Myanmar military puts its case for hanging on to political power

[Jonathan Fairfield]

Myanmar military puts its case for hanging on to political power

BY HNIN YADANA ZAW

NAYPYITAW, MYANMAR:-- A lawmaker in army uniform gave an impassioned speech before Myanmar's parliament, flaunting the might of the military with a picture slide-show of tanks, heavy weapons and statues of heroic soldiers.

Under debate are changes to a 2008 constitution that would weaken the powerful political stake the military awarded itself before its top brass ended their half-century rule in 2011 to usher in a new era of managed democracy.

"Myanmar is still in a democratic transition ... stability and reconciliation are very important in this period and democratic practices are not mature enough yet," Brigadier General Tin San Naing, one of 166 officers hand-picked by the military to serve as lawmakers, told the house as debate opened on Tuesday.

"This is not the right time."

The military's political clout is one of the most divisive issues in the new quasi-civilian system, as Myanmar prepares for an election this year that could dictate the pace of reforms in a country that has shifted quickly from a basket case to a promising frontier market.

The constitution gives the military a quarter of unelected legislative seats, ostensibly a veto on major issues like constitutional reform. The odds of military lawmakers voting to weaken their own political power are slim to none.

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/06/24/us-myanmar-politics-idUSKBN0P417N20150624

-- Reuters 2015-06-25

[oneday]

"...Myanmar military puts its case for hanging on to political power..."

Humm, sounds familiar.