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 NCGUB
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Thursday,
October 31, 2002
Upping
the Ante
The declaration
was brief and casual. But the underlying message behind was anything but
curt or informal. The Committee Representing the People's Parliament or
CRPP, which met in Rangoon on 23 October 2002, and spearheaded by two
major political parties that won the most seats in the 1990 elections,
and a few of their allies, made it clear in the declaration that it was
about to embark on a mission to build a broad political front and give
to the people of Burma what they had voted for--an elected Parliament.
| The
CRPP, formed in September 1998 and endorsed and given mandate by elected
representatives to act on their behalf before the Parliament could
be convened, is made up of the National League for Democracy, the
Shan Nationalities League for Democracy, the Arakan League for Democracy,
the Mon National Democratic Front, and the Zomi National Congress--commanding
a total of 433 seats out of the 485 at stake in the 1990 elections. |
 |
| |
Dr.
Saw Mra Aung, Designated Speaker |
| The
CRPP had 10 members when it was founded. The number has now increased
to 13 with the inclusion of three chairmen of political parties. U
Aye Thar Aung, CRPP secretary, was representing four political parties
when CRPP was founded but withthe inclusion of the three chairmen,
who have promised to devote "full time" to the CRPP, U Aye
Thar Aung will only represent his party the Arakan League for Democracy.
The three chairmen will represent their own parties. The decision
by the ethnic leaders to devote their time to the CRPP is significant
because it shows unity and commonality of purpose among major political
parties representing diverse ethnic interests, and debunks the argument
by the ruling generals about the need for the military to play a role
to maintain unity and stability in a multi-ethnic country like Burma. |
 |
| |
U
Aye Thar Aung |
| Party |
Seats
Won |
|
| National
League for Democracy (NLD) |
392 |
|
Shan
Nationalities League for Democracy
SNLD |
23 |
 |
Arakan
League for Democracy
ALD |
11 |
Mon
National Democratic Front
MNDF |
5
|
U
Khun Tun Oo |
| |
Zomi
National Congress
ZNC |
2 |
|
| |
|
|
| The
CRPP |
|
|
| Designated
Speaker of Parliament |
Dr.
Saw Mra Aung |
(ALD
Chairman) |
 |
| Chairman |
U
Aung Shwe |
NLD
Chairman |
| Secretary |
U
Aye Thar Aung |
ALD
CEC member |
| Secretary |
U
Than Tun |
NLD
CEC member |
| |
|
U
Pu Cin Shing Thang |
| Members |
Khun
Tun Oo |
SNLD
Chairman |
|
| |
Nai
Tun Thein |
MNDF
Chairman |
|
| |
Pu
Cin Shing Thang |
ZNC
Chairman |
|
| |
U
Tin Oo |
NLD
Vice Chairman |
|
| |
Daw
Aung San Suu Kyi |
NLD
General Secretary |
|
| |
U
Lwin |
NLD
CEC member/Spokesperson |
|
| |
U
Hla Pe |
NLD
CEC member |
| |
U
Soe Myint |
NLD
CEC member |
| |
U
Nyunt Wai |
NLD
CEC member |
The second
important decision by the CRPP at the 23 October meeting was to open up
the legitimate body to new members. The move is seen as an effort by the
CRPP to form a broad-based alliance of political parties in their common
quest for democracy. In a radio interview, Khun Tun Oo, chairman of the
Shan Nationalities League for Democracy, even said the National Unity
Party "can join" the CRPP if it accepts CRPP principles and
objectives.
The National
Unity Party, traditionally pro-military, is headed by former members of
the defunct military-led Burma Socialist Program Party (BSPP). It was
the main party that other political parties competed against in the 1990
elections. But, since the current military rulers filed treason charges
against the family members of former dictator and founder of the BSPP,
Retd General Ne Win, and because the National Unity Party has recently
criticized the incumbent rulers, the party is seen, if not as a friend,
at least an ally at odds with a common enemy.
Why the
CRPP?
 |
What
then is the main objective of expanding the CRPP? Even though the
23 October declaration did not mention it, CRPP leader Khun Tun
Oo said in a radio interview, "What we have done is to prepare
for a dialog. That is the main idea... we thought we cannot just
stand idly by. We thought we need to change our strategy. That is
why we have done it... We need to do something. We cannot suck our
thumbs and sit idly by. Nothing has improved. People are starving
and the situation is getting worse with time. We are trying to find
a solution to the problem. Our country is in a situation where it
cannot move forward or go backward and the people are facing worsening
hardships...We need to find a way out, resolve the problem through
political and peaceful means."
Asked
about the immediate tasks of the CRPP, Secretary U Aye Thar Aung
said, "It will be working for the emergence of the Parliament,
and while the Parliament cannot yet be convened, it will function
as a Parliament."
|
| U
Nai Tun Thein |
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