NLD Divided on Party Registration

After announcements that NLD shall boycott the 2010 elections if the junta does not sit for a dialogue (where events obviously say the Junta is not interested in), comes the news that NLD is divided on registering the party for the 2010 elections. NLD now shows an undivided image and clearly shows something definitely wrong happened somewhere in a political scenario which in the first place shows all the odds for NLD to announce its earlier decision. Here's an interview-report from The Irrawaddy.

On March 29, more than 100 National League for Democracy (NLD) party leaders from across the country will meet at the party's Rangoon headquarters to discuss whether to register the party under the junta's election law. Though Aung San Suu Kyi has publicly said she is against her party registering, the party leadership remains divided. Longtime Suu Kyi supporter Win Tin, 80, who was released in September 2008 after more than 19 years in prison said he would probably retire if the majority decide to register. Khin Maung Swe, 67, a leading party official who spent 14 years in prison supports registration and joining the election even though this means the party must expel Suu Kyi under the junta law. Both spoke to The Irrawaddy on the party's future.

Win Tin
Question: Could you give us three specific reasons why you are for or against party registration?

Answer: If we register the party, we have to expel Daw Suu and other detained party leaders. The details of the party registration laws are not clear about whether Daw Suu could rejoin the party after her release and it would be up to the election commission. The second reason is that if we register the party we have to vow to protect the junta's Constitution, which we have repeatedly said is unacceptable. The third factor is that after registration, we will have to police the “illegal” activities of party members and warn them they will be expelled if they continue those activities. This will guarantee that no one in the party will dare express his ideas at the risk of imprisonment.

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