Council for a Community of Democracies

Suu Kyi Meets With Party Leaders To Discuss Restructuring; Lawyers Appeal Sentence
December 22, 2009
By: Randi Zung

On December 16, BBC News reported that Aung San Suu Kyi met with three senior officials from her National League for Democracy (NLD) party. Suu Kyi met with NLD chairman Aung Shwe (92 years old), party secretary U Lwin (85), and Lun Tin (82) to ask permission to begin to reorganize the party before Burma’s next national election. This meeting marks the first time that Suu Kyi has been permitted to meet with her party’s officials in nearly a year. After the 45 minute meeting, U Lwin said that they all agreed to Suu Kyi’s requests. Despite having been held under house arrest for 14 of the last 20 years, over the last few months Suu Kyi has met with officials from the United States, as well as officials from the Burmese government.

On December 21, the Associated Press reported that Burma’s Supreme Court agreed to review the extension of Suu Kyi’s house arrest after a lower court decided to uphold the original additional 18 month sentence. Suu Kyi's chief lawyer Kyi Win stated that her house arrest was unlawful because the court’s ruling was based on the country’s 1974 Constitution that no longer exists. In addition to her house arrest, Suu Kyi was also sentenced to three years of hard labor, which were later commuted by current junta leader General Than Shwe. The Supreme Court has also said that it will review the charges against two individuals who are also currently being held under house arrest at Suu Kyi’s compound in Yangon.

The New York Times reports that if Suu Kyi’s appeal is ruled to be unlawful, she could possibly play an active role in Burma’s 2010 elections. However, the article also notes that the country’s current constitution contains provisions that would keep the junta government in power even after elections take place. In addition, it is believed that if released, Suu Kyi would be barred from running for office again.

Sources:
BBC News - Burma's Suu Kyi meets senior members of her NLD party
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8415384.stm

New York Times - Burmese Dissident Meets With Party
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/17/world/asia/17myanmar.html

Associated Press - Myanmar's court to review Suu Kyi house arrest
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gs16E0Y8T8w9Edy1yiDa2nXqxwkwD9CNKJPO0