The National League for Democracy (NLD) has reorganized its Central Executive Committee (CEC) to prepare for new challenges, including the coming national election.
The CEC met at its Rangoon headquarters on Monday and named 9 new members to the current 11-member board.
The new CEC members, all in their 60s or 70s, were not identified, but will be announced sometime next week. The new members all currently serve on the NLD central work committee supporting the CEC.
Names being tipped by NLD sources as new CEC members include Han Thar Myint, May Win Myint, Nyan Win, Ohn Kyaing,Than Nyein, Thein Nyunt, Tun Tun Hein, Win Myint and Win Naing. All were elected members of parliament in the 1990 elections. The military junta never honored that election's results.
“Even though the party chose not to participate in the election, we will have to prepare for the pre- and post-election period,” said Win Tin, a prominent NLD leader. “The NLD leadership, with new CEC members, will be more dynamic and proactive to face the country’s dilemmas and challenges.”
Several of those tipped have helped support the current CEC board, in effect filling in for a number of aged NLD board members who have not been able to fully meet their duties. As members of the NLD’s information committee, Han Thar Myint and Nyan Win, are well known by the public. Ohn Kyaing is chairman of the NLD relief committee.
Younger NLD sources said ailing NLD chairman Aung Shwe took an active role in selecting the new CEC members. Tun Tun Hein and Win Myint are considered his close associates.
Following the reorganization of the leadership team, the NLD will also reorganize at the division, state and township levels, said Win Tin. However, he said that the junta could deny the NLD permission to re-open its offices outside of Rangoon, most of which have been closed for years.
In the early 1990s, the junta’s election commission announced that it would not allow reorganization of leadership within political parties in Burma. The junta forced the NLD to remove detained leaders such as Aung San Suu Kyi, Tin Oo, Win Tin and Khin Maung Swe from leadership positions.
Aung San Suu Kyi and Tin Oo were reappointed to the CEC in 1995 following their release. Win Tin and Khing Maung Swe became CEC members again in 2009. Both of them were released from prison in late 2008.
Among the challenges the NLD could face this year would be the abolition of the party should it fail to take part in the election. It's participation would give the election more credibility within the country and the international community.
The NLD currently stands behind its Shwe Gone Taing declaration, which calls for the release of political prisoners including Aung San Suu Kyi, a review of the Constitution, political dialogue and recognition of the 1990 elections results. However, many observers believe it could still find a way to participate in the election, even if its conditions are not met.
Win Tin said that since the election law has yet to be made public, it is too early to say whether the NLD will join the election.
The CEC reorganization was a disappointment for some political observers, who were expecting more participation by younger members.
“I expected the CEC reorganization to bring dynamic leaders in from the lower levels of the party rather than all coming from the top,” said one ethnic leader in Rangoon, speaking on condition of anonymity. “But leadership from the ground level is yet to come.”
“2010 is quite important for all citizens of Burma and as the main opposition, the NLD has more responsibility,” he said. “It's time the NLD played a more active role.”
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