Myanmar opposition, former students group to cooperate on amending constitution

Myanmar's opposition party, National League for Democracy (NLD), and 88 Generation Peace and Open Society Group, a former students group formed to build peace and promote civil society in Myanmar, will cooperate to push for the amendment to the country's 2008 constitution, according to a joint statement of the two organizations Monday. The two claimed in the joint statement that they will jointly work for the amendment to the Sections 436 in Chapter 12 of the Constitution, calling for the emergence of a genuine democratic union. Section 436 in Chapter 12 of the Constitution states "(the constitution) shall be amended with the prior approval of more than 75 percent of all the representatives of the Union Parliament, after which in a nation-wide referendum only with the votes of more than half of those who are eligible to vote." The statement followed a meeting here on Sunday between the NLD CEC members led by NLD Chairperson Aung San Suu Kyi and 88 Generation leaders headed by Min Ko Naing and Ko Ko Gyi. Myanmar Union Parliament formed on Feb. 3 a 31-member Committee for Implementation of 2008 Constitution Amendment, chaired by U Nanda Kyaw Swa, deputy speaker of the Parliament. The implementation committee is tasked to review a report, which includes a wide range of public suggestions, compiled and submitted by the Parliament's Joint Committee for Review of 2008 Constitution at the end of January. The implementation committee is also designed to re-submit a report on constitution amendment to the Parliament. The earlier Joint Committee for Review of 2008 Constitution said it received over 28,247 letters of suggestions from over 20 political parties, legal experts, government departments including the military and civil societies. The call for amendment critically includes an article 59-f in the constitution that was said to have been intentionally drawn by the previous military government to block Aung San Suu Kyi from being eligible to run for presidential election. Constitutional amendment has been widely called for ahead of the 2015 general election for the emergence of the next term of government and achievement of domestic peace. The 194-page 15-chapter Republic of the Union of Myanmar Constitution 2008 was promulgated by the previous military government in May 2008.