An interview with General Secretary of the SNLD
Under Section 425 of the 2008 Constitution, the National Defense and Security Council (NDSC) extended a state of emergency on the two-year anniversary of the military coup on 1 February.
The Shan News interviewed Sai Lake, General Secretary of the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD) about the extension of a state of emergency by the NDSC and the newly-enacted Political Parties Registration Law.
Q: May I know the SNLD’s view on the military council’s extension of a state of emergency for an additional six months according to the decision arrived at the meeting of the NDSC?
A: According to the decision made at the NDCS’s meeting, the military continues to retain the country’s power for the next six months. The military council gives the simple reason. There is no peace and stability. The country sees destructive acts. The population census will be compiled for voter lists and elections. Despite various reasons, finally the military seized the country’s power under Section 425 of the Constitution. It is generally reviewed that the military council’s continued control of power is a bit far from democracy.
Q: On the one hand, we have heard the news that the election shall be held. Do you think this election is likely to be held? May I know your view?
A: In my review, there is no reason to hold the election in 2023. Their excuse is to do the continued compilation of population census for the accuracy of voter lists. The country must have peace and stability for the compilation of population census. They said it needs to build a situation for the compilation of the census peacefully. Normally, the compilation of population census is common in around October. It is unsure to get voter lists if the population census is collected in October, 2023.
The second point is the parliamentary session can be held only when at least a half of MPs attend the sessions of the upper house, the lower house and region and state parliaments. For this purpose, efforts are to be made to hold the election in at least half of townships. Peace and stability is a must for the election. There may be no election in 2023. Even if they complete the census collection, they are likely to hold the election beyond 2024.
Q: The newly-enacted Political Parties Registration Law covers a lot of rules and regulations. As a big party, does the SNLD think about whether there should be many rules and regulations?
A: It is assumed that the newly-enacted Political Parties Registration Law gives a lot of relaxations to ethnic parties based in the states. But, this law covers tightened rules on the parties which will contest the election in the whole country. The party shall recruit 100,000 party members and open the offices in at least 165 townships.
The last point is the restriction for the competition of nearly 600 candidates in respective parliamentary seats does not match with the current situation. In my review, it is not a suitable law. The provisions enacted at the region and state levels are not in conformity with the provisions at the Union level. The law is tightened on the one hand while the law is relaxed on the other hand. For instance, a candidate shall compete for a single seat in regions and states. There is a big gap. It is generally reviewed that it has no justice.
Q: If this election materializes, what is the progress of the political landscape in Myanmar?
A: Now no one can say exactly whether the election will be held or not. The military council itself wants to hold the election. The military council has not announced exactly when the election will be held or when the parliament will be called. I cannot exactly say what the military council itself cannot say exactly.
Q: How does the SNLD prepare for the political parties registration law enacted by the military council?
A: The Political Parties Registration Law was released about one week ago. We have not discussed whether our party should be registered or not. If we are not ready to do registration, we need to collectively seek the solution to the political problem by other means. Or else, we need to stand as an official political party. We will think about other options if many people give suggestions that the political platform will disappear. However, we have not made any decision till date.
Sent by Shan News