Burma -- The Democratic Opposition and Ethnic Groups

Representatives of the National League for Democracy and the United Nationalities Alliance announced today that their delegates would not attend the National Convention organized by the ruling military State Peace and Development Council to draft a new constitution for Burma. National League for Democracy Party Chairman U Aung Shwe cited the Council's refusal to release senior party leaders Aung San Suu Kyi and U Tin Oo, to reopen party offices across the country, and its failure to clarify procedures of discussion at the Convention. The United Nationalities Alliance, a group comprised of eight ethnic-based political parties that participated in Burma's 1990 election, noted the restrictive conditions on debate at the Convention, "which mean that it cannot solve the country's problems."

The United States maintains its consistent view that stability throughout the country will require substantive discussions among the democratic opposition, the ethnic minorities and the government, leading to national reconciliation and democracy. We hope that the State Peace and Development Council will take the views of the National League for Democracy and the United Nationalities Alliance into account in this process.

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