Burma

Suu Kyi Pressured to Register Party During Talks

By YENI Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Aung Kyi, right, reads statement to the media after meeting with Aung San Suu Kyi, left, at Rangoon’s government guest house on July 25. (Photo: AP)

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Burmese Labor Minister Aung Kyi urged pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi to legally register her party, the National League for Democracy (NLD), when they met on Monday for the first talks between the two sides since a new government was formed earlier this year, according to sources.

Sources close to the NLD said that Suu Kyi rejected the suggestion, however, because the party doesn't accept the 2008 Constitution, which set down the new registration regulations.

The NLD lost its legal status last year on May 6 because it failed to re-register in order to take part in November general election. The party boycotted the polls, which it considered unfair and undemocratic.

Among the various restrictions imposed under the election laws, the NLD would have been required to expel Suu Kyi from the party she founded more than 20 years ago because of her marriage to a foreigner. The military-backed constitution also contains clauses that would bar her from holding political office.

Following Suu Kyi's release from house arrest last year, less than a week after the Nov. 7 election, the NLD took the case concerning its legal standing to court four times. However, Naypyidaw’s Supreme Court dismissed the NLD’s special appeal against dissolution early this year.

Since then, the NLD has decided to submit a letter of appeal to the UN Human Rights Council to challenge the government's efforts to eliminate Burma’s most influential political party.

“We feel that there is no way to win legal recognition of the NLD under domestic law, so we are preparing to submit a letter to the UN Human Rights Council,” NLD vice chairman Tin Oo told The Irrawaddy on Wednesday.

Aung Kyi reportedly called such a move “inappropriate” during his talks with Suu Kyi, according to sources.

Last month, the state-run newspaper The New Light of Myanmar reported that the Home Ministry sent a letter to Suu Kyi and NLD Chairman Aung Shwe informing them that the party was breaking the law by maintaining party offices, holding meetings and issuing statements.

The government also told Suu Kyi ahead of her trip to Pagan earlier this month to halt all political activities and warned that her tour could spark riots and chaos. Although the trip was billed as a private visit to Burma's ancient capital, hundreds of emotional supporters flocked to see her.

Despite signs of tension between Suu Kyi and the government, however, on July 19 she was permitted to attend a ceremony commemorating the 1947 assassination of her father, independence leader Aung San. More than 3,000 people followed her on a march to the Martyrs' Mausoleum in Rangoon, but no incidents were reported.

Some observers said that Suu Kyi would likely continue to seek opportunities to demonstrate that her actions are not intended to lead to confrontation. Others suggested that both sides needed to do more to ease tensions.

“They should seek to build trust between them by holding a series of meetings aimed at cooperating and fulfilling the needs of the country,” said Khin Maung Swe, a former member of the NLD and founding member of the National Democratic Force, a party formed to run in last year's election.

COMMENTS (17)

Tom Tun Wrote:

31/07/2011

Fred,

I like to debate some of your thoughts. Some people are powerful because of their theoretical position, some because people willing to follow and some both, you wrote.
Here is my thinking. There are only 2 facts for people follow and against. That 2 facts is "Good" and "Evil". We can look back in the history, it always been good against evil. Some leaders simply do not know that their acts are evil and as well as their followers. That is why we have history and stories to tell, sides to take.

I believe Aung San Suu Kyi stand up for something good and decent, that is why she has majority followers in Burma and around the world.

Moe Aung Wrote:

30/07/2011

Fred

What the Lady has is authority, influence, following, yes, not power but unrealized power until she does something about it.

It's up to her to harness the potential of all the peoples of Burma in a unified struggle to turn it into an unstoppable force.

She alone can succeed in this at this juncture, even if it's getting rather late in the day, for the overwhelming majority still looks up to her (including our ethnic brethren) rightly expecting her to lead them to victory.

Hope she is a woman with a plan since confrontation without a plan to win is no more than a death wish.

What she actually does wish seems to be a peaceful revolution where the regime buckles under popular protests and international pressure. Most of us know that ain't gonna happen, not in Burma.

Fred Wrote:

29/07/2011

Per Moe Aung/s comments, some people are powerful because of their theoretical position, some people are powerful only because people are willing to follow them, and some people because of both. China was recently ruled for many years by people light in theoretical title. If the Libyan leader’s only a colonel, then why the fuss there over the last few months?

As long as people are willing to follow someone, they have power. And that is why The Lady has power, with or without office. She has more legitimacy by staying in Burma, where she is at the mercy of the Burmese government. If she was more warlike, and hopped over the border into Thailand, she could likely topple the Burmese government before they knew what happened. I’m sure there are plenty of Thai generals who’d like to lend a hand.

The new Burmese government says it wants to turn Burma into a normal country. This is a moment when the process can be furthered. Let’s see if anything happens with it.

Moe Aung Wrote:

28/07/2011

“They should seek to build trust between them by holding a series of meetings aimed at cooperating and fulfilling the needs of the country,”

Ideally yes. But do ideal motives on the part of those in power hold sway in Burma? If that were ever going to happen, Aung Kyi and ASSK would be best mates by now going all the way back to October 2007.

The only recourse as the NLD realised is the UN Human Rights Council having appropriately gone through the domestic law courts where rule of law means putty in the hands of the generals as usual.

Fred,

"The Lady can still have power without the formal title. Look at Burma’s “retired” general, Thailand’s offshore leader, or the Libyan dictator."

