Mizzima: Burmese exiled government (r)

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Burmese exiled government to be reformed

Dublin, Ireland, October 2, 2000
Mizzima News Group (www.mizzima.com)

Thorough self-analysis and major changes are likely to take place for
the Burmese government in exile during its six-day long organizational
meeting which starts today in Ireland. The National Coalition Government
of the Union of Burma (NCGUB), which was formed ten years ago with a
group of elected parliamentarians from Burma in a Thai-Burma border
area, is having its ?every-five year regular meeting? at Dublin, capital
of Ireland from October 2 to 7.

The meeting, third time since its inception in December 1990, is jointly
held with the meeting of Members of Parliament Union (MPU) and
participated by all the ten Cabinet ministers including its Prime
Minister Dr. Sein Win and 20 parliamentarians from MPU.

According to Dr. Tint Swe, current South Asia affairs minister in the
exiled government, the MPU meeting will elect the new Prime Minister for
the exiled government and then the new Prime Minister will select the
ministers for his Cabinet.

To function as a Parliament in exile, the MPU will also elect a Speaker
and a Deputy Speaker among themselves. Sources say that the exiled
government is to be thoroughly reformed with major changes including the
ministers shake-up and induction of youth, students and women in
functioning of the exiled government.

In recent years, there has been growing criticism among the Burmese
activists in exile on the functioning and activities of the NCGUB, which
now has its headquarters in Washington, DC. The exiled government is
said to enjoy little support either among the exiles or democracy
activists inside Burma.

Editorial of August Issue of ?The Irrwaddy?, a popular and respected
independent magazine covering Burma and Asia, criticized the NCGUB for
its inefficiency, lack of transparency and accountability within and
outside the organization. ?It is time for the NCGUB and its associates
to embrace ? or at least stop opposing ? ideas proposed by people
outside of their narrow clique?, said the Editorial.