People can now shape in mind the future Myanmar that is exercising genuine discipline

People can now shape in mind the future Myanmar that is exercising genuine discipline-flourishing democracy
National Convention adjourns till end of year 2005

YANGON, 31 March — Chairman of the National Convention Convening Commission Secretary-1 of the State Peace and Development Council Lt-Gen Thein Sein delivered concluding address at the plenary session of the National Convention at Pyidaungsu Hall of Nyaunghnapin Camp in Hmawby Township this morning.

Also present on the occasion were Vice-Chairman of the National Convention Convening Commission Minister for Electric Power Maj-Gen Tin Htut, Secretary Minister for Information Brig-Gen Kyaw Hsan and members, Chairman of the National Convention Convening Work Committee Chief Justice U Aung Toe and members, Chairman of NCC Management Committee Auditor-General Maj-Gen Lun Maung and members, officials, representatives of Kokang Democracy and Unity Party, National Unity Party, Union Kayin League, Union Pa-O National Organization, Mro (a) Khami National Solidarity Organization, Lahu National Development Party and Wa National Development Party, representatives-elect of National Unity Party and Mro (a) Khami National Solidarity Organization and independent representatives-elect, delegates of national races from Kachin, Kayah, Kayin, Chin, Mon, Rakhine, Shan (South), Shan (North) and Shan (East) States, Sagaing, Taninthayi, Bago, Magway, Mandalay, Yangon and Ayeyawady Divisions, delegates of peasants from Kachin, Kayah, Kayin, Chin, Mon, Rakhine, Shan (South), Shan (North) and Shan (East) States, Sagaing, Taninthayi, Bago, Magway, Mandalay, Yangon and Ayeyawady Divisions, intellectuals and intelligentsia, delegates of workers from Kachin, Kayah, Kayin, Chin, Mon, Rakhine, Shan (South), Shan (North) and Shan (East) States, Sagaing, Taninthayi, Bago, Magway, Mandalay, Yangon and Ayeyawady Divisions, delegates of State Service Personnel from the State Peace and Development Council Office, President Office, Pyithu Hluttaw Office, Government Office, Supreme Court, Attorney-General’s Office, Auditor-General’s Office, Multi-party Democracy General Election Commission Office, Civil Service Selection and Training Board, Yangon City Development Committee, MCDC, ministries, other invited delegates, delegates of 17 national groups who exchanged arms for peace, and representatives of other organizations.

Before the plenary session, NCCC Chairman Secretary-1 Lt-Gen Thein Sein and members, NCCWC Chairman Chief Justice U Aung Toe and members, NCCMC Chairman Auditor-General Maj-Gen Lun Maung and members, chairmen and officials of sub-committees, representatives of political parties, representatives-elect, delegates of national races, delegates of peasants, delegates of workers, intellectuals and intelligentsia, delegates of State service personnel and other invited persons signed the attendance registers at the Pyidaungsu Hall and the recreation halls for the National Convention delegates.

NCCC Chairman Secretary-1 Lt-Gen Thein Sein presided over the plenary session and Commission Secretary Minister for Information Brig-Gen Kyaw Hsan acted as master of ceremonies.

Altogether 1,073 out of the 1,081 delegates or 99.26 per cent attended the meeting.

Work Committee Chairman U Aung Toe said that the delegates have attended the National Convention with might and main, while keeping in the fore Our Three Main National Causes, for the success of the National Convention included in the seven-point policy laid down by the Government. The efforts of the delegates to frankly present appropriate suggestions in view of serving the interest of the State and the people, with full fraternal spirit, has been recorded.

After studying and compiling the presentations of the delegates concerning the detailed basic principles for legislative power and formation of Financial Commission submitted at the Convention held from 24 June to 9 July last year, the alternative panel of chairmen compiled them and presented the compilations on 17, 18 and 21 February 2005.

As the suggestions of some of the groups and delegates are found to be beneficial to and appropriate for the nation and the people, the Work Committee coordinated with the panel of chairmen whether or not to lay them down as detailed basic principles. The panel of chairmen after discussing with the respective groups presented papers concerning the opinions of the groups to the Work Committee.

