Ethnic Groups Want Convention’s Proceedings Modified

Burma’s ethnic organizations—including ceasefire groups who have already decided to attend the National Convention—want the military government to modify the convention’s proceedings to allow free discussion during the meeting, ethnic leaders said today.

Ethnic groups are responding to the junta’s statement released on Monday that announced the May 17 reconvening of the convention will be held in accordance with the same objectives and proceedings as when the convention was first opened in 1993. This would mean sticking to the same six objectives and proceedings set by the junta that have been strongly criticized by opposition groups.

The convention was halted in 1996 after the opposition, the National League for Democracy, or NLD, walked out calling the proceedings undemocratic. Last August, Prime Minister Gen Khin Nyunt announced the restart of the convention to draft a new constitution as the first step of his seven-step road map to democracy.

"Unless the government will change its 104 proceedings, there may be difficulties [to the convention]," vice chairman of the Kachin Independence Organization, or KIO, Dr Tu Ja told The Irrawaddy yesterday. "We want some proceedings to be changed."

The junta’s 104 proceedings, if adopted, will make the chief of staff of the defense forces the most powerful person under the constitution and will place the military above the constitution and the law.

The KIO, based in northern Kachin State, is one of the ceasefire groups that has accepted an invitation to attend the convention. According to the junta, all 17 ceasefire groups have agreed to attend.

Dr Tu Ja said that within the organization the KIO has already discussed and prepared which proceedings they think should be modified and would submit their findings to the government in time. But he refused to say which proceedings they want changed.

The KIO leader added that there is a need for discussion on the participation of the military in the country’s future political leadership, one of the convention’s six objectives.

So far, however, the KIO is sticking to its decision to attend the convention, the vice chairman said. He hopes that the military government will make some alterations to the convention.

Another ceasefire group recently invited to the convention, the New Mon State Party, or NMSP, has expressed its dislike for the junta’s stance on the convention.

Secretary of the NMSP, Nai Han Tha said that his party would be inclined to reject the convention if it will be the same as the old one. The NMSP has yet to decide to accept its invitation to attend.

The largest armed ethnic group, the Karen National Union, or KNU, also expressed its view on the convention. Chief of the KNU foreign affairs committee, David Taw, explained that key areas such as administration, legislation and justice were previously discussed during 1993-1996 convention. These issues were not satisfactorily resolved, making it difficult for the KNU to say whether it will accept an invitation should the junta demand adherence to the previous principles.

The KNU agreed on an informal ceasefire with the junta last December. David Taw added that if those matters can be discussed freely again in the coming convention, it will benefit the delegates.