Mizzima News

Chiang Mai: A dispute with senior leaders has led to 110 youth members of the main opposition political party the National League for Democracy in Burma to submit their resignation today.

Differences between the youth members from party branches and the party Central Executive Committee members surfaced over choosing the leadership of the youth brigade.

"We'd like to choose our future leader according to the wishes of the majority. The leader who is going to lead us should be able to lead the Burmese people and must be politically adept. So we chose to resign," Nay Chi Win, a former member of the party information committee told Mizzima.

"Some will criticize us for creating fissures in the party. But we can be patient. We left with the idea that it would be better walk on our own feet instead of pushing this unproductive train engine," he added.

The resignations came a day after senior members of the party had formed a team to monitor and implement the activities of the youth members. It has exposed the cracks in the party.

The majority of the youths who resigned are from the township branches in the Rangoon division jurisdiction, who had adopted a hard-line stance against the military regime.

The Nobel Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi led party spokesperson Nyan Win said the party has not accepted the resignations yet.

"We have to decide and they said they don't want to talk now. At the moment we don't know much. Let me not talk about it because there is no permission yet to give out information," Nyan Win said.

Kyaw Kyaw Min, who is in the group which resigned, accused aged party Chairman Aung Shwe of ignoring the desires of the youth.

"They also rejected the stand that there is need for 'mutual respect'. That is violating the (party's) principles. They ignored the youth. It has not come from my heart but from my brain," he added.

The NLD yesterday announced a team to implement the activities of the youth members.

However, the reason for the differences in the party is not clear yet but a youth member, who spoke to Mizzima, said that the CEC chose some people who are over 35 years of age. According to him Aung San Suu Kyi had set a guideline to choose only youth leaders under 35 years of age.

Aung San Suu Kyi has been in one or another form of house arrest for 13 years since 1988.

The NLD won a landslide victory in the 1990 general elections but the junta refused to hand over power.

The team of advisors for youth members chosen by the party CEC include May Hnin Kyi, Ohn Kyaing, Dr. Myo Aung, Tun Zaw Zaw, Tin Htut Oo, Khin Tun. The implementation team leaders are Myo Nyunt, Hla Oo and Aye Tun.

The Propaganda and Organizing team leaders include Myint Htay, Myint Ngwe, Aung Soe, Saw Maung Thein, and Htay Ngwe while the Disciplinary members are Ba Maung and Thin Zaw.

The youths, who resigned, are from Hledan, Kamaryut, Insein, Tontay, Pabedan, Kyauktadar, Mayankone, South Dagon, Thanlyin, South Oakalar, Nouth Oakakar and Mingalartaungnyunt townships.