Myanmar gov’t vote upholds ban on Suu Kyi

YANGON, Myanmar — Myanmar’s parliament voted against several constitutional amendments Thursday, ensuring that the military’s veto power remains intact and that opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi cannot become president in an election this year.

The legislature ended a three-day debate on proposed changes to the 2008 constitution, which bars Suu Kyi, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, from seeking the presidency and gives the military an effective veto over constitutional amendments.

Changes to both those clauses were rejected in the vote, which was viewed as a final chance to lift obstacles blocking Myanmar’s most famous politician from a shot at the presidency in the immediate future.

Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy is expected to see heavy gains against the ruling Union Solidarity and Development Party in an election likely to take place by November. No date has been set.

“I am not surprised with the result,” Suu Kyi told reporters after the vote. “This makes it very clear that the constitution can never be changed if the military representatives are opposed.”

She said she didn’t see the vote as a loss, since the result had been anticipated, so her supporters should not lose hope. Suu Kyi and her party had said that the current constitution needed to be amended to meet democratic norms and that the amendments were essential for a free and fair election.

The NLD swept the last free general election in 1990 but the then-ruling military junta ignored the results and kept Suu Kyi under house arrest and detention for a total of 15 years.

Brig. Gen Tin San Naing said Tuesday that the military’s veto power helped ensure stability as the country moves away from military rule.