?Whoever is elected will first have to draw up a constitution that will have to be adopted before the transfer of power. They haven?t said how the constitution will be adopted. It could be through a referendum, but that could be months and months, if not years.” ... Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, interview with Dominic Faulder in ‘Asiaweek? 1 July 1989 ( reproduced in Aung San Suu Kyi: "Freedom from Fear", p225) ... A thoughtful study by a former British Ambassador to Vietnam..." Synopsis · The National League for Democracy (NLD) won a resounding victory in the May 1990 general elections, but was unable to persuade the ruling military junta to agree to a transfer of power. · The junta (the State Law and Order Restoration Council or SLORC) had initially promised when they took control in September 1988 that whichever party won the elections could form the new government. · But within months they backtracked as democracy activists, led by the NLD, pursued a vigorous campaign for basic civil rights, including freedom of expression, publication and assembly. · Even before NLD leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi was confined to house arrest in July 1989, the junta had redefined their position, which was that they would continue to govern until a new constitution, approved by the people, had been promulgated and a new government based on that constitution appointed. · When the NLD won the elections with over 80% of the seats in the People?s Assembly, they argued that they now had a strong mandate for assuming power without delay. But the regime reaffirmed in a formal Declaration its pre-election stance that the main purpose of the new Assembly must be to draft a new Constitution. · Deprived of strategic guidance from Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the NLD nonetheless decided to confront the junta which had already shown that it would ruthlessly suppress dissent. · Internationally, the junta could not compete for the world?s affections with the iconic, charismatic personality of the daughter of the leader of Burma?s independence. Accordingly no-one listened to what the junta had to say. · In short, from mid 1989 onwards, the SLORC made it abundantly clear that they would retain power until a new constitution had been adopted and a government set up according to that constitution. Even so, there were hopes that the SLORC might relent in the face of the overwhelming expression of the will of the people. They have not yet done so..."