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letter of U Aung Shwe dated March 2



Subject: letter of U Aung Shwe dated March 25, 1996

Following is the transcript of letter by U Aung Shwe, Chairman of NLD to 
senior General Than Swe on March 25, 1996.

National League for Democracy
97-B West Shwegondine Road
Bahan township, Rangoon

Ref: 060/Sec (Nyein)/96
Date: 25 March 1996

To
Senior General Than Shwe
Chairman
State law and Order Restoration Council
Union of Burma

Subject: To arrange for the discussion and implementation of the Pyithu
Hluttaw representative-elect for fixing a date for convene the first
Pyithuhlattaw (legislature)

1. In the Declaration No1/88 of the State Law and Order Restoration
Council (Slorc) issued on 18 September 1988, the Slorc declared to the
country that it was designed to carry out the following as its prime
duties:
	"(a)  Restoration of law and order, peace and tranquillity
	 (b) Smooth and secure transportation
	 (c) To work at its best to make the people's lives easy and to
ensure the undertaking of private
	and cooperative sectors
	 (d) After having completed the above mentioned tasks, to hold 
multi-party general elections."

2. In paragraph 3 of the said Declaration 1/88, it urges that:
	"in order to be ready for the general elections, party
organizations that are going to adopt a genuine democratic system may
start establishing themselves." 

3. Therefore with the intentions of an emergence of a genuine multi-party
democratic state and of a democratic government that will guarantee basic
human rights in conformity with the wishes and aspirations of the people,
the National League for Democracy (NLD) has registered itself with the
Multi- Party Democracy General Elections Commission under the Political
parties Registration Law (Law No.  4/88) enacted by the Slorc on 27
September 1988 and officially stands as a political party. 

4. In order to elect members of parliament through free and fair
multi-party democratic elections, the Slorc enacted the Pyithu Hluttaw
(Legislature) Elections Law (Law No 14/89) on 31 May 1989. 

5. Moreover, in accordance with the Pyithu Hlattaw Election Rules (the
Multi-Party Democracy General Election Commission's Rules No 1/89) issued
by the Multi-Party Democracy General Elections Commission on 30 June 1989,
the NLD contested the Multi-Party Democracy General Elections held on 27
May 1990. 

6. The NLD won 392 seats out of 485 constituencies prescribed for the
election. Hence it has won 82 per cent of the constituencies and this
proves the magnitude of the support of the people (to the NLD). 

7. In the Notification No 896 on 3 July 1990, the Multi-party Democracy
General Elections Commission officially recognized that 87.70 per cent of
the NLD's representatives had been elected out of its 447 delegates. This
again proves that it has attained the unanimous support of the people. 

8. However the final report of the Multi-party Democracy General Elections
Commission has not yet been issued. It is stated in "the Notification No
1014 of the Multi-Party Democracy General Election Commission"  issued on
24 March 1992 as follows; ".... This Commission supervised the holding of
the Multi-Party Democracy General Election and this election in the first
election for adoption of a multi-party system in the Union of Burma. The
election has already been held in accordance with the Pyithu Hlattaw
Election Law and Rules. the Commission, in accordance with the Pyithu
Hlattaw Election Law and Rules, is responsible for scrutinizing the issues
of elected representatives as well as of those candidates unsuccessful in
the elections." 

9. At the Coordination Meeting between the Union of Burma Multi-Party
Democracy General Elections Commission and Chairman of sub-commissions of
States, Division and Zones, the Chairman of the Commission clearly stated
the following:
	.... We have learnt that election tribunals are finalizing the issues
of examining and judging the election objections..
	...the first stage of scrutinizing election expenses of a total of
2201 delegates including the elected ones and the unsuccessful ones has
already been completed. 

10. Today in March 1996, the tasks of election tribunals regarding
election objections as well as election expenses have already been
completed. 

11. The Multi-Party Democracy General Elections Commission is sending its
notifications under the title of notifying the Names of Elected
Representatives in accordance with section 43 , sub-section (d) of the
Pyithu Hluttaw Election Law, officially confirmed and informed the elected
representatives that they are elected representatives of the Pyithu
Hluttaw. Similarly the names of these representatives were included in
Burma Gazettes as elected Hluttaw Representatives. Hence Pyithu Hluttaw
representatives elected at the1990 Multi-Party Democracy General Elections
are officially representatives. 

