No.17 - 02/2006
23 February 2006

Politics

Length of Convention rests on USDA

The duration of the on-and-off going National Convention will not rest on the assurance given by Gen Than Shwe to the UN chief last April that the constitutional process would be completed by the end of 2005 but only on how soon the junta's quasi-political organization will prove up as a full fledged political party, according to two convention delegates.

"As soon as the Kyant-hput (the popular derogative name for the Union Solidarity and Development Association  USDA) is set, you can bet the NC (National Convention) will take no more than 3-days to round off," said one delegate from Shan State. "But by the look of things, the process may eat up another 3 years to complete."

The other delegate, concurring with the first, said the reason for the indecision is that the 22 million member USDA, formed in 1993, is woefully short of politically motivated people. "There are only two things that motivated the majority of them to become members:

• Anticipated personal gains
• Fear of consequences if one refuses to join"

His township, for instance, boasts nearly 30,000 members. "But how many of them can the generals trust to vote in their favor during the referendum (to ratify the draft constitution) and subsequent general elections? They know they'll be lucky if they get 1,000 votes."

Meanwhile, the National Unity Party (NUP) formerly the ruling Burma Socialist Program Party (BSPP), that had championed the military's cause during the 1990 elections has somehow run out of its favor, after winning only 10 seats. "Apart from letting them hold meetings, Rangoon has done very little to sustain the party," said the first delegate. "Perhaps they want to keep it as a spare party."

Apart from the USDA, the military government has also reportedly been forcing women to join the Myanmar Women Affairs Federation (MWAF) head by Prime Minister Soe Win's wife, Daw Than Than Nwe.