Junta's convention is 'part of Burma's problem'

Junta's convention is 'part of Burma's problem' MungpiMizzima News (www.mizzima. com) July 17, 2007 - At a time when the Burmese military junta is poised to resume the last round of its National Convention on Wednesday, opposition parties and activists said the regime's constitution- drafting process is "part of the problem and not the solution to Burma's malady." Altsean Burma, a network of activists, intellectuals and academics working for human rights and democracy in Burma, today said the outcome of the junta's convention would merely fuel the root causes of conflicts perpetuated by Burma's successive military regimes. Altsean Burma's statement released today lends support to the chorus of condemnation by pro-democracy and ethnic groups both inside and outside Burma. The Committee Representing the Peoples' Parliament (CRPP) said the results of the junta's convention would not bring reconciliation in Burma but would only strengthen the stranglehold of the military. Pu Cin Sian Thang, Chairman of the Zomi National Congress and member of the CRPP told Mizzima, "We do not believe that the junta's convention will usher in national reconciliation in Burma." Despite demands to make the convention all inclusive, where all political stake holders in Burma could take part in free, fair and democratic talks, the junta has not responded, he added. "Therefore, we feel that the junta is not interested in national reconciliation but to cling to power," said Pu Cin Sian Thang, adding that the CRPP have not received any invitation to attend the convention. However, with most of the over 1,000 handpicked delegates reported to have arrived at the venue of the convention in Nyaung Hna Pin camp in Hmawbe Township, about 30 miles north of Rangoon, the junta is all set to begin its last session of the convention Lt-Gen Thein Sein, chairman of the convention convening committee in June announced that the last round of the more than 14 year-old constitution convention would begin on July 18 and will be followed by a referendum and general elections. National League for Democracy, Burma's largest opposition party, in 1996 walked out of the convention citing that delegates were forced to rubber stamp the junta's policy of strengthening military rule in Burma. And in 2004 when the junta revived talks, the NLD boycotted it as the junta failed to release party leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. Despite the NLD's boycott, the junta claims to have the support of ethnic nationalities as a number of ethnic ceasefire armed groups are attending the convention. However, Pu Cin Sian Thang said, by merely attending the convention, it does not mean that the junta's plans are supported by ethnic nationalities. He added the ethnic armed ceasefire groups have jointly submitted a letter to the convention convening chairman, which was received but was never discussed. "This only proves that the junta is marginalizing the ethnic nationalities, " Pu Cin Sian Thang added. "The National Convention, which is tasked with producing detailed principles for a new constitution, remains a fundamentally flawed and inherently illegitimate process aimed at formalizing and prolonging military rule in Burma," Altsean-Burma added.