12. In accordance with section 3 of Chapter 2: Formation of the Hluttaw ,
      The Hluttaw shall be formed with the Hluttaw representatives who
have been elected in accordance with this law from the Hluttaw
constituencies. 
      The Hluttaw to be formed as such as clearly defined in sub-section
(a), section (2) of the Pyithu Hluttaw Election Law as follows; 
      Hluttaw means Pyithu Hluttaw. 
      The Hluttaw now to be convened must not be the constituent assembly
but it should be the peoples parliament of legislature. 

13. In paragraph 12 of the Slorc Declaration 1/90 issued on 27 July 1990
in which the authorities directed all officially standing political
parties to sign undertakings to abide by the declaration on that day, it
is clearly stated to the country as follows; 
      In section 3 of the Pyithu Hluttaw Election Law, it is provided that
The Hluttaw shall be formed with the Hluttaw representatives who have been
elected in accordance with this law from the Hluttaw constituencies. In
accordance with this provision, the Slorc will take care of the formation
and convening of the Hluttaw,... 

14. In the 90th press conference of the Slorc Information Committee, it is
clearly stated again as follows; 
      ... In answering the question of whether there is a fixed date to
convene the first Hluttaw, it will be carried out after elections,
coordinating with elected representatives. 

15. In accordance with Pyithu Hluttaw Election Law and Rules, with
paragraph 12 of the Slorc Declaration No. 1/90, and with promises made at
various Press Conference of the Slorc Information Committee, to implement
the results of the 1990 Multi-Party Democracy General Elections which was
held democratically and to give due respect to the wishes and aspiration
of the people, the Pyithu Hluttaw must be convened. 

16. In accordance with the clarification that roads; the slorc will work
for the implementation of the issued laws, orders and declarations, stated
at the 97th Press Conference of the Slorc Information committee, only when
the task of forming and convening the Pyithu Hluttaw is promptly carried
out, will it ensure its implementation of restoration of law and order. 

17. It has now been nearly six years since the free and fair Multi- Party
Democracy General Election was held. At this point we would like to remind
you of the statement made at the 102nd Press Conference of the Slorc, that
is; 
     ... We cannot specify a definite time to convene the Hluttaw but we
have no intention whatsoever to deny it ... 
     This statement has been carefully noted by the entire mass of people
as well as the NLD, the winning party at the election. Hence it is now
necessary to convene the Pyithu Hluttaw as soon as possible. 

18. According to standard practices not only of Burma but also of the
International community, issues of convening the legislature do not take
so much time. In accordance with the laws enacted by the Slorc, the Pyithu
Hluttaw is to be formed with the Hluttaw representatives who have been
duly and unanimously elected by the people so as to express their wishes
and aspirations.  There is no such practice of neglecting the wishes and
aspirations of the people even in states exercising a single party system
or an authoritarian system. Taking such a long time to convene the Pyithu
Hluttaw not only means turning a blind eye on the wishes and aspirations
of the people but also breaking the promises which the Slorc has given to
the state and its citizens. 

19. When study the Pyithu Hluttaw Election Law (Law No. 14/89), there is
no provision for the term of the Pyithu Hluttaw. The term is to be decided
by the Hluttaw representatives themselves after convening the Hluttaw.
Therefore as long as the Pyithu Hluttaw has not convened, the Slorc will
not be able to head towards the emergence of a genuine democratic system
as it has promised .  In respect of this fact, only the Pyithu Hluttaw ,
formed in accordance with the results of the previous elections, are to
enact general laws (including detailed provisions for future election). 

20. With references to the facts stated above, you are hereby informed
with special emphasis to arrange for the discussion and implementation of
the Pyithu Hluttaw representatives-elect for fixing a date to convene the
first Pyithu Hluttaw (legislature) as soon as possible. 

By decision of the Central Committee Meeting of the NLD held on 22 March
1996. 
                                                              Sd/. AUNG SHWE								       Chairman
							      National League for Democracy



Cyclostyled with the NLDs Temporary Cyslostyling Machine No 893