Officials from the pro-democracy National League for Democracy party (NLD), on its first day of its signature campaign at Three Pagoda Pass Town in Kyain Seikgyi, collected more than 1,000 signatures supporting changes to Article 436 of Burma’s controversial 2008 Constitution.
U Myo Aung, Deputy Director of the NLD in the Three Pagoda Pass Town spoke to Karen News about their campaign.
“We have been collected approximately a thousand signatures in only one day. The signatures campaign is going to be conducted inside Three Pagoda Pass Town and throughout nearby villages. We will also distribute the pamphlets about this signature campaign to overseas Burmese migrant workers in order for them to take part.”
U Myo Aung said the signature campaign to change Article 436 was organized by the Three Pagoda Pass based NLD members – the poll will take place from June 25 until July 19.
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the NLD party leader, had been told that the signature collection will be collected according to the will of civilians.
To get support from the civilian population, NLD sources from Three Pagoda Pass said that the current signature campaign was not conducted by visiting house-to-house. The signatures would be accepted at the Three Pagoda Pass NLD’s office from 8:00 am – 12:00 pm.
People who want to support the change to Article 436 are invited to go to the NLD office and to sign.
U Aung Myat, a Three Pagoda Pass Town resident who had given his signature in support of to Article 436 changes spoke to Karen News.
“Ethnic nationalities will have equal rights only when Article 436 in Myanmar’s 2008 Constitution is amended. This article is the key entry point to the whole thing, so we came and provided our signatures in support of the amendment.”
U Win Kyaing, the in-charge of the NLD’s Information Department in Three Pagoda Pass told Karen News.
“It was a successful first day of this campaign. People came to express their support even though it is raining. We think that they came and provided their signatures because they really want amendments made to Article 436.”
The launching ceremony of the signature campaign for the 436 change was organized by Three Pagoda Pass NLD on Thursday (June 26) on the same day as it [NLD] honored students who passed the university entrance exam.
The NLD’s chairperson, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, has been organizing public lectures for supporting the charter 436 amendment of the 2008 Constitution. The article states that amending any part of the Constitution needs the support of more than 75% of members of the Union Parliament and then a majority of voters, more than 50% to back the change in a national referendum.
