NEWS - Ethnic minority groups join

[TheTruth@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Ethnic minority groups join NLD parliament drive, party says

       Thu 17 Sep 98 - 12:47 GMT 

       YANGON, Sept 17 (AFP) - Myanmar's main opposition party Thursday
said it had secured the backing of a handful of ethnic
       resistance groups for its decision to convene a parliament.

       In a written statement, the National League for Democracy (NLD)
party's newly-formed "representative committee" announced it held
       its first meeting Wednesday and adopted four resolutions.

       The fourth resolution welcomed four groups, including three which
had previously signed ceasefire agreements with the ruling
       military.

       The NLD statement also said the special committee had elected
Arakan state NLD party member Saw Mya Aung as chairman of the
       parliament it has pledged to convene by the end of this month.

       The NLD on Wednesday announced the formation of the 10-member
representative committee to implement its decision to convene
       a parliament of politicians elected in the 1990 general
elections.

       The party, under Nobel peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, won the
elections in a landslide but the ruling military council has refused
       to recognise the result and dismissed calls for parliament to
meet.

       NLD chairman Aung Shwe was named head of the committee, of which
party secretary-general Aung San Suu Kyi is a member.

       The NLD statement Thursday called for "full rights for all
political parties to freely conduct their political activities" and for
the
       "immediate and unconditional" release of all political prisoners.

       It also said the tenure of the parliament elected in 1990, which
has never met, was valid "for as long as it takes for the parliament to
       promulgate a constitution drafted by democratic means."

       The ruling State Peace and Development Council says the planned
parliament would be illegal and has detained hundreds of
       democracy advocates in recent weeks, according to the opposition.

       The statement said the NLD's call for a parliament was supported
by the Shan State People's Liberation Organisation, which had
       previously agreed a ceasefire with the junta.

       The Karenni All People's Liberation Army and New Mon State Party,
both of which have signed ceasefires with the government, were
       also welcomed. The fourth group was the New Kayan State Party,
the committee's statement said.

       "This committee will act as a representative for all elected
candidates under the 1990 elections law and will take full
responsibility
       until parliament is successfully convened," it said.

       According to an earlier statement, the committee will carry out
the mandate of 251 of the parliamentarians remaining from the 485
       who won seats eight years ago.