Myanmar Spring Chronicle – March 03 Scenes
MoeMaKa, March 04 2023
The NLD Party issued a letter dismissing 4 Central Committee members
The Central Working Committee of the NLD Party issued a letter dated March 3, dismissing 1 member of the Central Executive Committee and 3 members of the Central Committee, not only from the party’s position but also as a party member. A Central Executive Committee member (CEC), U Phyo Min Thein, and other Central Committee members (CC), Daw Sandar Min, U Toe Lwin, and U Win Myint Aung, were dismissed by the Central Working Committee. Although the statement was issued with the address of the Shwe Gone Daing NLD party headquarters, most or all of the Central Working Committee members were out of the country.
According to the statement, it is understood that the Central Working Committee took over the party’s decision-making responsibility during the period when the party’s chairman and most central executives were arrested and detained.
The statement mentioned that “during the spring revolution, the party’s tasks are carried out by the Central Working Committee with full responsibility.”
This Central Working Committee was formed in November 2021, and it consisted of 7 members at its inception. Central Executive Committee members U Aung Kyi Nyunt and U Tin Htut Oo, 1 other auxiliary Central Executive Committee member and members of the hearing committee participated. It is understood that the Central Working Committee was established urgently when a consensus transfer of responsibility could not be carried out while the chairman, vice chairman and most of the executive committee members of the NLD party were detained.
Such an announced decision to expel them from party duties and membership may be procedurally objectionable. On the other hand, it is not clear whether party leaders who are in prison made any comments about internal party matters going on outside.
In this statement, it is understood that the main point is the allegation that the party is preparing to participate in the election to be held by the military council. Regarding U Phyo Min Thein, it is mentioned that he made false statements against Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. Regarding the comment about him, there is no need to explain it specifically because there is clear evidence and information.
Regarding the comments about Daw Sandar Min, U Toe Lwin and U Win Myint Aung, I think it would be better if it could be explained in more detail. Another point of view is that it is an internal party issue, so I think it would be better if it could be described whether or not there was a situation where there was a thorough discussion within the party. It is true that the party cannot hold conferences and congresses under such circumstances. However, it will appear as a more solid and strong decision if the party leaders can make it obvious to the party members whether there is any communication and discussion among those who are abroad, those who are incarcerated in prison, and those who are not arrested in the nation.
The situation where the NLD party leaders were arrested and detained from 1990 to 2011 and the situation we faced after the military coup in 2021 have different backgrounds.
During the first junta era, when Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and some of the leaders of the NLD party were arrested and released repeatedly, and after the 2003 Tabayin uprising, when they were detained until 2011, U Aung Shwe, U Chit Khaing, and U Lwin had taken responsibility for the party’s right to stand officially, and there had been instances where they had decided against the party’s lower members in some cases.
Now, in the era of the second military coup, there is no evidence that the party leadership was able to prepare in advance how they would continue to take responsibility and lead the party in the event of such a situation. After most of the party officials were arrested and detained, some of those who were able to flee abroad took on leadership responsibilities, and some of the minority who were not arrested from the party took some steps to continue the party’s legal existence. While saying that the parties’ financial information will be checked, it has been learned that some party leaders in the country who were not arrested sent letters to the Union Election Commission under the military council government saying that they could not be checked in the current situation. Since then, it can be said that some parts of the NLD party began to have a conflict of opinion.
Now, secondly, after the military council enacted the law on the registration of political parties, it can also be taken as a sense that the party has split into two paths: standing as a party on the ground, and standing as a domestic underground party with foreign-based leadership.
After the NLD party has established the NUG government with their elected MPs in the 2020 election, leaders of various levels of the party and party members by forming forces and alliances during this armed revolution, I think it is time for them to adjust and review what the role of the party will be, etc.