Myanmar Parliament Approves Panel to Discuss Constitution Despite Military Protests, Reports Reuters

By Shoon Naing

YANGON – On Wednesday, Myanmar’s parliament took a significant step by voting to establish a committee focused on discussing amendments to the country’s constitution. This move faced opposition from lawmakers aligned with the military, as it could potentially weaken the army’s longstanding influence.

The ruling National League for Democracy (NLD), led by Aung San Suu Kyi, introduced an “emergency proposal” last week aimed at altering aspects of the 2008 constitution, which was drafted under military rule and considered by the NLD as undemocratic.

This proposal represents the most substantial challenge to military authority in nearly three years, prompting a silent protest from military appointees in the legislature, who stood in opposition for several minutes.

The proposal comes amid growing international scrutiny of both civilian and military leaders, particularly regarding the military’s 2017 crackdown on Rohingya Muslims, which resulted in approximately 730,000 individuals fleeing to Bangladesh.

In a joint vote, 414 of the 611 lawmakers supported the formation of the committee, benefiting from the NLD’s significant majority in parliament. Speaker T Khun Myat announced that the committee would include representatives from various political parties and military lawmakers in a proportional manner, with NLD lawmaker Tun Tun Hein appointed as chair.

The current constitution guarantees the military a quarter of parliament seats and control over critical ministries. Changing the constitution requires a supermajority of over 75 percent, effectively giving the military a veto.

During debates on the proposal, NLD lawmakers argued that there is public backing for charter amendments and that the new committee would provide all parties with a voice. However, lawmakers from the military-aligned Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) contended that the proposal did not conform to the constitutional amendment procedures.

USDP lawmaker Thaung Aye stated, “We don’t oppose constitutional amendment. Appropriate sections should be revised for the benefit of the people at the right time, but it must adhere to the law.”

The constitution also currently prohibits Suu Kyi from assuming the presidency due to a clause that disqualifies candidates with foreign spouses or children. Suu Kyi’s late husband, Michael Aris, was British, and they had two sons together.

While the NLD has not specified which parts of the constitution it wishes to amend, past discussions among party members have suggested an interest in revising Article 436, which outlines the process for constitutional amendments.