Burma rulers claim constitution summit a success, despite boycott

BURMA’S military rulers yesterday said a constitutional convention, touted as a first step toward democracy, had a successful start despite an opposition boycott and massive international criticism.

The junta said 1,076 of the 1,088 invited delegates were present, but made no mention of dissident Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy party and two allies who stayed away in a boycott that observers say reduces the event to a meaningless sham.

The NLD chose not to attend after the government rejected its demand that Suu Kyi, the party’s general secretary, and Vice Chairman Tin Oo be freed from house arrest first.

The convention is “declared successfully open because the attendance is 98.9%,” said Lieutenant General Thein Sein, the meeting’s chairman, adding that drafting “a state constitution is the duty of all citizens of our country.

“We are now in this meeting hall to discharge this duty,” he said.

The government accused the NLD of making “unreasonable demands” to attend the conference.

It said Ms Suu Kyi, the 1991 Nobel Peace laureate, and Mr Tin Oo would remain detained “for the time being to ensure the peaceful development of the National Convention”. Both have been under detention since last May.

The junta’s stand drew criticism from its neighbours. Thailand’s Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra warned Burma’s reputation will suffer, adding that he was disappointed at the lack of progress toward democracy.

Malaysian Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar said the ruling generals “have to be serious” about democracy. “It is important the right moves are made, and the right signals are sent,” he said.

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan said he was also disappointed the NLD was not at the convention. Foreign journalists were barred from attending the conference, held about 25 miles from the capital Rangoon.