Protesters in Myanmar called for the military to loosen its grip on politics Wednesday, as tensions mount over the country’s army-drafted constitution ahead of national elections next year. The 2008 charter, enacted by the ruling junta after decades of repressive army rule, bars embattled civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi from the presidency and forces her to share power with the generals.
It also guarantees a quarter of parliamentary seats to the armed forces, along with powerful defence and security portfolios. Parliament is set to discuss proposed amendments to the document but military MPs hold a veto on any changes, prompting more than 1,000 protesters to gather in downtown Yangon and shout slogans demanding constitutional reform.
“I think the military should stand with and think for the public,” said Yangon resident Thi Thi Han. But opinion over the issue is split, and a rival protest later on Wednesday demanded Myanmar leaders keep the charter as it is.
“Democracy here is so young, it requires the military to be in parliament until democracy is fully fledged,” said 39-year-old Zar Chi Lin. The constitution has long been a flashpoint in Myanmar politics.