New Delhi (Mizzima) – The ‘National League for Democracy’ (NLD) has reissued party disciplinary regulations, circulated six years ago, since activities of some party members have not been in keeping with the regulation.
NLD Central Information Department member Ohn Kyaing said that they had to reissue the disciplinary regulation because of some violations, including dissent on the party’s stand and policy matters. This regulation was first issued on 13 May 2003.
The regulation states that party members at the State and Divisional level can talk to the media in exile only about local activities and local affairs.
“The township level can talk about local activities but they cannot voice opinion on party policy affairs, otherwise there will be 100 attitudes if 100 party members talk in different tunes,” Ohn Kyaing explained.
“Party rules allow only the Central Executive Committee (CEC) to expound on sensitive policy issues. Now some of our party members are talking about these sensitive issues. So we reissued the instruction,” he added.
According to this regulation, party members must avoid activities which can undermine unity and political objectives of the party, avoid misusing intra-party democracy for the sake of their vested interests which can create sectarianism and factionalism in the party, avoid conducting organizational work in other areas apart from their own States and Divisions, talking to exile based media should not undermine the party policy among other guidelines.
The reissuance of the disciplinary regulation was made in keeping with the resolution passed in the CEC meeting held on October 26 based on suggestions given by party Chairman Aung Shwe.
The move came after about 25 party organizational committees from Mandalay, Pegu and Rangoon, gave interviews recently to the exile based Burmese media calling for convening of an All Burma Party Congress. In the interviews some party members even suggested and urged the party headquarters to rejuvenate the party by infusing new blood in the central leadership and expanding the Central Committee.
A party spokesmen, Khin Maung Swe, responded to these demands by saying that these demands were not made in accordance with the party constitution and related regulations. The demand for convening a party congress should be submitted through proper channels through party committees of village tracts, wards, townships, States and Divisions. If over 200 township party committees out of a total of about 400 had made the demand, they would seriously consider it, he told Mizizma on October 16.
Moreover the CEC issued a Special Announcement regarding the convening of a party congress on October 22 which says the CEC is aware of the necessity to reconstitute and reorganize the CEC and the Central Committee of the party.
Thus this issue will be discussed and decided when CEC meets party General Secretary Daw Aung San Suu Kyi or take necessary actions and resolutions when the Political Parties Registration law is enacted and promulgated by the junta, the special announcement further said.
Despite the NLD winning over 82 per cent seats in the 1990 general elections, successive military regimes refused to transfer power. The party had to withstand tremendous pressure exerted by the regime for over 20 years and could never hold the All Burma Party Congress.
(Reported by Salai Han Thar San and edited by Ye Yint Aung)
