“When we speak on behalf of farmers and ordinary citizens, our true feelings and emotions should be on display,” he told Mizzima. “I don’t think they should prohibit such words in parliament. We should have the right to speak our minds.”

Pe Than spoke in response to Shwe Mann’s comments to the media at the end of the parliamentary session on July 17 when the Lower House speaker said that “harsh words and strong criticism” of the armed forces in connection with land grabbing cases would be prohibited in parliamentary deliberations from now on.

“Land grabbing is land grabbing—there are no other words for it,” said the Myebon MP representing the Rakhine Nationalities Development Party. “We can’t recite sycophantic poems. Injustice is injustice, and there is no other word for it.”

Similarly Rakhine State Rethetaung constituency MP Khin Saw Wai told Mizzima: “We should not place blame on those who used these ‘harsh words’ as they have been suffering for over 60 years … No MPs in our parliament used such strong words without reason nor did so arbitrarily.”

However, Irrawaddy Region’s Pathein constituency MP from the NLD, Win Myint, noted that in parliament, there is a set of procedures and regulations for presentations. “In well-established democratic countries, MPs can use such strong terms, but here in Myanmar we cannot make comparisons with them. We have rules and regulations for parliamentary deliberations which prohibit the use of such criticisms.”

The comments came after parliamentary debate began on July 15 to examine cases of land confiscations undertaken by the military. Proposals have been lodged that all such lands are returned to their rightful owners.

Myanmar’s Defence Minister Gen. Wai Lwin responded to the criticisms, saying, “I feel extremely sorry to hear MPs using strong terminology toward the armed forces—some comparing the situation to the orgy of destruction in Vaishali [ancient city of first republic of Licchavi in India, c. BC 600].”

Parliament’s rule book states that words and comments “which do not have sound evidence and references shall be prohibited in parliament deliberations and moving motions.”

Current Lower House Speaker Thura Shwe Mann shall continue as Speaker of the bicameral assembly (Pyidaungsu Hluttaw) for the remaining 30-month term of the current parliament starting in August 2013.

Thura Shwe Mann was previously a general in the armed forces, retiring from his post in 2010 to contest general elections representing the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) where he also serves as chairman of the party.