Aung San Suu Kyi’s party on Friday said that outgoing Burmese President Thein Sein was snubbing part of their handover ceremony plans, as tensions over the looming political transition begin to pervade even logistical arrangements.
A sweeping win in elections in November last year, trouncing Thein Sein’s army-backed party has given Aung San Suu Kyi and her National League for Democracy (NLD) their first chance in a generation to form a government, although the pro-democracy leader is barred from the presidency.
Thein Sein, whose quasi-civilian government is credited with steering the nation from outright military rule, is to end his five-year term later this month and there is to be a ceremonial handover of power to a new leader, who is yet to be named.
Thein Sein sought to appear magnanimous in defeat in November last year, but there have been recent signs of tensions with a new NLD-led parliament that took its seats last month.
NLD spokesman Win Htein suggested the location of the handover ceremony was the latest cause for contention between the government and the incoming party.
New lawmakers last week tabled several motions critical of the outgoing government, leading to a boycott of the legislature by some ministers.
“The government sent a proposal to hold the power handover ceremony at the presidential palace, but we want to hold the ceremony in the parliament, because the president is chosen in the parliament,” Win Htein told reporters in Naypyidaw on Friday, suggesting that the current compromise was for both sides to have their own way.
“President Thein Sein will not attend the ceremony, which will be held in the parliament, but he will meet the new president and handover the power at the presidential palace,” Win Htein added.
Burmese Presidential Office director Zaw Htay said that arrangements were still in the “negotiation process.”
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