Myanmar outlines contents for resumption of national convention

Chief Justice U Aung Toe outlined on Saturday that the session of Myanmar's constitutional National Convention to be resumed here next Monday is to seek approval to lay down detailed basic principles for sharing the executive and judicial powers as a follow-up of the previous phase.

U Aung Toe, who is also Chairman of the Work Committee of the National Convention Convening Commission, told the press that the session will also discuss such detailed principles for relations among parliaments and the role of the Tatmadaw (armed forces).

He added that more sessions will follow in the future with the remaining chapters to deal with citizens and fundamental rights and responsibilities of citizens, elections, political parties, prescriptions for the state of emergency, amendments of constitution, state flag, state emblem, national anthem and capital as well as prescriptions in transitional period.

When asked about the time frame of the national convention, U Aung Toe replied that it is hard to estimate so, saying that the convention is only to lay down basic principles for drafting the new constitution without dealing with others that follow.

At the press briefing, Information Minister Brigadier-General Kyaw Hsan stressed that the new constitution will shape the future of the nation with more democracy and rights and privileges to be enjoyed by the ethnic minorities as compared with the 1947 and 1974 constitutions adopted by the previous successive governments.

He held that the 25-percent non-elected representation by the military at different levels of the parliaments could not dominate others but to keep balance for some factors that probably emerge disintegration of the union.

He disclosed that 1,088 delegates have been invited to attend the resuming session of the national convention at the Nyaunghnapin Camp, about 40 kilometers north of Yangon.

The session, which had been adjourned for eight months since the end of March this year, was attended by delegate groups mainly including political parties, representatives-elect (in the 1990 general election), state service personnel (including armymen) and invited individuals (including turned-in former anti-government ethnic armed groups).

In the previous phase, the convention had approved the detailed principles for sharing of legislative power in 11 sectors including defense and security; foreign affairs; financing and planning; economic; agriculture and livestock breeding, energy, electricity, mining and forestry; industry; transport and communication and construction.

Myanmar's national convention first started in 1993 but adjourned for eight years since 1996 until resumption again on May 17, 2004 as the first step of the government's seven-point roadmap which was announced in August 2003.

The remaining six steps are outlined as undergoing a national referendum on draft of the constitution, holding a general election to produce parliament representatives and forming a new democratic government.

Source: Xinhua