These are ex-rulers, not a repeatedly frustrated opposition leader nowhere near govt office. Remember Khin Nyunt and the power sharing rumours?

Fred Wrote:

28/07/2011

Other than a coup among the generals, the UNFC is the only group with any serious potential for reversing that crazy new constitution. It’d be very bloody, and they have other priorities. Meaningful foreign assistance? Very, very iffy. So the NLD is stuck with the constitution for now.

The Lady can still have power without the formal title. Look at Burma’s “retired” general, Thailand’s offshore leader, or the Libyan dictator. All light on official titles, but heavy on power.

Perhaps the Burmese government would be willing to make a trade? Something serious, to show its commitment to becoming a real democracy. Perhaps a few thousand political prisoners get released, the NLD officially turns into a charitable organization, and its politicians merge with one of the other political parties? Perhaps several (most?) of the political parties can be merged in the process? You don’t know what the possibilities are until you start exploring. Does the Burmese government have anything to trade?

kerry Wrote:

28/07/2011

Aung San Suu Kyi is correct to stay with the truth. The Constitution forced on the people after Cyclone Nargis (and used as a later source of legitimacy for threats, violence and intimidation) bears no relation to democracy.

It is not 'inappropriate' to demand fair governance, education and health care in the 21st century, and all the people in Burma have a right to a voice in their nation. They voted in 1996, loudly and clearly.

China denies rights, freedoms and dignity to oppressed humans, and the current regime in Burma uses the same language (and even the same news). 'Internal affairs' means the right to kill, control and plunder whoever we choose. This is not 21st century legitimacy and statesmanship, and looks (and is) archaic.

Much has to be addressed in the world for a safer future. Burma's situation is clear, and fixable. The army lost touch with their true role, and deluded themselves. They are not gods- or statesmen.

P FRANK Wrote:

28/07/2011

NLD !!!!!!
Since the election committee asked NLD to re register the Party is the worst things they did because they have no right to do so as one registered party has right to stay away from the Election when NLD decided on the basic nature of the election standards which is totally unacceptable being hand picked MP's supports of Constitutions drove the sham election which is not the Nationwide free and fair election at the same time. I personally never been called to register to vote in embassy and more than 2 Millions living in the Thailand alone , so NLD represent the public and they made the right things so present so-called government decided to take responsible the reality of the country's image then just forget it and let the NLD to sit in the Parliament.

P Frank

Oo Maung gyi Wrote:

28/07/2011

Present regime of military personals plus ex-military personals shown that it is leading to olden days of Myanmar as great race and Mahabama (Great Burmese) Buddhist Religionist government. They are not sincere to hand over state power to any type of civilian democratic elected government. Their mind are dirty, and covered by greediness and selfishness so that the country will lead to a war torn place. Since the civil war had been started with ethnic groups, there will no solution can be brought by this military groups.

Phyo Oo Wrote:

28/07/2011

Now we know what sort of rule of law and law enforcement Aung Kyi wanted to discuss with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.

Soe Thane Wrote:

28/07/2011

It's untrue that under the election law the NLD if registered would have been "required to expel" ASSK. The law only said that people "in prison" could not stand for public office (same as the law in many countries). And the constitution doesn't say that she cant hold "public office", only that the president can't have a spouse who is a foreigner.

Amazing that the Irrawaddy would make this mistake. Or perhaps it's not so amazing...

A.M.O Wrote:

28/07/2011

But then, Suu Kyi to retort as:

"OK! Fine! First & foremost, you guys return the stolen election(1990) to the rightful owner-NLD"

Maulcin Wrote:

28/07/2011

How many times do the parties need to register? The parties can compete. At the same time, they have the right not to compete. They do not need to register again and again and again and again. It is up to the parties.

Mualcin Wrote:

28/07/2011

Body language tells a lot. Suu Kyi does not look so happy. Aung Kyi? The same person who wasted Suu Kyi's time in the past. Why is Thein Sein afraid of meeting Suu Kyi?

Tettoe Aung Wrote:

28/07/2011

Well, you took the cow (I mean the horse) to the water but it didn't drink, isn't it? This must be the classic example of 'the pot calling the kettle black or the thief shout back at the victim who has been robbed'. An illegitimate entity trying to gain 'legitimacy' by pressuring a legitimate entity to become an 'illegitimate entity'. Burma sure is a 'topsy-turvy' land. Thieves are men of honour and honest citizens are next to nothing. The United Nations should be renamed 'Divided Nations' and the world might sorted itself back to 'normal' state.

malihkrang Wrote:

28/07/2011

The best say Suu Kyi pressured to recognize 2008 constitution.

Khin Lin Wrote:

28/07/2011

Since from 1947, Burmese government had never take action on the call of country's citizens.

There were no real government which truly endorse by majority people. Su Kyi has to gave her father to country since she was 2 year old and her mother served for the country almost all her life. Su Kyi is highly educated person who loves and sacrifices for the country in all of her family generation. Su Kyi still lighting up the reputation of Burma. The world is not blind they know so well about the situation.
Giving power to Su Kyi will gave only good out come for Burma and she deserve to get treat with respect form her own government.

Kyaw Wrote:

28/07/2011

Two Parallel lines, no where to meet without absolute elimination of one.

Yes, present Government must be brave enough to amend the constitution and demolish the military proxy USDP. If not, confrontation and annihilation each other is unavoidable.

With the present Government and USDP there will be No respect from the international communities, no economic success, no developed nation, no National Pride but slavery.