National League for Democracy

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The NLD Flag features the peacock, a prominent symbol of Burma. The Dancing Peacock (the Peacock in courtship or in display of his feathers) was numerously featured in Burma monarchic flags as well as other nationalist symbols in the country ^[1]. The Fighting Peacock is associated with decades-long democratic struggle against military dictatorship in the country. The latter closely resembles a Green Peafowl, as it has a tufted crest.

The National League for Democracy (Burmese: အမျိုးသားဒီမိုကရေစီအဖွဲ့ချုပ်) is a Burmese political party founded on 27 September 1988. It is led by Aung San Suu Kyi, who acts as General Secretary.

[edit] Overview

The party was formed in the aftermath of the 8888 Uprising. In the 1990 parliamentary elections, the party won 392 out of 492 contested seats (80.8%) compared to 10 seats by the government National Unity Party;^[2] however the ruling military junta (formerly known as SLORC, now known as the State Peace and Development Council or SPDC) did not let the party form a government.^[3] Soon after the election, the party was repressed, but a number of elected representatives escaped arrest and formed the National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma (NCGUB) to carry out the struggle for democracy and freedom.

The NLD is distinct from the NLD-LA (National League for Democracy-Liberated Areas), which operates in the Thai-Burma border areas and abroad. However, the NLD-LA advocates the position of the NLD in calling for a tripartite dialogue between the SPDC, the NLD, and representatives of the ethnic minority groups of Burma.

In 2001, the government permitted NLD office branches to re-open throughout Burma and released some members.^[4] However, they were shut down or heavily restricted from 2004, as part of a government campaign to prohibit such activities. In 2006, many members resigned from NLD, citing harassment and pressure from the Tatmadaw (Armed Forces) and the Union Solidarity and Development Association.

Aung San Suu Kyi, NLD general secretary and 1991 Nobel Peace Laureate, remains under house arrest. The military has held her in detention for 13 of the last 19 years. She is the only Nobel Peace Laureate in detention in the world today.

[edit] List of General Secretaries

Aung San Suu Kyi - September 27, 1988 - Present

[edit] See also

[edit] Notes

^ Burma flag and emblems
^ Houtman, Daigaku & Kenkyūjo, 1999, p. 1
^ Junta must free Burma's leading lady, The Australian, May 19, 2009
^ Burma's Confidence Building and Political Prisoners, Assistance Association for Political Prisoners

[edit] References

The National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma
Houtman, Gustaaf. Daigaku, Tōkyō Gaikokugo. Kenkyūjo, Ajia Afurika Gengo Bunka. Mental culture in Burmese crisis politics: Aung San Suu Kyi and the National League for Democracy. ILCAA, 1999. ISBN 978-4872977486.