NLD tells Election Commission to stop bullying Suu Kyi

 

She used the speeches to call for changes to the military-drafted constitution, which prevents her from running fort the presidency in the next election because her children hold foreign passports.

In yesterday's statement, the NLD explained that Suu Kyi was encouraging the military to become an institution trusted by the public in her speeches in Mandalay on May 18.

The Election Commission sent a warning to her to May 22, claiming that the speeches were in breach of the Political Parties Registration Law and other laws that map out official channels to seek constitutional amendments. 

The NLD and the 88 Students’ Group organized Suu Kyi’s public speeches.

"As it is clearly evident that the suggestions given by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi were not only in line with the Constitution and the Political Parties Registration Law but also intended to help the military become a highly respectable [institution] that is trusted and relied on by the public, the Union Election Commission's intervention in sending the warnings are inappropriate," the NLD said in the statement.

The Election Commission misquoted Suu Kyi by claiming that she was criticising military MPs (who comprise 25 percent of the parliament) when she was speaking of the military in general. According to Section 354 (a) of the Constitution, every citizen has the right to express and publish their convictions freely so the commission's claim that Suu Kyi's speeches were in breach of the Constitution is false, the NLD said.

The NLD said its activities were carried out in line with Section 406 of the Constitution, which states that a political party has the right to organise freely in accord with the law. The Union Election Commission only has the right to supervise political parties in accord with the law and it does not have the right to carry out other duties that are not stated in the law, the NLD added.

The Election Commission has defended itself for sending the warning letter to Suu Kyi by insisting that it acted in accord with the existing laws and has not prohibited her from amending the constitution. It added that although the constitution allows rights for freedom of expression and assembly, the exercise of these rights should not infringe on or harm others.

NLD spokesperson Nyan Win said that only the Constitutional Tribunal can decide whether Suu Kyi’s speeches were in breach of the Constitution or not. The Election Commission's intervention was out of line, he said. 

In her speech in Nay Pyi Taw on Sunday, Suu Kyi said that those who do not want genuine democracy are trying to create disagreements between her party and the military.

“We are not attacking the military, whose duty is to protect the country and people. Its protection is for us to be both physically and mentally secure. When the military was established, it regarded the people as parents,” said Suu Kyi.

“I am just urging the military not to take the role it shouldn’t take because I want it to be loved by the people. The MPs elected by the people must have their mandate to decide whether the constitution should be amended or not. The people for their part should have high political interest. Only then, will our country have a brighter future,” she added. 

She said 75 percent of MPs must show their support to amend the constitution. In this regard, they must have the right to decide freely, she added. 

“Those who don’t want to see genuine democracy are saying about prioritising internal peace over constitutional change. The process will be complete quickly if we are willing. Lots of reasons will come out if we are not willing. I want to say that those who don’t support charter change are those who don’t want democracy,” said Suu Kyi.