Election anniversary (Part I)

[sayagyi@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

In honor of all political parties, which represent National League for
Democracy (NLD), Arakan League for Democracy (ALD), Chin National League
for Democracy (CNLD), Zomi National Congress (ZNC) and Democratic Society
of New Society (DPNS) and will jointly celebrate the 9th anniversary of the
1990 election on the western region, Burma Info is posting "1990 Election
after 9 years" in parts.

CONTENTS

· 1990 Election after 9 years 					
· NLD party Resolutions regarding Elections and the Pyithu Hluttaw 27-19
September 1997
· Facts about 1990 Multi-party Democracy General Election 
· Brief personal accounts of members of committee representing people's
Parliament (CRPP) [Already sent]
· Inter Parliamentary Council Resolutions in April 1999 (excerpt) 
· Township NLD parties, which were announced dissolved because of a
crackdown enforced on NLD just after NLD decided to convene the parliament
not later than 21st August 1998
· Relevant statements issued by NLD on the arrested MPs and party officials	
· List of NLD MPs who submitted a critical letter to NLD CEC in April 1999
· CRPP Notification No. 25 (4/99)


(1)
1990 ELECTION AFTER 9 YEARS

· The Multi-party Democracy General Election was held on 27 May 1990 in
Burma for the first time after 1962. Since September 1988, Total 235
political parties registered before the election.

· Vote counting started on the evening of 27-5-99 and the results were
officially announced by the Election Commission. It took 34 days to
announce all duly elected 485 Hluttaw Representatives.

· As soon as the results were announced the election winner, the NLD
formally requested the authorities to convene the parliament.

· Exactly two months after the election, on 28 July 1990, the Party
Congress of the NLD unanimously called to convene the Parliament not later
than September 30, 1990. However, just one day ahead of that, the SLORC
issued a Notification No. 1/90 which prohibited convening the Parliament
without authorities' permission and before a new constitution has been
written and adopted.

· The second-line elected Members of Parliament from the NLD held the
clandestine meetings in Rangoon and Mandalay and explored the ways to form
a parallel government. About 50 MPs were arrested and 20 MPs fled to the

liberated areas. The NCGUB was formed at Manerplaw on 18 December 1990.

· After 8 years of oppressive intimidation and persecutions, only around
300 MPs were left active. In May 1998, the NLD party General Meeting,
securing the mandate given by 251 MPs, has decided to convene the 1990
Parliament before August 21, 1998. Consequently, 160 MPs were detained in
so-called guesthouses and more than a thousand NLD party members are arrested.

· The NLD leadership, which was bestowed the mandate of all elected MPs
reached an agreement with four ethnic political parties and constituted the
Committee Representing People's Parliament (CRPP) on 17 September 1998. U
Saw Mra Aung was elected as the Speaker of the Parliament. The new
crackdown campaign carried out throughout Burma by holding MI-orchestrated
mass rallies to denounce the NLD and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. The ordinary
people were summoned to come to the public places and ordered to withdraw
support to the duly elected MPs who were members of the CRPP.

· Around 150 MPs were detained in the thus termed guesthouses and more than
a thousand party members were arrested. Only those who resigned from the
party and MP position were released.

· The CRPP called for international support. Thus far the Parliaments of
Belgium, Norway, Denmark and the EU have recognized the CRPP.


(2)
Inter-Parliamentary Council at its 164th session Resolutions on Burma,
Brussels on 16 April 1999 (Excerpt)

· Strongly condemns the continuing deliberate policy of the Government of
the Union of Myanmar to disregard the outcome of the elections of 1990 and
its unwillingness to hand over power to those democratically elected, and
reaffirms that its refusal to convene the Parliament elected in 1990
constitutes a violation of the principle established in Article 21 of the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights that «the will of the people shall be
the basis of the authority of government»;

· Calls on its member Parliaments to press for respect for democratic
principles in Myanmar and show, by whatever means they deem appropriate,
particularly through support for the «Committee representing the People's
Parliament», their solidarity with their colleagues from the Pyithu Hluttaw
elected in 1990;

(3)
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi to the reporters on 17-5-99

· [xxx, she insisted it was a "fallacy" to think that she, or even her
National League for Democracy, could break the military's stranglehold on
power and give people the democracy they voted for overwhelmingly in 1990.

· "I don't think I myself alone can do anything. I think this is a fallacy
to think that one person or even one organization can change a whole
society," she told reporters in an interview at her dilapidated party
headquarters. Ms Suu Kyi's non-violent battle with arguably one of the
world's most oppressive military regimes has been likened to the struggles
of Mahatma Gandhi and Mr. Nelson Mandela.]

· "We have stronger public support than ever," she told AFP in her rundown
party headquarters in Rangoon. "Our official apparatus has been affected by
the government, in the sense of forcing our offices to close down. But in

some ways this is, how shall I put it, a kind of test."

(4)
The resolutions from the NLD Congress held on September 27-29, 1997, the
9th Anniversary of its founding (Excerpts)

xxx
Resolutions regarding elections and the Pyithu Hluttaw

5) In accordance with Article 2 (f) of the Election Law the winners of the
1990 election were put into the state records. The term of office for
elected representatives cannot be determined by the Election Law. The term
can only be determined by the Pyithu Hluttaw.

6) In accordance with Article 2 (a) of the Election Law, the elections held
(in 1990) is for the Pyithu Hluttaw (National Assembly) and not for a
Constituent Assembly.

7) We demand the Pyithu Hluttaw be convened by the organizations authorized
to do so. This is in accordance with Article 3 of the Pyithu Hluttaw Law,
which states that the Pyithu Hluttaw must be convened by elected
representatives. 

8) We object to the authorities forcing the resignations of elected
representatives from the Pyithu Hluttaw through various means.

9) We demand that the Election Commission immediately submit its reports
(on the elections) for it has failed to do so despite the fact that the
elections were held more than seven years ago.

10) We ratify that all NLD elected representatives, state and divisional
Organizing Committees and various Working Committees of the party have
given their consent with their signatures, responsibilities and duties to
the Chairman and the General Secretary.

11) We conclude that the only way to solve the social, political and
economic crisis that has plagued the country is through a meaningful
dialogue, which the people of Burma genuinely desire.

12) We decided to hold a convention similar to the Pin Long Conference to
discuss the social, political and economic problems of Burma, bearing in
mind the importance of national unity.

xxx
Resolutions regarding restrictions and repression

16) We demand the unconditional and immediate release of all political
prisoners.

17) We demand the authorities to put a stop to all restrictive and
repressive actions and abolish all legislation that is against the
principles of democracy and human rights.

xxx
###

End of part (I)

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