NLD Statement 121 in English

[nldburma@xxxxxxxxxxx]

National League for Democracy
(97/b), West Shwegondine
Bahan, Rangoon

Statement 121 (12/98)

1.	The National League for Democracy is a legally constituted political 
party performing legal duties in the national interest and as such, all 
its branches at state, division, township and village levels, all its 
organising committees and all other working groups automatically have 
the same legal status as the central body. This organisation was duly 
registered in conformity with the law promulgated by the authorities 
that had assumed state power in 1988.

2. 	(a) 	In breach of the provisions contained in the Political Parties 
Registration Law; in breach of the principles of the rule of law; in 
breach of its own laws (laws made by them); the authorities are now 
deceitfully announcing that NLD township branches have been voluntarily 
dissolved when the truth of the matter is that by the use of power and 
authority and intimidation, these branches and organising committees are 
now being decapitated by them. These activities by the authorities are 
illegal and unjust and do not have the force of law. In the same way 
they have forces the resignations of our members. This is illegal and 
abuse of power to the extreme.

(b) 	We declare that the above activities are totally unacceptable and 
strongly denounce such reprehensible conduct.

3.	Illegal methods used by the Military Intelligence and specific 
instances of forced closures of branches and resignations of members are 
cited below:- 

(a) 	In some townships while most of the members of the organising 
committees were arrested, the remaining one or two members were 
threatened and made to close down. The office signboards, seals, 
documents and other paraphernalia were forcefully removed and taken by 
the authorities to the respective election commission offices. There was 
no entrustment by the members.

(b) 	One outstanding instance relates to the branch in Monywa township 
of Sagaing Division where the chairman of the local State Peace and 
Development Council issued a summons (similar to the procedure adopted 
in a criminal matter) to the organising committee for their attendance 
at his office without fail on the 3 November 1998. This is what was said 
by him:
" xxxxx    The news about resignations of NLD members must be known to 
you. All township organising committee members have also resigned. The 
organising committee members of ChaungOo township (Sagaing division) 
have also resigned, Therefore, all members of Monywa township organising 
committee will resign failing which my duty is to take appropriate 
action. Resignations can be made individually also.    xxxxx"
(Note: Evidence of the limitless use of authority)

(c) 	The members of the township organising committee rejected the 
orders to resign.

(d) 	(1) 	The resolution taken by the ChaungOo township of Sagaing 
Division was as follows:-
" The Township Executive Committee will not be dissolved and the members 
have no intention whatsoever of resigning."
      	(2) 	Regarding the allegation that 12 members from this township 
had resigned the fact is that those twelve members had lose touch with 
the party for a long period of time and had not participated in the 
activities of the organisation. In order to swell their figures, the 
authorities have deceitfully included them in their list of 
resignations.
      	(3) 	The NLD signboard was illegally and forcefully removed by 
the authorities on 27 November 1998 at 10:30 a.m without the knowledge 
or approval of the members. Again, the display of boundless authority.

(e)	On the 26 November 1998, a summons was sent by the local office of 
the Elections Commissioner of Chauk township, Magwe Division to the 
members of the NLD organising committee "inviting" them to " attend 
without fail" for " discussions". "Discussions" and "without fail" are 
contradictory terms and indicates boundless authority. The chairman of 
this Commission skillfully told thus 
" xxxxx    Our premises is open for discussion of party matters with 
individuals or in groups at all times.   xxxxx" and that as far as the 
committee was concerned, they (individually or as a group) had no 
questions to ask.

(f)	(1) 	In Myaung township of Sagaing Division. members of the local 
SPDC and members of the USDA who have nothing to do with the issue went 
to the villages and threatened the grass roots of the organisaions by 
saying:
"xxxxx    Your representatives in parliament, your organising committee 
members have all resigned and if you all do not resign you will be in 
big trouble. When the party is declared an illegal party, action will be 
taken against you so you had better resign now and we will help you.    
xxxxx"
	     	(2) 	In addition, the information we have received is that 
illegal pressure is being applied and the people are being enticed with 
promises of advantages if they will "speak out and organise themselves 
to cause disenchantment against the General Secretary Daw Aung San Suu 
Kyi".

(g) 	Some members of the NLD have been threatened with action under 
Section 5(j) of the 1950 Emergency Provisions Law if they do not resign.

(h)	The most loathsome of all their actions is by the military 
intelligence who have obtained signatures of resignations from persons 
pretending to be members of he NLD-this is the information that we have 
received and is happening especially n the Irrawaddy Division.

4. 	We urge the higher authorities to direct their subordinates to stop 
and refrain from these evil, unscrupulous and scurrilous practices.


Central Executive Committee
National League for Democracy

14 December 1998 































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