Sixty-three senior officials of Burma’s opposition National League for Democracy (NLD) and 95 elected members of parliament from the party gathered on Tuesday for their first general meeting in more than a decade.
“At least 150 NLD members attended the meeting,” said Soe Win, one of the attendees, adding that foreign diplomats and reporters were also present at an opening ceremony held this morning.
Win Tin, a prominent member of the party’s central executive committee (CEC) who was released last year after 19 years in prison, delivered the opening address, he added.
During the two-day gathering, the NLD will discuss the three key issues of party organization, constitutional review and the party’s stance on recent political developments, according to Ohn Kyaing, an NLD spokesperson.
Asked to elaborate, Ohn Kyaing declined to provide further details.
“We will release an official statement soon,” he said, adding simply that the party would “discuss all the issues that people are talking about.”
The most pressing issue facing the party is whether it will take part in a junta-sponsored election planned for next year. Under existing election rules, any party that fails to field at least three candidates in the election must be disbanded.
“It is a challenge for the NLD, because if the party is deregistered, what will it do?” said Nyo Ohn Myint of the exiled National league for Democracy—Liberated Area (NLD-LA).
