Committee representing members of the People's Parliament elected in the 1990 multi-party general elections

(Committee representing the People's Parliament)

Notification No 18 ( 3/99)

1. The National League for Democracy is a legally constituted political party which has the right to address national political issues extensively and exhaustively. It participated in the May 1990 Multiparty General Elections together with other parties. Candidates selected by the party to contest in the election were approved by the respective Election Commission and confirmed the fact that ttheir selection was in accordance with the rules and the provisions of law.

2. U Khin Maung Kyi was selected by the party to contest the election in Constituency 1, Salingyi Township, Sagaing Division and through the exercise of free will he was returned as the people's representative with a total of indisputable votes of 18126 (77.09%) and was accordingly declared the legitimate People's Parliament Representative by the Multiparty Elections Commission. The authorities arrested U Khin Maung Kyi on the 6 September 1998 and remains in prison till this date.

3. (a) Despite having duly declared him as such, those who now claim to have authority, in contravention of the provisions contained in the Political Parties Registration Law and the People's Parliament Election Law, through coercion and intimidation have forced the people to demonstrate and shout out slogans of "non-confidence" and "non-support" for U Khin Maung Kyi. (b) The conspirators in this illegal exercise are violators of the law who have acted without legal authority or justification. 1. members of the organisations of those who were involved in these exercises 2. Sadone Sub-township Patrons - U Shwe (Retired Head Master), U Hla Pe (trader), U Ohn Maung (Chairman, Township car owners association) Masters of ceremony - Daw Than Win San and Daw Aye Aye Than Speaker of the Resolution- U Tin Saung, resident of Myoma ward NO 2 Presenter of the record of signatures- U Khin Maung Htay, resident of Myoma Receiver of the said record- U Thein Aung, member of branch office of the Salingyi Elections Commission. 3. Phaung-ga-da Sub-township Patrons- U Pho Ni (trader), U Bo Kyaing (cultivator), U Kan Thein (member

of motorboats owner association,) Master of ceremonies- Daw Aye Aye Than, Daw Myint Myint Win Speaker of the resolution- U Than Shwe (Ywa-shay village) Presenter of the record of signatures- U Than Nyo (Trader from Phaung-ga-ta village) Receiver of the said record- U Zaw Win Htun (member of branch office of Salingyi Elections Commission)

4. Other information received is that plans are underway for the orchestration of non-confidence demonstrations against Dr. Win Naing, People's Parliament Representative of Constituency 1, Syriam Township, Rangoon Division.

5. In the May 1990 multiparty general election, Dr. Win Naing received overwhelming support and as the candidate for the National league for Democracy he was returned by the people who voted for him out of their free will thus demonstrating the democratic principle that sovereign power lies with the people.

6. Dr. Win Naing received 18845 indisputable votes (66.46%) and was declared the legitimate People's Parliament Representative by the Elections Commission.

7. The authorities arrested him on the 9 September 1998 and have held him in their custody till today. According to information received the Union Solidarity and Development Association Executive Committee members of the Kyaukyaydwin village in the village tract of Thayagone are developing illegal strategies to force the people of the relevant constituencies to enact illegal non confidence demonstrations. Our message to USDA is that a social organisation with no political agenda should refrain from interfering in politics no matter who orders them to do so. Both the instigators and the perpetrators of this exercise will be held responsible for any illegal activities which they undertake.

8. Similar information has reached us about preparations for illegal no-confidence demonstrations against People's Parliament Representatives U San Win for Constituency 1 and U Maung Aye for Constituency 2 in township of Tharawaddy, Pegu Division.

9. In both these constituencies, the constituents exercised their unfettered right and wholeheartedly voted for them in the May 1990 Multiparty General Elections. U San Win was returned with indisputable votes of 15309 (54.91%) and U Maung Aye with indisputable votes of 14747 votes (60.26%) and both were duly declared the legitimate People's Parliament Representatives from the National League for Democracy.

10. Both these representatives of the people are now incarcerated by authorities who exercise power. Our information is that at a meeting held in the Saya San Hall at Tharawaddy on the 22 March 1999 initiated by the township authorities and attended by members of the USDA, illegal plans were made for the orchestration of non-confidence demonstrations against them.

11. We have been told that at the meeting the following utterances and instructions were given by Lt.Col Ohn Myint, (Chairman of Tharawaddy District Administration) and U Khin Soe (Chairman, township administration):-(a) A resolution of non confidence against the representatives of Constituency 1 and 2 must be proposed. (b) For this purpose, the ward authorities and members of the USDA must

work together and visit every house to get signatures of every individual of the age of 18 and over. (c) Those signatures which must be entered on 2 forms must be returned to the township authorities not later than the 31 March 1999. (d) Those forms will be then have to be submitted to the multiparty elections commission office when a date will be fixed for the acting out of the illegal non-confidence demonstrations.

12. Not only have the people's representatives been prevented from performing their duties for the people, they have been denied access to their constituents and have been blocked and hampered on all sides. The people are being treated like gooseberries in a round bamboo tray (sagaw). They have not been given a chance to exist peacefully and without interference - forced to give "voluntary" labour, coping with sky-rocketing prices of essential commodities, seeking employment that is hard to make a little money whatever and whenever without regard for ethics or morality. Total ownership of crops grown by farmers and cultivators is denied to them. Prescribed quotas have to be given to the authorities. Their lives are tattered and torn, and they live in fear. These very poor people who are suffering hardships and illegal methods are being manipulated by the members of the USDA to oppose the National League for Democracy in simulated demonstrations of no-confidence. Penalties and fines are imposed for failure to attend these demonstrations.

13. Implementation of these illegal activities is made possible by "green lights" at every stage and every ring of the hierarchy. The rule of law and righteousness are overshadowed. Because these authorities and their underlings are making a mockery of the rule of law we strongly denounce such activities and ask that they be halted. This People's Parliament Representatives Committee firmly believes that the simple minded people are not acting in this illegal fashion out of their own free will.

Committee Representing the People's Parliament

Rangoon 31 March 1999

(Responsibility for this publication is taken by the National League for Democracy.)