Aung San Suu Kyi to take parliament oath
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Yangon - Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi andseveral other elected members of her National League for Democracy(NLD) will attend parliament this week, despite their earlierobjections to the oath of office.
The Nobel peace laureate said she and the other newly elected NLDmembers would travel to the capital Naypyitaw Tuesday and Wednesdayto take their seats, after winning 43 out of 45 contestedconstituencies in the by-elections on April 1.
They were originally scheduled to attend their first session ofparliament on April 23, but stayed away to protest the oath of officethat requires legislators to "safeguard" the 2008 constitution.
The charter essentially cements army control over politics byallowing the military to appoint 25 per cent of the representativesin Parliament.
The NLD wanted the wording changed to "respect" the charter.
Suu Kyi said she now planned to take the oath Wednesday morning,without changing the wording.
"National parties, democratic forces and the people want the NLDto attend," Suu Kyi said to explain her new stance. "Some MPswill go there tomorrow and I will go there on Wednesday," she said.
Other opposition politicians welcomed the change of heart.
"She has to respect the wishes of the people," said Kwin MaungSwe, leader of the National League Force, a breakaway from the NLDthat already holds seats in Parliament.
"When she gets in to parliament, she can try to amend the oath,"he said.
The oath is contained in an annexe to the constitution.
According to the constitution, amendments must be proposed bylegislators, with backing from at least 20 per cent of both theupper and lower houses, and can only pass with 75 per cent of thevotes.
The NLD appealed to President Thein Sein to amend the oath, but itis not clear that he had a mandate to do so.dpa
