Myanmar Suu Kyi's party clashes with military
- NLD proposes first step to charter reform
- Military says the bid is not in line with system
Myanmar's ruling party yesterday clashed with military lawmakers as it proposed steps towards changing the constitution, its biggest challenge in nearly three years to the army's power over politics as enshrined in the charter.
Military members of parliament, clad in green uniforms, rose to their feet and stood in silence as parliament voted to approve the first stage of a proposal to form a committee on amending the constitution.
The proposal could foment tension between the army and Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD), who have been at loggerheads over the charter since the party's historic landslide election win in 2015.
The surprise bid to reform the constitution comes as both civilian and military leaders face growing international pressure over an army crackdown on Rohingya Muslims in 2017 that sent about 730,000 people fleeing to neighbouring Bangladesh.
NLD lawmaker Aung Kyi Nyunt, submitting an "emergency proposal" to discuss a committee that could propose amendments, said the constitution was "not in line with the democratic system” and the "desires of the people" should not be ignored.
After the speaker agreed to put the proposal to a vote, green-clad military lawmakers rose to their feet and stood for several minutes in silence.
“This is me, as speaker, telling you to sit down,” the speaker, T Khun Myat, said.
Brigadier-General Maung Maung, a senior military official, said the NLD had not acted “in line with the law”.
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