Myanmar finishes drafting State constitution

AP: 2008-02-19 12:41:36

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YANGON, Feb. 19 (Kyodo) – Myanmar’s junta has completed drafting a state constitution on Tuesday after its Constitution Drafting Commission finally approved the draft following repeated revisions and scrutiny for more than two months, the state-run TV and radio reported Tuesday.

Chief justice and Chairman of the 54-member Constitution Drafting Commission, Aung Toe, announced on the state radio and television that the commission had successfully completed the writing of a new constitution Tuesday and it will be adopted through a referendum in May.

“I would like to announce that the draft state constitution, based on the principles and guidelines adopted during the National Convention, has been approved and signed by the commission after decisions on the finished draft has been made unanimously agreed by all members following repeated revisions,” Aung Toe said.

The completion of the drafting of the constitution marks the third step of the junta’s seven-step road map towards democracy that is to end with transferring of power to a civilian government following multiparty elections.

The junta on Feb. 9 made two announcements through state media, revealing the time frames to hold a constitutional referendum in May this year and multiparty elections in 2010.

The referendum and elections are the fourth and fifth steps of the junta’s seven-step road map.

Aung Toe also told his commission members to actively take part in the upcoming constitutional referendum, together with the public.

The commission started drafting a state constitution on Dec. 3 based on the objectives of non-disintegration of union, the emergence of a genuine discipline-flourishing multiparty democracy system and the participation of the military in the leadership role of future national politics, Aung Toe added.