Constitutional national convention resumes in Myanmar

Myanmar's National Convention to work out detailed basic principles for drawing up a new state constitution resumed its session Tuesday in Yangon after a recess for nearly nine months since the end of January this year.

First Secretary of the State Peace and Development Council Lieutenant-General Thein Sein said at the opening of the fourth session at the Nyaunghnapin Camp in Hmawby, Yangon division, which is about 40 kilometers northwest of Yangon, that the session is to seek approval to adopt basic detailed principles on three chapters of inter-relations among Hluttaws (parliaments), basic rights and responsibilities of citizens and the role of Tatmadaw (armed forces) which had been discussed in the last session.

The findings of the work committee will be presented to the delegates to make discussions for the remaining chapters, noted Thein Sein who is also chairman of the National Convention Convening Commission.

He said Myanmar, while building up the union into a peaceful, modern and developed nation, is making efforts for democracy reform in line with a seven-point roadmap.

The roadmap, announced by the government in August 2003, covers the reconvening of the national convention as the first step, followed by undergoing a national referendum on draft of the constitution, holding a general election to produce parliament representatives and forming a new democratic government.

He stressed that the military government has been laying serious emphasis on emergence of an enduring state constitution that can always guarantee stability, development and perpetuity of the union, pointing out that the move is in fact to wipe out evil legacy of the past and to hand down good heritage to the new generation.

He reiterated the call for continued efforts through the convention to ensure the giving rise to the enduring constitution which be free from weakness of the previous constitutions and guarantee non-disintegration of the union and national solidarity as well as perpetuation of sovereignty in the long run.

Attending the convention are over 1,000 delegates coming from eight categories of delegate groups -- over 600 representing for national races (60 percent), over 100 each for state service personnel and turned-in former anti-government ethnic armed groups, about 90 for farmers, 50 for intellectuals, 40 for workers, 20 for political parties and 10 for parliament representatives-elect (in the 1990 general election).

Since the national convention started in 1993, it has adopted 104 basic principles for drafting the state Constitution and detailed ones for seven chapters out of 15 -- "The State", " Structure of State", "Head of state", "Designation of Self- Administered Divisions or Zones", "Formation of Legislature", " Formation of Executive", "Formation of Judiciary" and "Sharing of Legislative power".

More chapters remain to be dealt with are known as elections, political parties, prescriptions for the state of emergency, amendments of Constitution, state flag, state emblem, national anthem and capital as well as prescriptions in transitional period.

The national convention first formally resumed on May 17, 2004.

Present at the opening of the resumed session of the convention were also foreign diplomats, local and foreign newsmen.

Source: Xinhua