ICC NOTE: As the National League for Democracy continues to solidify itself as the new head of the Burmese government, the NLD’s attempt to ratify the Junta written constitution to allow Aung San Suu Kyi to hold presidential office has fallen behind. The likelihood of the ratification to pass is very little which has prompted the government to switch tactics and move the presidential nomination date up by two weeks. The quicker turn around will allow for the NLD to mold the cabinet to the form which is best suited for Aung San Suu Kyi. Many believe that even though she cannot hold office she will be leading from the shadows attempting to bring Myanmar out of the darkness. The Junta has been in control of the Asian nation for over a half century where they have continued to persecute and seek out ethnic religious minorities; specifically the Christian Karen and Kachin people who fight for greater autonomy.
3/1/2016 Myanmar (Reuters) – Myanmar’s democracy champion Aung San Suu Kyi is likely to speed up elections of the country’s president, in a last-minute change following weeks of talks with the military that has stood by the constitution that bars her from assuming the highest office.
Myanmar’s parliament dominated by the National League for Democracy (NLD), which swept historic elections in November, will change the date of presidential elections, previously set for March 17, according to the agenda for Tuesday’s parliamentary session.
NLD members and analysts say the party was likely to speed up the vote to end weeks of bickering between the army and the NLD over whether junta-drafted constitution, which bars Suu Kyi from becoming president, should be amended.
The original date, set only two weeks before the term of the new government was set to start on April 1, gave Suu Kyi plenty of time to negotiate the terms of the transition. But in the face of the unrelenting military, Suu Kyi decided to speed up the vote to gain time to prepare for government, analysts say.
“It’s become clear that amendment of article 59 (f) (barring Suu Kyi from becoming president) is impossible. So they want the presidential nomination to happen earlier so that they can take more time in handling cabinet formation,” said political analyst Yan Myo Thein.
The NLD swept the historic Nov. 8 election, securing some 80 percent of elected seats in parliament, or enough to push through its president. Suu Kyi is barred from the presidency because she has foreign children.
