Myanmar's military junta reopened a national constitutional convention yesterday, warning its citizens of the dangers of ``external and internal elements'' trying to derail the meeting, which they called a key step toward democracy.
Amid light security, 1,074 delegates -- including politicians, leaders of ethnic groups, workers, businesspeople and government employees -- gathered at a convention center about 40 km north of the capital Yangon to resume work. The session is set to last as long as two months but is unlikely to produce a final draft.
Lieutenant General Thein Sein opened the convention yesterday by telling delegates that the drafting of a constitution "was of primary importance to the transition to democracy."
"There is no other way but to implement the seven-step roadmap to achieve a genuine, disciplined and flourishing democratic state," Thein Sein said. "External and internal elements are trying to derail the national convention process at a time when it is going smoothly and successfully. Beware of the dangers of subversionists."
Thein Sein did not mention any nation or any group by name. But the convention comes after the US -- which has imposed economic sanctions on Myanmar and called it an "outpost of tyranny" -- successfully lobbied the UN Security Council on Friday to hold a closed-door briefing on the country.
Critics say the convention is being stage managed by the junta to stay in power. They say it cannot reflect the desires of the people when the main opposition party, Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD), and other groups are not participating.
The NLD won a landslide victory in general elections in 1990 but the military refused to hand over power, saying the country first needed a new constitution. Suu Kyi has been under continuous detention for more than two years. Her house arrest was extended by six months last week, and she has been barred from the convention. Her party is boycotting the event.
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