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Address On The Occasion Of the 9th Anniversary Of The General Election
National League for Democracy No:(97/B), West Shwegondine Road Bahan Township, Bahan
May 27, 1999
Address by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, General Secretary of the National League for Democracy, on the occasion of the 9th anniversary of the general elections.
I thank all the members of the National League for Democracy that are present here to day. We value your presence. Our struggle for democracy has continued for 10 years now (1988 to 1999). It is nearly eleven years since our NLD was formed. Today, nine years after the general elections, I will talk about how elections, democracy and political parties are related.
There has to be political parties in a democratic system so that people can exercise their right to make a choice to elect a government. Amongst the millions of people in a country one cannot just announce that he or she will be a candidate in an election. It doesn't work that way. There has to be a system in which political parties operate otherwise for all practical purposes, democracy will not work. Therefore, it was necessary for us to form a political party. Political parties have to formulate policies which have to be revealed to the people. The people can examine the political platform of the parties and make their choice as to which party they will support and as an expression of that support they cast their votes at elections. They cast their votes for the candidates of the party of their choice. We must bear this point in mind. In every election, candidates of political parties contest. Independent individuals who don't belong to any political are allowed by law to also contest. If they are successful, they can rightly claim that they have been elected on their own merit. But this is not the position with candidates of political parties who are returned at the polls. It must be remembered that their success was due to the political platform of the party. In the 1990 general elections there were independent candidate with independent beliefs and goals who dared to contest in their own right. However, I dare to make the statement that the 392 NLD candidates who contested the election did so in the name of our party.
I speak with a clear conscience, as I was not a candidate in the elections. At the time our party decided to contest the elections, our Deputy Chairman U Tin Oo and I had been placed under arrest. We were not involved in this decision. But because of our faith in our party and the members, we accepted the decision 100%. Because we were not personally involved in the decision making our consent was not just 90%.
This is the democratic system. We accepted the majority decision to participate in the elections. I was under house arrest at the time. I accepted the decision that I should contest in the elections. I made the necessary application. But you all know that the authorities rejected it. I did not refrain from casting my vote because I was refused permission to contest. I knew that my one vote must be cast in support of my party and our friends. I was aware that when my candidacy was rejected, the party decided that our votes should go to the Democracy Party candidate in my constituency, so I cast my vote accordingly. This is the democratic way. These practices and rules must be observed. Those NLD candidates who were successful in the elections have a duty to the people and to the party and so do the party and all other political parties. Participation in the elections is an averment of one's belief in the democratic system. This is how I see it. If personal gain was the motivation, the people will lose faith. Politically, there can be no respect for such a person. This is how every political party and every individual that participated in the elections should view the situation and work towards the establishment of the Hluttaw.
Why should anyone participate in elections if he/she does not believe that a Hluttaw must be established? We have the right to ask the question. From the commencement of participation it was with the belief that a Pyithu Hluttaw would be established. If this was not so, why did anyone participate. We can now ask if the individuals who contested did so out of a desire to be recognized as members of parliament? Were they looking for person gain? Every individual, every party that believes in the creation of a Pyithu Hluttaw has the responsibility to do everything in his power to make it happen. The electorate also has a responsibility. Why did they go and caste their votes? They were endorsing the view that a Pyithu Hluttaw would be the outcome. Therefore the responsibility is on everyone of us, participants in the elections, the voters, those who were unable to vote -- all must do their utmost, be it one brick or one grain of sand, everyone and everything counts in this effort to create a Hluttaw. But most of all, my belief is that the National League for Democracy has the highest responsibility.
This is clear because the National League for Democracy has the support of the majority of people and for this reason, the responsibility is highest. We are doing our utmost to fulfil that responsibility. This is why last year we asked the authorities to convene a Pyithu Hluttaw. Eight years had passed and no Hluttaw had been established even though it was for the purpose of creating a Pyithu Hluttaw that the elections were held. More than reasonable time had elapsed when the democratic decision was made to ask for the convening of a Pyithu Hluttaw.
