Burma Insight: 31 Jan 2011

Nay Pyi Taw, January 31 -- The First Pyithu Hluttaw ( House of Representatives ) and the First Amyotha Hluttaw ( House of Nationalities ) respectively began holding their first sessions under the sponsorship of the State Peace and Development Council ( SPDC ) at the newly constructed grand parliament building in Nay Pyi Taw at exactly 8:55 am this morning under heavy security.

Simultaneously at the same time this morning, the first sessions of the hluttaws of the 7 Regions and 7 States were held at the respective capitals of these states and regions.

In a phone interview with @@ yesterday evening, some representatives of the Pyithu Hluttaw, who asked not to be identified, gave an explanation that though Senior General Than Shwe and Vice-Senior General Maung Aye were not included either among the elected representatives or the military representatives, these two top men of the military junta still stand a good chance to be either the President or Vice-President of the Union.

These representatives pointed out a stipulation in the 2008 State Constitution, which provides that each of all three groups of representatives namely the group of representatives of the Pyithu Hluttaw, the group of representatives of the Amyotha Hluttaw and the group of military representatives could elect a Vice-President from among the hluttaw representatives or from among persons, who are neither elected hluttaw representatives nor nominated military representatives.

The elections of three vice-presidents will be done by Presidential Electoral College formed of the above-mentioned three groups of representatives when the Union Parliament convenes within 15 days after the holding of the first Pyithu Hluttaw.

Out of these three vice-presidents, one will be elected as President by vote at the first session of the Union Parliament ( that is combination of Pyithu Hluttaw and Amyotha Hluttaw ).

Strangely the military authorities have taken very tight security precautions all around the parliament building in Nay Pyi Taw. All local-based foreign correspondents were prohibited from attending the first session of the Pyithu Hluttaw as well as that of Amyotha Hluttaw.

In other words no local-based foreign correspondent was allowed to attend these sessions for getting news of the proceedings of the sessions.

So also diplomats from Yangon-based foreign embassies were not invited to observe the above-mentioned sessions.

Though local-based foreign correspondents tried to approach the parliament building, they were prevented from getting close to the parliament building by a cordon of police personnel.

Only a limited number of media persons from state-owned newspapers and state-owned TV were allowed to attend these sessions to cover the news of the sessions.

According to a high ranking official of the Ministry of Information, the news of the opening sessions of the Pyithu Hluttaw and Amyotha Hluttaw will broadcast at 6 pm ( MST ) this evening through the state-owned media.

The Evening one

Nay Pyi Taw, January 31 -- “The First Pyithu Hluttaw ( House of Representatives ) and the First Amyotha Hluttaw ( House of Nationalities ) respectively began holding their first sessions at the different parliament buildings in Nay Pyi Taw at exactly 8:55 am this morning,” according to the state-owned TV announced at 6 pm ( MST ) this evening.

“The first session of the Pyithu Hluttaw was attended by 435 representatives including 110 military representatives nominated by the Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Services. The first session of the Amyotha Hluttaw was attended by 224 representatives including 56 military representatives. the Myanmar TV further reported.

According to the state-owned TV, Thura U Shwe Mann, the elected representatives of the Pyithu Hluttaw was chosen by vote by the first session of the Pyithu Hluttaw as the Speaker of the Pyithu Hluttaw.

Thura U Shwe Mann was the third highest person in the SPDC government and he was the Chief of Staff ( Army, Navy and Air ).

U Khin Aung Myint has been elected as the Speaker of the Amyotha Hluttaw by the representatives of Amyotha Hluttaw, the TV said.

U Khin Aung Myint was the former Minister for Culture. The TV also reported that the Union Parliament, which is the combination of the Pyithu Hluttaw and the Amyotha Hluttaw will be held its first session tomorrow morning for electing three vice-presidents of the Union. Out of these three vice-presidents, one will be elected by vote as the President of the Union.

It should be noted that the 11-member National Defence and Security Council, which will be the top ruling body of the new government, will be made up of 11 members including the Speaker of the Pyithu Hluttaw and Speaker of the Amyotha hluttaw.

Among these 11 members of this council are the President, the two Vice-Presidents and Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Services.

In an exclusive interview after the today session, U Khin Maung Yi, representative of Pyithu Hluttaw from National Democratic Force Party, which is renegade party of the National League for Democracy ( NLD ) told @@ that some of the representatives from opposition parties were not satisfied with the election of the Speaker of the Pyithu Hluttaw.

The first session of the Union Parliament ( Pyidaungsu Hluttaw ), which is the combination of Pyithu Hluttaw and Amyotha Hluttaw, was held this afternoon at the parliament building, the TV further announced at 8 pm ( MST ) this evening.

Tomorrow morning three groups of representatives namely the group of elected members of the Pyithu Hluttaw, the group of elected members of the Amyotha Hluttaw and the group of military representative from both Pyithu Hluttaw and Amyotha Hluttaw will be held separately to elect three vice-presidents. Afterward the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw ( Union Parliament ) will elect president of the Union by vote from out of these three vice-presidents, the TV said.