Aung San Suu Kyi's party to boycott Burma parliament opening

Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy will not attend opening session in dispute over wording of MPs' oath

guardian.co.uk, Associated Press in Rangoon, Sunday 22 April 2012

Aung San Suu Kyi won a place in the Burmese lower house when her
 party took 43 of the 45 available seats in the 1 April election. Photograph:
Soe Than Win/AFP/Getty Images

Burma's main opposition movement says Aung San Suu Kyi and the rest of her party's newly elected MPs will not attend Monday's opening session of parliament because of a disagreement over the wording of the oath of office.

The National League for Democracy rejects the part of the MPs' oath that says they must safeguard the constitution, which it wants to see amended in part because it says it places too much power in the hands of the military.

Aung San Suu Kyi's absence was expected, as the party had already said it would not attend the assembly until the issue was resolved.

Opposition MP Ohn Kyaing confirmed the refusal to attend on Sunday, but said he believed the issue would be overcome quickly.

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