YANGON (Reuters) – Myanmar’s new lawmakers vowed to take their seats in parliament for the primary time on Monday and stated they have been undaunted by threats from the military and fears of a coup after the navy alleged final yr’s election was fraudulent.
Myanmar’s highly effective navy final week threatened to “take motion” over alleged fraud in a November election received by the occasion of Aung San Suu Kyi, simply days earlier than the parliament was set to convene.
In an announcement on Saturday, the military appeared to backtrack, saying it could defend and abide by the structure and act in line with legislation, however pro-military demonstrations continued in main cities.
About 300 individuals marched by way of the business capital of Yangon on Sunday waving banners and chanting in help of the navy and towards overseas intervention within the nation’s inner affairs.
A navy spokesman didn’t reply telephone calls looking for remark.
The Nationwide League for Democracy (NLD) led by Suu Kyi, a former political prisoner and figurehead of Myanmar’s lengthy wrestle towards dictatorship, received 83% of accessible seats within the Nov. eight election seen as a referendum on her fledgling democratic authorities.
The navy has disputed the end result and authorized complaints towards the nation’s president and chair of the electoral physique are pending on the Supreme Courtroom.
The election fee has rejected the allegations, saying there have been no errors sufficiently big to have an effect on the credibility of the vote.
Myanmar’s decrease home is about to convene on Monday however state media introduced over the weekend the primary session of the higher home had been rescheduled to Tuesday.
Beneath the nation’s structure, 1 / 4 of seats are reserved for lawmakers from the navy, which has declined to touch upon whether or not they’ll attend.
Monywa Aung Shin, a spokesman for the NLD, stated representatives from all events together with these from the navy have been receiving vaccinations towards COVID-19 as a way to attend parliament on Monday.
“I consider that everybody will attend the parliament tomorrow,” he informed Reuters by telephone.
Many lawmakers from the ruling occasion spent years in jail below the previous navy authorities, which dominated for half a century till reforms started in 2011.
A number of informed Reuters they weren’t frightened by the indicators of elevated tensions, together with armed police patrolling on the housing the place they’ve been quarantining forward of the parliament session.
“I’ll go to parliament on Monday as we’re members of parliament elected by the individuals,” stated NLD lawmaker Phyu Phyu Skinny, a former political prisoner.
“This isn’t new for us,” she stated.
Nai San Tin, a consultant from the Mon Unity Social gathering, stated he was ready to face any scenario.
“We knew we’d expertise this sort of scenario ultimately,” he informed Reuters by telephone.
“Particularly being a politician in Myanmar, we can not keep away from this.”
Reporting by Shoon Naing. Modifying by Poppy McPherson and Alexandra Hudson
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