NLD Seeks to Organize Political Activities across Burma

The Nation League for Democracy (NLD) has asked the military government for permission to play an active role in organizing political activities across Burma, a NLD statement said on Tuesday.

The NLD central executive committee presented a letter to military government officials on Sept. 4 requesting the authorization.

Observers said that the move could signal a NLD effort to take part in the 2010 national election, although the party has indicated it would not participate in the election unless the regime meets certain conditions.

According to the statement, unregistered political parties are already active in Pakokku Township in Magway Division, where the NLD office has not been allowed to organize activities.

U Nyan Win, a NLD spokesman, told The Irrawaddy on Wednesday, “Political parties must have the right to freely move about and organize activities.”

An NLD member said some unregistered political parties are already active and have begun to advertise on signs in public areas of Pakokku and Gangaw townships.

In the 1990 election, the NLD won a landslide victory with more than 80 percent of the seats in parliament, but the military government refused to recognize the election results.

Leaders of the NLD party including Aung San Suu kyi, Tin Oo and 479 other party members have been arrested by the regime over the years, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (Burma) (AAPP), a Thailand-based organization.

The AAPP said there are now 2,211 political prisoners in Burma’s jails.

irrawaddy