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YANGON: Myanmar's detained pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi welcomes her party's decision to boycott upcoming elections in the military-ruled nation, her lawyer said on Wednesday.
Senior members of the National League for Democracy (NLD) agreed last week not to register for the first polls to be held in two decades, after the ruling generals introduced a controversial new election law.
The party would have been forced to oust its iconic leader and recognise the junta's constitution if it had signed up, but now faces dissolution in less than six weeks for failing to do so under new legislation for the polls.
"Daw Aung San Suu Kyi said she was very glad about the NLD's decision," said her lawyer and NLD spokesman Nyan Win after he met with the 64-year-old at her lakeside house. Daw is a term of respect in Myanmar.
Under election laws dismissed as a sham by international critics, if the party had registered for the polls, due before the end of November, it would have been forced to part with Suu Kyi because she is serving a prison term.
The Nobel peace laureate, who has been locked up for 14 of the last 20 years, had already told the party she was opposed to such a move.
Suu Kyi also supported the party's apology on Tuesday for failing in its struggle for democracy and national reconciliation, Nyan Win said.
In that statement, the NLD blamed the authorities' crackdown and promised to continue peacefully in its fight for democracy.
"We will firmly stand by our decision. We have our future tasks. But we cannot reveal them at this moment because of our country's situation," Nyan Win told reporters, adding that the party would work within the law.
Myanmar's election law nullifies the result of the last polls held in 1990 that were won by the NLD by a landslide but never recognised by the junta, which has ruled the country since 1962.
The United States, which has led international criticism of the new election law, blamed the junta for the opposition's decision to boycott, saying the regime had missed an opportunity.
Amnesty International said on Wednesday that Myanmar's flawed election plans and "appalling" human rights record should dominate a summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) this week in Hanoi.
The London-based group said Myanmar was violating ASEAN's own charter enacted in December 2008 which commits members to ideals of democracy and human rights. - AFP/de
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