Arakan News Agency
Myanmar’s former ruling party and 12 other political parties have called for a meeting of the country’s National Defense and Security Council over the government’s handling of the crisis in the northern part of Arakan state, where security forces who have locked down the area are accused of committing rights abuses against the Rohingya Muslims who live there.
The joint declaration signed by the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) and other smaller political parties on Monday noted that the security council (NDSC) should hold a meeting on the situation in conflict-wracked Arakan State because the country’s territorial sovereignty is at stake.
The lockdown in northern Arakan began in October after deadly attacks on border guard posts that some officials have blamed on Rohingya militants. The government has denied accusations that soldiers committed extrajudicial killings, rape, and arson in Rohingya communities.
The 11-member NDSC, which formulates policy on military and security issues, is dominated by six military officers. The council’s five civilian members include Present Htin Kyaw, Myanmar’s de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi in her capacity as foreign affairs minister, the civilian vice president, and the speakers of the two houses of parliament.
The constitution, drafted in 2008 when a military junta ruled the country, says the president can summon the NDSC and declare a state of emergency if the country is threatened by loss of sovereignty through violence.
“To solve these problems, the National Defense and Security Council needs to be formed according to the constitution or led by the president,” Thein Nyunt said. “Then it has to decide how to solve these problems.”
NLD spokesman Win Htein told the Democratic Voice of Burma on Tuesday that the political organizations are trying to take advantage of the current issues facing Myanmar, and that many of them have seen their popularity decrease since the NLD came to power in April.
The other political parties that signed the declaration are the National Unity Party, National Development Party, National Democratic Forces, National Political Alliances League, Modern People’s Party, Karen State Democracy and Development Party, Myanmar National Congress Party, Wunthanu Democratic Party, People’s Democracy Party, and Inn National Development Party.
All the parties lost out to the ruling National League of Democracy (NLD) party, which swept general elections a year ago.
Source : Rfa
