A spokesman for Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy party, Nyan Win, said police chief Maj. Gen. Khin Yi and two other officials delivered the warning to six senior party leaders at a meeting Thursday (25 Sept).
The police chief said that a recent party statement saying that "the majority of the people do not accept this constitution, which was illegally approved by force" amounts to inciting the public, according to Nyan Win.
The party's statement charged that the authorities used coercion, intimidation, deception and misrepresentation to get voters' approval for the constitution in a national referendum held in May this year. The junta claimed the constitution won approval of 92% of the voters.
"The police chief told the party leaders that the facts mentioned in the recent party statement amount to instigating the people and legal action can be taken," Nyan Win said.
The party leaders refused to withdraw the statement, he said.
Suu Kyi's party also said that the constitution was not written by elected representatives but "unilaterally drawn up by the delegates hand-picked by the authorities."
The ruling generals had billed the May constitutional referendum as an important step in their "road map to democracy."
The plan promises voters in Myanmar first chance for voters to cast ballots since 1990. The country had been without a charter since the current junta seized power in 1988 and threw out the last constitution.
The National League for Democracy won elections in 1990, but the military refused to hand over power. Nobel Peace Prize laureate Suu Kyi has been detained for 13 of the last 19 years.
The police chief said that a recent party statement saying that "the majority of the people do not accept this constitution, which was illegally approved by force" amounts to inciting the public, according to Nyan Win.
The party's statement charged that the authorities used coercion, intimidation, deception and misrepresentation to get voters' approval for the constitution in a national referendum held in May this year. The junta claimed the constitution won approval of 92% of the voters.
"The police chief told the party leaders that the facts mentioned in the recent party statement amount to instigating the people and legal action can be taken," Nyan Win said.
The party leaders refused to withdraw the statement, he said.
Suu Kyi's party also said that the constitution was not written by elected representatives but "unilaterally drawn up by the delegates hand-picked by the authorities."
The ruling generals had billed the May constitutional referendum as an important step in their "road map to democracy."
The plan promises voters in Myanmar first chance for voters to cast ballots since 1990. The country had been without a charter since the current junta seized power in 1988 and threw out the last constitution.
The National League for Democracy won elections in 1990, but the military refused to hand over power. Nobel Peace Prize laureate Suu Kyi has been detained for 13 of the last 19 years.
Release Aung San Suu Kyi: Laura Bush
The first lady said that the Burmese military regime has ignored the entreaties of the international community.
"It has treated the United Nations special envoy with disregard," she said. "Through its actions, the regime has reaffirmed its disdain for the will and the well-being of the people of Burma. The military leaders carried out a sham constitutional referendum, extended Aung San Suu Kyi's house arrest and continued to arrest political activists." Referring to the Saffron Revolution in 2007, she said tens of thousands of Burmese monks and ordinary citizens took to the streets to demonstrate for freedom, economic progress and basic human rights.
"The world watched in horror as Than Shwe ordered his military to begin a brutal crackdown. Soldiers sprayed bullets into unarmed crowds. They imprisoned thousands in cramped cells," she said.
"Monks who led the protests were beaten, arrested, and killed—and their monasteries were raided in nighttime attacks. In response, international organizations and governments around the world condemned Burma's military regime, called for the release of all political prisoners and demanded a genuine dialogue on transition to a democratic government," she said.
Laura Bush said the United States will continue to work with the international community to hold the regime accountable for its actions and to intensify pressure on the regime to meet these basic requirements.
"It has treated the United Nations special envoy with disregard," she said. "Through its actions, the regime has reaffirmed its disdain for the will and the well-being of the people of Burma. The military leaders carried out a sham constitutional referendum, extended Aung San Suu Kyi's house arrest and continued to arrest political activists." Referring to the Saffron Revolution in 2007, she said tens of thousands of Burmese monks and ordinary citizens took to the streets to demonstrate for freedom, economic progress and basic human rights.
"The world watched in horror as Than Shwe ordered his military to begin a brutal crackdown. Soldiers sprayed bullets into unarmed crowds. They imprisoned thousands in cramped cells," she said.
"Monks who led the protests were beaten, arrested, and killed—and their monasteries were raided in nighttime attacks. In response, international organizations and governments around the world condemned Burma's military regime, called for the release of all political prisoners and demanded a genuine dialogue on transition to a democratic government," she said.
Laura Bush said the United States will continue to work with the international community to hold the regime accountable for its actions and to intensify pressure on the regime to meet these basic requirements.
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