Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Alleging human rights violation, NLD to appeal to UN

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Tuesday, 08 February 2011 20:29 Mizzima News

Chiang Mai (Mizzima) – The Burmese junta’s decision to dissolve the National League for Democracy party will be the subject of a complaint letter sent to the UN Human Rights Council by NLD leaders.

Aung San Suu Kyi, center, and other party leaders
will appeal to the UN Human Rights Council in a
letter saying the dissolution of the NLD party was a
violation of human rights. Photo: Mizzima

The NLD is preparing to submit a letter to the council challenging the junta’s action, which eliminated Burma’s most influential political party just prior to the national election in November 2010.

NLD leaders said that the junta’s action was a violation of human rights.

Party leaders Aung San Suu Kyi and Tin Oo met with their legal advisors at party headquarters in Bahan Township in  Rangoon on Monday and agreed to submit a complaint letter within two weeks, said lawyer Kyaw Hoe, a member of the legal committee advising the NLD.

‘The NLD should be allowed to be a legal political party. It  is a basic right. The authorities’ action to dissolve the party was a violation of human rights’, Kyaw Hoe told Mizzima.

An earlier violation of human rights, he said, occurred when the junta broke its own promise to transfer power to in the 1990 national election, which NLD candidates won in a massive majority.

‘After we have submitted the complaint to the UN Human Rights Council, we will wait and see what the council can do’, said Kyaw Hoe.

On January 28, Chief Justice Aung Toe, Vice Chief Justice Tun Tun Oo, and judge Khin Myint of the Naypyidaw Supreme Court dismissed the NLD’s special appeal against dissolution.

The NLD decided to boycott the junta’s recent election, saying the controversial 2008 Constitution, which was drafted by the junta, was undemocratic, along with the junta’s electoral laws.

The NLD decided not to re-register as a political party because the regime’s party registration laws required the removal of any party member who was serving a prison term under a sentence by any court, which would have included Aung San Suu Kyi, who was under house arrest at the time.

The Union Election Commission announced on September 14, 2010, that the NLD had been dissolved. The national election was held on November 7.

Since then, many observers have questioned the survival of the NLD without its status as a political party, but some NLD leaders argue that it will receive more support from people after Suu Kyi’s release from her house arrest.

The day after Suu Kyi’s release from house arrest, she delivered a public speech before thousands of supporters outside the party headquarters on Shwegondine Road.

Since then, the organization has continued its extensive social work and focused on broadening its appeal and membership, including the development of youth networks across the country.

The UN Human Rights Council was established by the UN General Assembly in 2006 for the purpose of addressing situations of human rights violations around the world.

The council is comprised of 47 members from 14 countries Currently, Thailand is a council member. Its membership will expire in 2013.

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