Mizzima News

New Delhi (Mizzima) - The leader of the 'Committee Representing People's Parliament' (CRPP) Aye Thar Aung has declared that they will not contest the 2010 general elections in Burma unless the constitution is amended.

In the course of its regular meeting held yesterday, CRPP Chairman Aye Thar Aung said that the constitution must be reviewed and amended.

"Since this constitution does not have democratic principles and does not guarantee the right of ethnic people, the constitution must be reviewed and amended. Only after that, we will consider contesting the 2010 general elections," he said.

But the junta had said that they were implementing their 7-step roadmap in accordance with the democratic principles and the constitution has been approved by 92 per cent of the voters who turned out in the 2008 constitutional referendum. However, independent observers were not allowed to monitor the referendum and there were widespread reports of rampant vote rigging and irregularities in the referendum.

The opposition political parties see the constitution as deliberately designed for the legitimacy and supremacy of the military in Burmese politics.

“The main point that needs to be amended is lack of democratic fundamentals especially the No. 6 point in the basic principles which says 'enabling the Defence Services to be able to participate in the National political leadership role of the State'. Many points under this principle must be amended," he added.

All the member political parties in the CRPP namely the main opposition party the National League for Democracy, Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD), Arakan League for Democracy (ALD), Zomi National Congress (ZNC) and Mon National League for Democracy agreed not to contest  the 2010 general election unless the constitution is amended.

"We must engage in dialogue for this purpose. The ethnic nationalities, NLD and SPDC (junta) must review the constitution and make necessary modifications and insertions in it," Aye Thar Aung said.