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NLD challenges Suu Kyi ban
Irrawaddy - March 23, 2010
Burma's main opposition party, the National League for Democracy (NLD), on Tuesday mounted a legal challenge against the election law that prohibits its detained leader Aung San Suu Kyi from participating in the general election, according to party spokesman Khin Maung Swe.
He said the election laws released by the military regime on March 8 are unfair and that the party was calling for a review and amendment of the laws.
Khin Maung Swe told The Irrawaddy on Tuesday that three NLD leaders – Nyan Win, Tin Oo and Aung Shwe – went to the supreme court that day to file the lawsuit.
"We don't expect much from the court," he said. "But we want everyone to know that our party does not accept unjust election laws."
One of the five election-related laws released on March 8 prohibits anyone convicted of a crime or serving a sentence from being a member of a political party and instructs parties to expel convicted members or face de-registration.
Nobel Peace Prize laureate Suu Kyi has been in detention for 14 of the past 20 years.
In a March 11 meeting with colleagues, including her lawyer Nyan Win, Suu Kyi reportedly said she did not think the regime would release such a terrible law for the election.
Nyan Win told The Irrawaddy that Suu Kyi said that forcing any political detainees out of their parties and banning them from voting because of their imprisonment is a double punishment.
Her party has also written a letter to junta chief Snr-Gen Than Shwe requesting permission for its leaders to meet with Suu Kyi to discuss future policies, said NLD sources.
The NLD said it will announce "a conditional agreement" on March 29 on whether or not it would be involved in the general election.
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