» 11/07/2011 12:38 MYANMAR Govt overtures to let Aung San Suu Kyi and NLD into political system After their exclusion from the 2010 parliamentary elections, the main opposition party and its leader could become legal. The president signs three amendments to the Political Party Registration Law that would open the doors to the Nobel Prize laureate. EU, US and UN praise and encourage the changes.
Yangon (AsiaNews/Agencies) – Senior US, EU and UN officials have come out in favour of “important changes” that have been recently introduced in Myanmar. They have also urged the government to continue on the path of reform. Myanmar President Thein Sein recently signed into law amendments to the Political Party Registration Law after they were approved by both houses of parliament.
Under the changes, opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) would be able to rejoin the political system and reregister as a party.
Under the old law, the NLD was illegal because it had refused the conditions set by the old military regime to take part in the country’s November 2010 elections.
Last Friday, Myanmar state TV reported that President Thein Sein had signed the law that changed the existing legislation in three areas to accommodate Suu Kyi and the National League for Democracy.
One article was amended to say that registered parties shall "respect and abide" by the constitution rather than "safeguard" it. The constitution was adopted by the military in 2008 after a referendum riddle with allegations of fraud held during the crisis caused by Cyclone Nargis. The change was evidently made to accommodate criticisms of the charter by Suu Kyi's party without making them illegal.
The old law also banned anyone convicted of a crime from being a member of a political party. Suu Kyi has a prior conviction.
The third amendment says that any party that registers after the general election must run candidates in at least three constituencies in by-elections to remain legally registered. The original law said a party had to run at least three candidates in the general election, which would have been an impediment to Suu Kyi's party, since it boycotted the 2010 polls.
On 9 November 2010, Myanmar held its first parliamentary elections after 20 years of dictatorship, marking the transition from a military to a civilian parliamentary regime. However, the vote was rigged and the new government is largely a creation of the military.
Despite the situation, the president appears to have started a process of greater democratisation, beginning with the release of the main opposition leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, and the loosening of media censorship.
Political changes, which are driven by a desire for international legitimacy and an end to Western-sponsored economic and trading sanctions, have been met with support.
"There are important changes going on in this country," said Ambassador David Lipman, head of the EU delegation to Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Burma. "The European Union is very much hoping to support and to encourage this momentum of change," he added.
US special envoy to Burma Derek Mitchell has acknowledged the positive steps taken by Myanmar, including the release of political prisoners and the overtures towards the National League for Democracy.
Vijay Nambiar, a special adviser to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, also concluded a visit Friday and added his voice to those encouraging further reforms.
