NLD to reconstitute Central Committee

Tuesday, 19 January 2010 21:45 Myint Maung

New Delhi (Mizzima) – The National League for Democracy’ (NLD), which recently enlarged its Central Executive Committee (CEC), yesterday decided to reconstitute its Central Committee (CC), inactive for about 13 years, as the next step in party development.

Holding its first meeting at the party’s Rangoon headquarters, the newly formed CEC met yesterday, passing a resolution to reconstitute the CC, according to a party spokesperson.

“Reconstituting the CC is for the reconsolidation and strengthening of party forces. We will reconstitute the CC in accordance with our party constitution and regulations, which were adopted in 1988-89. According to the party constitution and regulations, reconstitution of the CC can be conducted in collaboration with the CEC when the situation does not permit the holding of a regular party congress,” NLD party spokesperson and CEC member Nyan Win told Mizzima.

Previously, in 1990, the CC comprised about 80 representatives sent from different State and Division branches of the NLD. In 1997, authorities arrested many CC members, effectively making obsolete the grouping.

“We shall reconstitute the CC based on the opinion of NLD branches in States and Divisions. According to our party constitution, the number of CC member can be between 80 and 120,” CEC member Dr. Win Naing explained.

New CC members are to be selected not only from MP-elects and committee members, but also from active ordinary party members. However, the number of new CC nominees sent by each State and Division branch has not yet been fixed.

“The central party unit will scrutinize and select new CC members from the nominees sent by branches based on three basic principles set by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. They are loyalty to the party, having capability and keeping in constant touch with party,” added Dr. Win Naing.

As soon as possible, advisory letters are to be sent to State and Division branches regarding the reconstitution of the CC.

CEC member Khin Maung Swe said that though the party does not need permission from the Election Commission for reconstituting the CEC and CC, they still have to inform the Commission regarding such actions.

“We have to inform the 1990 Election Commission in accordance with party procedures as usual. But we do not need to seek permission from them regarding this,” he further explained.

On the 14th of this month, the party’s CEC was expanded from 11 members to 20.

Yesterday’s weekly CEC meeting was attended by 16 members. Persons not in attendance included aging party chairman U Aung Shwe and Secretary U Lwin as well as those under house arrest, namely Vice-Chairman U Tin Oo and General Secretary Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.

(Edited by Ye Yint Aung)