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Ethnic minority groups join NLD par (r)



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Ethnic minority groups join NLD parliament drive, party says

Thu 17 Sep 98 - 12:47 GMT=20

YANGON, Sept 17 (AFP) - Myanmar=92s main opposition party Thursday said =
it had secured the backing of a handful of ethnic resistance groups for =
its decision to convene a parliament.=20

In a written statement, the National League for Democracy (NLD) =
party=92s newly-formed "representative committee" announced it held its =
first meeting Wednesday and adopted four resolutions.=20

The fourth resolution welcomed four groups, including three which had =
previously signed ceasefire agreements with the ruling military.=20

The NLD statement also said the special committee had elected Arakan =
state NLD party member Saw Mya Aung as chairman of the parliament it has =
pledged to convene by the end of this month.=20

The NLD on Wednesday announced the formation of the 10-member =
representative committee to implement its decision to convene a =
parliament of politicians elected in the 1990 general elections.=20

The party, under Nobel peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, won the =
elections in a landslide but the ruling military council has refused to =
recognise the result and dismissed calls for parliament to meet.=20

NLD chairman Aung Shwe was named head of the committee, of which party =
secretary-general Aung San Suu Kyi is a member.=20

The NLD statement Thursday called for "full rights for all political =
parties to freely conduct their political activities" and for the =
"immediate and unconditional" release of all political prisoners.=20

It also said the tenure of the parliament elected in 1990, which has =
never met, was valid "for as long as it takes for the parliament to =
promulgate a constitution drafted by democratic means."=20

The ruling State Peace and Development Council says the planned =
parliament would be illegal and has detained hundreds of democracy =
advocates in recent weeks, according to the opposition.=20

The statement said the NLD=92s call for a parliament was supported by =
the Shan State People=92s Liberation Organisation, which had previously =
agreed a ceasefire with the junta.=20

The Karenni All People=92s Liberation Army and New Mon State Party, both =
of which have signed ceasefires with the government, were also welcomed. =
The fourth group was the New Kayan State Party, the committee=92s =
statement said.=20

"This committee will act as a representative for all elected candidates =
under the 1990 elections law and will take full responsibility until =
parliament is successfully convened," it said.=20

According to an earlier statement, the committee will carry out the =
mandate of 251 of the parliamentarians remaining from the 485 who won =
seats eight years ago.=20


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<P></P><FONT face=3Dhelvetica size=3D2>
<P></FONT><B><FONT face=3DArial size=3D4>Ethnic minority groups join NLD =
parliament=20
drive, party says</P></B></FONT><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>
<P>Thu 17 Sep 98 - 12:47 GMT </P></FONT><FONT color=3D#800000>
<P>YANGON, Sept 17 (AFP) - </FONT>Myanmar&rsquo;s main opposition party =
Thursday=20
said it had secured the backing of a handful of ethnic resistance groups =
for its=20
decision to convene a parliament. </P>
<P>In a written statement, the National League for Democracy (NLD) =
party&rsquo;s=20
newly-formed &quot;representative committee&quot; announced it held its =
first=20
meeting Wednesday and adopted four resolutions. </P>
<P>The fourth resolution welcomed four groups, including three which had =

previously signed ceasefire agreements with the ruling military. </P>
<P>The NLD statement also said the special committee had elected Arakan =
state=20
NLD party member Saw Mya Aung as chairman of the parliament it has =
pledged to=20
convene by the end of this month. </P>
<P>The NLD on Wednesday announced the formation of the 10-member =
representative=20
committee to implement its decision to convene a parliament of =
politicians=20
elected in the 1990 general elections. </P>
<P>The party, under Nobel peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, won the =
elections in=20
a landslide but the ruling military council has refused to recognise the =
result=20
and dismissed calls for parliament to meet. </P>
<P>NLD chairman Aung Shwe was named head of the committee, of which =
party=20
secretary-general Aung San Suu Kyi is a member. </P>
<P>The NLD statement Thursday called for &quot;full rights for all =
political=20
parties to freely conduct their political activities&quot; and for the=20
&quot;immediate and unconditional&quot; release of all political =
prisoners. </P>
<P>It also said the tenure of the parliament elected in 1990, which has =
never=20
met, was valid &quot;for as long as it takes for the parliament to =
promulgate a=20
constitution drafted by democratic means.&quot; </P>
<P>The ruling State Peace and Development Council says the planned =
parliament=20
would be illegal and has detained hundreds of democracy advocates in =
recent=20
weeks, according to the opposition. </P>
<P>The statement said the NLD&rsquo;s call for a parliament was =
supported by the=20
Shan State People&rsquo;s Liberation Organisation, which had previously =
agreed a=20
ceasefire with the junta. </P>
<P>The Karenni All People&rsquo;s Liberation Army and New Mon State =
Party, both=20
of which have signed ceasefires with the government, were also welcomed. =
The=20
fourth group was the New Kayan State Party, the committee&rsquo;s =
statement=20
said. </P>
<P>&quot;This committee will act as a representative for all elected =
candidates=20
under the 1990 elections law and will take full responsibility until =
parliament=20
is successfully convened,&quot; it said. </P>
<P>According to an earlier statement, the committee will carry out the =
mandate=20
of 251 of the parliamentarians remaining from the 485 who won seats =
eight years=20
ago. </P></DIV></BODY></HTML>

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