NLD Needs Repeated Leadership Meetings to Decide on Next Move

11 March 2010: The spokesman of Burma’s main opposition National League for Democracy Nyan Win told reporters yesterday that the party needs ‘repeated’ leadership meetings so that it can properly decide on its next move following the announcement by the ruling military junta of new electoral laws. The new pronouncement by the military junta now effectively pre-disqualifies the NLD from contesting in the upcoming elections.

The new law says that any political party wishing to participate in the elections must declare their full recognition of the military-backed constitution of 2008, and can not have a leader with criminal conviction under Burmese laws.

Both of these conditions are seen as a carefully calculated move designed to ban the main opposition party from contesting in the elections. The leader of the National League for Democracy Aung San Suu Kyi is currently serving an 18-month house arrest sentence imposed by a Burmese Court. Her party has also requested a review of the military’s constitution, which implies that the NLD is not ready to accept the constitution in its current form.

If the NLD decides to participate, under the new electoral law, it must first expel its leader and withdraw its demands to have the military-backed constitution reviewed and amended.

“I, alone, cannot say the party’s decision now. We need to have repeated meetings so that we can properly decide on what to do next,” NLD spokesman Nyan Win told reporters at the party’s headquarters on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the United States has expressed disappointment over the junta’s electoral law labeling it as “a mockery of the democratic process” that will only ensure that  Burma’s elections of 2010 will not be a credible one.

Chinland Guadian.