YANGON (AFP) — Myanmar's National Convention, a military installed group tasked with drafting guidelines for a new constitution, completed its work on Friday, delegates to the long-running talks said.
The discussions have dragged on fitfully for 14 years, and the work concludes as Myanmar's military regime headed by Senior General Than Shwe is contending with the most sustained protests against its rule in almost as long.
"Everything is finished today," said one delegate, who declined to be named, although the Convention will officially close on Monday, according to two other delegates, who declined to provide details because they were not authorised to speak to reporters.
Peaceful anti-government rallies broke out in Myanmar's commercial capital Yangon on August 19 in protest at a massive hike in fuel prices.
The junta has accused the protesters of attempting to disrupt the National Convention.
Activists say that more than 100 people have been arrested since, including top pro-democracy leaders, but near daily protests have continued to pop up around the country.
Myanmar has been without a constitution since 1988, and the military claims that writing a new one will be the first step on a "road map" to democracy that, in theory, would eventually lead to free elections.
Pro-democracy supporters have already warned that the proposed constitution risked sparking new protests in the nation formerly known as Burma, where the military has ruled since 1962.
"Another uprising in Burma today depends entirely on the current constitution-drafting process," warned the pro-democracy 88 Generation Students in a statement on August 8.
The group is made up of former student leaders who led a 1988 uprising against military rule. Many spent more than a decade in prison, and 13 of the top leaders were again detained last week over the recent protests.
The constitutional talks have been derided internationally for failing to include the National League for Democracy (NLD), headed by detained Nobel peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi.
The NLD won elections in a landslide victory in 1990, but the military refused to recognise the results.
When the latest round of talks opened on July 18, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon urged the junta "to seize this opportunity to ensure that this and subsequent steps in Myanmar's political roadmap are as inclusive, participatory and transparent as possible."
Even though the National Convention has wrapped up its work outlining principles for a new charter, Myanmar's rulers say a new committee will need to draw up the actual constitution.
They have promised to bring the charter before voters in a referendum, which would then lead to elections, but no time table has been set.
Diplomats in Yangon say that Myanmar's junta has only made this far because of pressure from China, which has insisted the generals make progress as a trade-off for shielding the country from action at the UN Security Council.
The 1,000 delegates have held their talks at an isolated military base north of Yangon, so the people of Myanmar have little idea of what actually happens there.
Public criticism of the convention is a crime, muting any discontent.
Analysts say the charter will enshrine the military's role in government, guaranteeing the presidency to a retired soldier and barring Aung San Suu Kyi from running in an eventual election.
A quarter of the seats in parliament would be reserved for the military, and be appointed by the commander in chief.
Copyright © 2009 AFP. All rights reserved. More »
