NLD considers legal action after election commission warning
By Ei Ei Toe Lwin | Thursday, 29 May 2014
The National League for Democracy has vowed to press on with its campaign for constitutional reform despite a recent warning from the Union Election Commission.
A party spokesperson said the warning letter, sent to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi on May 22, was not in conformity with the law and it is considering legal action against the commission.
"It doesn't make sense. The [UEC] does not have the right to send [the warning letter]," U Nyan Win told The Myanmar Times.
"We are preparing a response … I can't say [what the response is] now but I will make an official announcement as soon as possible after we have discussed with other central committee members. But I can say this letter does not match the existing laws and also the content of the letter was wrong."
The commission wrote to party leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi on May 22 and warned that comments she made about the military at a recent rally, held jointly with the 88 Generation Peace and Open Society, had potentially violated the constitution, leaving the party at risk of deregistration.
It specifically cited comments she made at a rally in Mandalay on May 18 in which she challenged the Tatmadaw "to prove that they don't like power".
The rally was held a day after the campaign for constitutional change was launched in Yangon at Bo Sein Hman Stadium.
As well as challenging the Tatmadaw to give up power, she urged military MPs to work together with their civilian counterparts to amend constitution this year.
The letter said the NLD had sworn to maintain the 2008 constitution and obey existing laws when it had applied to register, and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi had made a similar oath when she entered parliament. The commission warned that under section 24 (a) of Political Party Registration Law it could ban parties for up to three years if they violate existing laws and by-laws , or orders and directives issued by the UEC.
The NLD and 88 Generation formed an 11-member joint committee to organise public rallies across the nation to build support for changes to the controversial constitution, particularly the removal of a military veto. On May 27 a petition campaign was launched.
U Nyan Win said the warning letter would not affect the petition campaign.
"We are doing these campaign activities legally and peacefully so we don't care about [the warning]," he said. "We are just focusing on our work."
Source: http://www.news.myanmaronlinecentre.com/2014/05/29/nld-considers-legal-action-after-election-commission-warning/
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