The suggestions presented by a large number of delegates have already been laid down as detailed basic principles for the legislation and the formation of the Financial Commission on 3 March 2005. The delegates provided full cooperation to lay down the detailed basic principles.

The Convention held on 7 and 8 March 2005, presented the clarifications of the Work Committee Chairman concerning the detailed basic principles to be laid down for executive and judicial sectors.

Concerning the clarifications, the delegates held group-wise discussions and read the papers at the plenary sessions held from 21 to 30 March 2005. Delegates of political parties read their paper on 21 and 22 March; delegates of representatives-elect, on 23 March; delegates of national races, on 25 March; delegates of peasants and delegates of workers, on 28 March; delegates of intellectuals and intelligentsia, on 29 March; and delegates of State service personnel and delegates of other invited persons, on 30 March.

In their group-wise discussions and suggestions, the delegates have supported the clarifications of the Work Committee Chairman, with firm reasons, after discussing them thoroughly. In addition, the presentations of the delegates are within the framework of the six objectives of the Convention which include Our Three Main National Causes and the 104 basic principles laid down by the Convention. The panel of chairmen after studying and compiling the presentations sector-wise submitted the compilation at the plenary session.

The NC should be adjourned starting from today until the end of this year and then the NC be reconvened when the delegates free time. Thus, members of the panel of chairmen will have enough time to compile their studies. Another point is to enable the delegates to continue their businesses and attend to social affairs. The next point is that the weather is getting hotter.

When the NC is reconvened, detailed basic principles will be adopted in accordance with the wishes of the majority of the delegates for the delegation of executive and judicial powers, and for enabling the Work Committee to submit their studies on channels of functions between the tasks of Hluttaws, and between the Head of State and Hluttaws, as well as the submission of bills to respective Hluttaws.

Now, detailed basic principles are being adopted after dividing the discussions into three categories — formation, sharing of powers and Hluttaw tasks — under the legislative, executive, and judicial sectors. Of them, detailed basic principles for the formation section have been laid down. So have the detailed basic principles on legislation for sharing of powers. The delegates have submitted their proposals for the adoption of detailed basic principles for executive and judicial sectors. Delegates will have to lay down detailed basic principles for working links between Hluttaws. Afterwards, the layind down of the detailed basic principles for the legislative, executive and judicial chapters will be completed.

Similar to the above-mentioned presentation, he said he will also calrify the sector on channels among the Hluttaws for enabling the delegates to hold discussions at the next National Convention. He planned to present some chapter headings as scheduled after weighing the volume of work for the convenience of the delegates.

In conclusion, he exhorted the delegates to study related subjects in advance to be able to give effective advice and make suggestions at the NC.

Secretary-1 Lt-Gen Thein Sein said that it is now nearly two months since the National Convention had resumed on 17 February 2005. Thanks to the high sense of responsibility and harmonious efforts of the delegates, greater success has been achieved than expected. It is their unity and dutiful performance of the task assigned by the State, with patriotism and Union Spirit as the base, that has made them achieve success.

The present Convention has successfully laid down detailed basic principles for distribution of the legislative power and the formation of Financial Commission that should be included in writing a constitution. The detailed basic principles were discussed and suggested by the delegates at the Convention held from May 17 to 9 July 2004.

Of the three main organs of State power — legislative power, executive power, and judicial power — the sector of legislation is delicate and wide and has many areas where difference of opinions may arise. However, the delegates were able to make discussions, suggestions and proposals in unity, giving priority to the interest of the entire nationalities and the Union rather than single group, party and race.

Hence, the Convention has successfully laid down detailed basic principles to be included in the Union legislative list, region or state legislative list and self-administered division or self-administered zones concerning the following 11 sectors:

– Defence and security sector

– Foreign affairs sector

– Finance and planning sector

– Economic sector

– Agricultural and livestock breeding sector

– Energy, electric power, mining and forestry sector

– Industrial sector

– Transport and communication sector

– Social sector

– Management sector

Judicial sector

In addition to laying down detailed basic principles for the distribution of the legislative power, the delegates have read group-wise papers on the discussions and suggestions based on the studies and presentation of the Work Committee Chairman concerning the sector of sharing the executive and judicial powers.

