THE commission to draft a new constitu-tion met for the first time last week.
The 54-member commission chaired by Chief Justice U Aung Toe met in Nay Pyi Taw on December 3.

U Aung Toe said in an address to the meeting that enactment of the constitution would be the “prime task” in the democratic transition process.
He said the new charter will be drafted based on principles presented at the National Convention.

The guidelines adopted at the convention, which was first held in 1993, recommend the establishment of a multiparty democratic system with the executive powers to be in the hands of an elected president.

“I believe this commission will be able to complete its work,” U Aung Toe said.
The draft charter will be put forward for approval in a national referendum to be held under the government’s roadmap for a transition to democracy announced in August 2003.

The referendum will be followed by parliamentary elections.
Speaking at a media conference in Nay Pyi Taw on December 3, Information Minister Brigadier General Kyaw Hsan said the government would allow those who have opposed the roadmap to participate in the elections.

“We will not sideline those opposing the seven-step roadmap. … When a referendum is held, those in opposition will have the chance to cast votes together with the supporters [of the roadmap],” he said.

“In like manner, those in opposition will have the chance to stand for elections after the draft constitution has been approved,” he said.

Also speaking at the media conference was U Aung Kyi, who was appointed minister for relations with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi on October 8. He has met with her three times since then.

U Aung Kyi said the results of the talks had been “positive”.
“We have made progress at the meetings. The first meeting was aimed at gaining understanding between us. The second meeting was to discuss frameworks for the future [and] the third meeting was to discuss the facts that should be included in the framework,” he said.

He added that “[we] will continue to hold meetings with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi”.

Last week’s press conference was intended to explain the government’s actions in dealing with streets protests in August and September.

The protests, in which thousands of citizens and monks participated, were triggered by massive hikes in the price of fuel announced by the government in mid-August.

Brig Gen Kyaw Hsan told the attending journalists and diplomats that the protests were “trivial for the whole country in comparison to other events in other countries”.

He also accused the international media of neglecting the “true facts” and making “exaggerations” about the extent of the protests.

He also accused western powers of providing cash assistance to encourage the protests, which he claimed were aimed at toppling the government.

“The entire incident revealed that it was not the protest of public and the majority of monks … but the plotted scheme of a western power and anti-government groups inside and outside the country and expatriates by misusing pessimist ex-convict bogus monks,” he said.

The street protests climaxed with violent clashes between protesters and security forces in Yangon in late September.

Speaking at the same media conference, Police Chief Brigadier General Khin Yi reiterated government claims that 10 people died during the clashes.

According to the government, 2927 people were arrested, including about 596 monks, out of which 59 laypeople and 21 monks remained in detention for further investigations.

Meanwhile, the government said on December 3 that it had granted amnesty for more than 8500 prisoners since November 16, to mark the completion of the National Convention and the commencement of work on the new charter.

“The government granted amnesty for 8552 prisoners between November 16 and December 3 to mark the successful holding of the National Convention in September 2007, the commencement of the functions of the Commission for Drafting the State Constitution, the third stage of the seven-step roadmap, forging the national solidarity in the country and cooperation with international communities including the UN,” a government announcement said.

Among those released were 33 Thais, who were set free on November 30.
The Thais, who were serving jail terms in Myanmar for drug trafficking, illegal possession of arms and immigration offences, were repatriated to Bangkok on the same day.

A Thai media report said two other Thai nationals who were facing death sentences for drug trafficking had their sentences commuted to 50 years in prison.