Solo protest against charter change in Nay Pyi Taw

Solo protest against charter change in Nay Pyi Taw

Published on Sunday, 05 January 2014 23:19

Tha Cho staging a solo protest in Nay Pyi Taw (Photo-EMG)

A man staged a solo protest in Nay Pyi Taw yesterday, making a three-point demand including the amendment to Myanmar's Constitution, according to police.

Tha Cho, the protestor, demanded that Section 18 of the Peaceful Assembly and Procession Law be abolished and that the Nay Pyi Taw Council with elected people.  He would be charged under Section 18 because he staged the protest without permission from authorities, said the head of Pyinmana Township Police Force.

"We will sue him under Section 18 because we did not grant him permission. The regional level did not grant him permission to protest either. He staged a protest in a public place. We will charge under Section 18 only because he protested walking. We stopped him because he granted no permission. This is the first case in Nay Pyi Taw," said police major Than Myint.

An official from Nay Pyi Taw Council said coordination had already made with the protest at the council office and permission was not granted as the day he would protest coincided with Independence Day. The protestor himself first signed in agreement saying he would not stage a protest, the official added.

A local resident from Pyinmana said he supported that solo protest because his demands were very important.

"The 2008 Constitution needs to be amended. Tha Cho, who is from our town, staged the solo protest because authorities are slow to amend the Constitution. As a public member I like his demands which are very important. I support him," said Thit Lwin.

The demonstrator himself said the reason he staged the protest was mainly because of Section 59 (f) of the Constitution that bars Aung San Suu Kyi from becoming president. Nay Pyi Taw Council should also be reconstituted with elected representatives, he added.

"(According to the constitution), we have the right to express and organise freely. But Section 18 obstructs this. I asked permission for two times. But the township turned it down," said Tha Cho.

The protestor also known as Kyaw Moe Zaw joined a students' movement in 1988 to rise against the government when the country saw nationwide uprising. He is now the joint general secretary of Pyinmana Township National League for Democracy.

http://www.information.myanmaronlinecentre.com/solo-protest-against-charter-change-in-nay-pyi-taw/