The panel of chairmen will have to take time to study in detail and compile papers concerning the discussions and suggestions on laying down of detailed basic principles concerning the sector of distributing executive and judicial powers. Thus, the Convention will be adjourned today. Thingyan festival will usher in soon and the farmers start their work as soon as the monsoon arrives. The National Convention will resume at the end of 2005.

In addition to the clarifications of the Work Committee Chairman on the legislative, executive and judicial sectors to lay down basic principles for the constitution, the discussions and suggestions of the delegates have already been broadcast on radio and TV and featured in the dailies. Thus, the people can now shape in their mind the future Myanmar that is exercising the genuine discipline-flourishing democracy.

The future Union of Myanmar will be formed with seven regions and seven states and self-administered areas and Union territories. There will be the President, the Vice-Presidents, the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw, the Pyithu Hluttaw, the Amyotha Hluttaw, the Union Government, chief ministers of regions and states, region and state hluttaws, region and state governments, leading bodies of self-administered division and self-administered zones and the Yangon City Council that will govern the Yangon city and Cocogyun Township, which are Union territories.

The Work Committee will examine the papers on the detailed basic principles for the executive and judicial powers, presented by a large number of delegates, and with the Commission’s approval, it will lay down detailed basic principles at the coming Convention.

As it is told by the Work Committee Chairman, his studies will be laid down, coordinated and approved for the delegates to discus and suggest easily to lay down detailed basic principles for some of the remaining chapters as necessary, after weighing the volume of the work of making discussions and suggestions on channels among hluttaws concerning their functions at the coming Convention.

Thus, it can be said that the greater the success of the Convention, the nearer the new genuine discipline-flourishing state.

The Government’s positive endeavours of the nation will go down in the annals of history. But there are external and internal saboteurs resorting to destructive means with selfishness, instead of taking part in the national developments with pleasure and honour. The 54 million people of Myanmar disgusting their destructive acts of the saboteurs will crush them. The Secretary-1 expressed thanks to all those who have taken part for the success of the National Convention.

The NCCC Secretary made clarifications on the management matters, saying that the plenary session of the NC that began on 17 February 2005 would be over soon, and the delegates were going home during the adjournment. The Commission have made all necessary arrangements for the convenience of the delegates to leave Nyaunghnapin by air, by train, or by bus for home starting from this afternoon, 1 and 2 April. The delegates are to follow the programmes laid down by the transport subcommittee. There are a few constraints for the buses that will leave at night to avoid possible undesirable effects.

The NCCC secretary also presented some disciplines for those who will go home in their own transport. The Commission has requested respective states and divisions to provide assistance for the delegates when they arrive at respective terminals of airports and railway stations or bus terminals.

The delegates in the defence services hospitals may go home if they want to, and if they have not recovered fully and want to continue to stay in hospitals, they can receive further medical treatments.

Before the NC resumes the next time, invitation cards will be sent to the delegates in advance.

Lessons were taken from the strengths and weaknesses faced during the time when the NC was in progress in 2004 for ensuring more convenience of the delegates in all sectors. He pledged that like this time, preparations will also be made in advance for convenience of the delegates for the future.

He expressed his pleasure that the NC bulletins could draw the interest of all the delegates, and so plans are under way to compile articles, poems and humours stated in the bulletins into a book.

He also expressed his gratitude to those who contributed towards the tasks for successful completion of the NC.

In addition to the smoothness in the management sector, the delegates are fully imbued with patriotism and Union Spirit and farsightedness and made combined efforts to hold discussions for laying down detailed basic principles for the sharing of legislative power essential for the framing of State Constitution. Furthermore, proposals for sharing of executive and judicial powers have been read at the NC plenary session.

In conclusion, he said he hoped that the tasks for the next National Convention will go smooth.

The NC plenary session successfully concluded at 9.35 am.