In addition to the NLD elected representatives that attended the NLD Congress in 1998, invitations were issued to all elected representatives including those former NLD members. This was because we believe that elected representatives remain representatives even though they have resigned from the NLD and the purpose of the meeting being for the purpose of discussing and deciding the matter of convening parliament. The consensus was that the authorities be notified that before a certain fixed date parliament should be convened. The Central Executive Committee of the NLD in consultation with the MPs that attended the congress deliberated on the matter and felt that it was not appropriate to make a hurried decision about a date of such an important event at a three-day Congress . We asked for time to give the matter of fixing the date our serious consideration and that was how a final decision was made. This was a decision that was taken in a strictly democratic fashion. Every person who believes in democracy should follow the democratic procedure in making decisions. As I have said earlier, it does not matter whether one participated in the decision making process, the decision of the majority has to be accepted. It does not mean that the minority group will be bullied. This is a practical means to get the work done. When elections are held, it is the majority that wins. He/she who gets the most votes in a constituency, becomes the Hluttaw representative for that constituency. Because one did not vote for that person, one cannot deny him the right to be your representative. This works both ways. The Hluttaw representative cannot favour those who voted for him and discriminate against those who did not vote for him. This is not how democracy works. Responsibility to faithfully perform the will of the majority of the people is what democracy is about. Fidelity is most important. It is not just the people in this country, but the whole world knows how the National League for Democracy is being so brutally suppressed.
There are some who claim that no other political party in the world has been subjected to the persecutions that the NLD has suffered. Despite this, we continue to work honestly and faithfully for the people and for those who believe in democracy. It is very important for our members to be extra loyal. If we are disloyal at times of difficulties we become faithless persons. According to democratic principles, everyone has the right to have their own beliefs, to think independently and to have freedom of expression. But if one acts disloyally in exercising those rights, one is a renegade, a traitor.
At a time when our comrades, brothers and sisters are battling so hard, disloyalty should not be contemplated. This is a time to be united and show our solidarity. At a time when great loyalty is needed, don't make excuses for disloyalty. The people know. We also know. Loyalty means to remain loyal. If there are matters that you want to discuss in a spirit of good will, there are proper democratic procedures that can be pursued. We have always welcomed such approaches. Our members who want to make any proposition or proposals can do so without any difficulty. Letters can be easily handed to any one of our Central Executive. Very few political parties have this sort of easy communication with their leaders. This is not just in our country. It is a fact around the world. I ask this question - In how many political parties can an ordinary member walk into the head office and personally hand over a letter of request or advice to the Central Executive Committee? This is possible in our party. So this is your opportunity but please do not misappropriate it.
To enjoy the privileges of democracy you must fulfil the obligations that go with it. The first obligation is loyalty to the cause. Please be loyal. The second obligation is loyalty to the multiparty general elections of 1990. This means loyalty to the party that you represented and contested for. If you were an NLD representative, you must observe the rules and policies of the party and remain loyal to those principles. The third obligation is to be loyal to one's self. This includes the first and second loyalties. If you believe in democracy, and you believe in the elections all you need to do is to stick to our original policies and continue in the struggle.
If we have that loyalty, and will stand firm in our political convictions the struggle for democracy will soon be won. I have said this over and over again. I have never wavered in the belief that we will be victorious. The time it will take cannot be predicted. A lot depends on our ability to withstand the onslaught, the people's courage, and the world situation.
Politics is difficult to predict. Why? Because it is so inextricably intertwined with social affairs, economics, religion, education etc. Political change will not happen by itself. Sometimes it is triggered by the economy. Sometimes it could be the result of religion. Education is another factor where student movements bring about political change. We cannot say with any precision what sort of situation will bring about the change. But greater loyalty will produce strength and this will bring us closer to victory.
I close this occasion of the 9th anniversary of the general elections with a renewed oath of loyalty and declare that we will all work with courage, persistence, perseverance and press on to gain victory as soon as possible.
Rangoon 27 May 1999
Aung San Suu Kyi