Future of new charter lies in the hands of the reformers

For starters, the Constitution Drafting Committee (CDC) has completed the first draft of the new charter, and it has up till April 20 to make amendments before the finished product is submitted to the NRC. 

For the optimists among us, this will be a time for the NRC to act as representatives of the public and push through amendments that have the people’s best interests at heart. 

But the NRC has only a few weeks to digest more than 300 provisions detailed in hundreds of pages before voting to approve or reject the charter. 

The public, in comparison, will have up to six months to study the charter before voting on it in a referendum, CDC vice-president Nareewan Chintakanond said.

Most NRC members were handpicked by the junta for their expertise in specific areas and each has been focusing on his or her own area of national reform. 

However, as the first major decision on the new charter rests with the NRC, one can’t help but wonder if the panel has enough time to reflect on the content and come to an informed decision before voting. After all, isn’t the Reform Council meant to be the country’s last hope in screening and fighting for a charter that will hopefully last forever?

Even if they are able to study, absorb and synthesise all elements of the charter in this limited time, the NRC members will still end up caught in a political dilemma when it comes to approving or rejecting the charter. 

Will they choose to accept a less-than-perfect charter so the country can return to democracy? Or will they continue fighting for just the right thing, send the draft charter back to zero and maybe leave the junta in power indefinitely? Of course, the junta has little to lose if this happens, despite the international pressure. 

Though, politically speaking, most people would be willing to trade a “dream” constitution for a return to democracy. In fact, some NRC members have even admitted they are willing to vote for the charter even if there are some provisions they disagree with – provided they are not “major” issues. 

The NRC’s response to this dilemma should be revealed over a 30-day period from April 26 onwards, when they begin proposing amendments to the charter drafters. 

For instance, what amendments will the NRC’s political committee propose when its opinions on political reform are in stark contrast to drafted provisions on such issues as the mixed-member proportion electoral system, selecting the premier and senators, reform of political parties, etc? 

Also, how fiercely they debate and fight in order to push their proposals through will shed light on the NRC’s significance and the part it will play in introducing national reform under a junta. 

It is obvious that the charter will go through a referendum even if some provisions are not favoured by the public, hence, one can only hope that the NRC realises that the job of ensuring this country has a lasting, democratic charter rests significantly upon it.