 and every woman between 18 and 35 to serve in the military for two years or face prison sentences.

The law, dated Nov. 4, 2010, and signed by Burmese junta chief Snr-Gen Than Shwe, is yet to be made public, and will come into force when proclaimed by the ruling military council, according to an official gazette which was recently circulated.

“The Parliament for the new government is going to emerge soon and it can exercise its legislative powers,” said NLD spokesman Nyan Win. “But since the law will only come into effect when proclaimed by the military regime, this shows the Parliament will not enjoy full legislative powers.”

Those who fail to report for military service could get three years in prison and those who intentionally avoid conscription through illnesses or inflicting injury on themselves could be imprisoned for up to five years, fined or both, according to the law.

Students, government servants, persons serving prison sentences or those who have to take care of elderly parents can postpone their military service, but can be called up at a later date.

Members of religious orders, married women or divorcées with children, and disabled persons will be exempted from the draft.

In an apparent attempt to offer a loophole to the military elite and their cronies, the law also exempts anyone whom the military has designated as free from military service.

In a separate statement issued on the same day, the NLD also criticized the new parliamentary laws and bylaws were made available to the public only this month although they had been issued by the junta in October.

The NLD, which is led by Aung San Suu Kyi, boycotted the general election last year and has since been disbanded. It will have no presence in the upcoming Parliament which is scheduled to be convened on Jan. 31 in the remote capital Naypyidaw.

On Monday, Burma's Supreme Court will consider whether to hear Suu Kyi's latest appeal against the dissolution of her political party. Nyan Win earlier said that he and other lawyers representing Suu Kyi would have to present their arguments for a special appeal to Naypyidaw.

COMMENTS (4)

lairam123 Wrote:

22/01/2011

Ya, this is the beginning of Burma broken into pieces. We are already sick of the impracticality of Burma politics. We only need to solve it once and for all. That is to cease from the union and build your own independent countries. UN and everyone should have done this long ago. This will happen sooner or later.

Lwin khine Wrote:

22/01/2011

Just like what U Hla Win said below, all the citizens are responsible to serve militarily for the country on reason of foreign invasion and other needed help, but not for civil wars against its own minority groups. personally, i am ready to serve my country fighting any war against foreign country or colony, but not against my own brothers and sisters with whom i have been together for centuries and decades. for me, i am against this mandatory military service. boo to this! may this unjust and unfair government dethroned in the soonest future!

U HLAWIN Wrote:

21/01/2011

The law itself is not much contrary to international norms. Young people have responsibility to serve their country in case of emergency like natural disasters or foreign invasions. But, drafting young people to serve defending their country deserves the dignity and credibility of the ruling body itself. Emergency respond to the natural disasters is another lack of performance on part of ruling junta in Burma thought out its history for the young men and women to believe that it isn’t worth it to sacrifice to be drafted. No victim in Burma has high hope for current military help in this regard. Killing their own ethnic minorities for political reason definitely is just not fun but the worst thing to do for young people for sure. it is an odd at this point when is there is no possible foreign invasion other than junta’s own civil wars for the young men and women to serve for. That is the reason why the young people show their displeasure of such law as unjust.

PB Publico Wrote:

21/01/2011

NLD's stance is proper and legitimate, just as any citizen of Burma make such a provlamation.
Laws must be natural, acceptable by the general public, fair all round, fullly in the interest of the country, and so enforceable.
Orders are not laws.
At this point in our current history, we are calling for PEACE, a durable peace. Wars are absolutely barbarous, cruel, unnecessary.
If the junta cannot win this war, and admittedly they cannot, then settle it. they cannot guarantee that by this general conscription law the war can come to an end. Not by the tough-guy stance, certainly.
It must be settled by honest, genuine and willing negotiation. Reconciliation is the watchword, not consolidation by force.
Let us end the military spirit of vengience.
Let us finish the idea of soldiering for making fortunes.
Le us have peace.