Taunggyi District NLD Party Chairman Protests Verbal Expulsion Order

By Nang Seng Nom 5 September 2016

RANGOON — U Win Htein, a Central Executive Committee (CEC) member of the National League for Democracy (NLD), gave verbal instructions to sack the party chairman of Taunggyi District’s NLD chapter, U Tin Maung Toe, on Sunday.

U Tin Maung Toe said he was verbally sacked by U Win Htein because he wrote on his Facebook page, “CEC [member positions] can be bought, but history can’t be.” The verbal expulsion is not in line with NLD party rules and regulations, U Tin Maung Toe told The Irrawaddy.

“According to NLD rules and regulations, party members can’t be expelled for sharing such things.” U Tin Maung Toe said.

“What’s more, they can’t be sacked verbally. If a complaint is filed against a party member, it has to be submitted to disciplinary committees at different levels. Only the central disciplinary committee is authorized to suspend or dismiss membership.”

He demanded that the party’s Union-level CEC release an official order in black and white if he is to be expelled.

“I didn’t break any party rules and regulations. It is U Win Htein who has violated the party regulations. So, I will face this situation according to party rules and regulations,” U Tin Maung Toe told The Irrawaddy.

Daw Khin Moe Moe, chairwoman of northern Shan State’s NLD chapter, told The Irrawaddy: “The decision to expel a party member can only be made through a CEC meeting. If the decision was made by an individual, it would mean the party is authoritarian.”

Daw Khin Moe Moe said that U Tin Maung Toe has been a supporter of the NLD since the 1988 pro-democracy movements in Burma.

U Win Htein arrived in Taunggyi in September for the election of the new Shan State NLD executive committee; U Tin Maung Toe was not selected for an executive committee posting within the party.

When asked by The Irrawaddy, U Nyan Win, CEC member and a member of the NLD’s secretary board of senior party leaders, said: “I can’t answer questions until I know everything about the case. Please call Taunggyi (NLD) since it happened in Taunggyi.”

Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko.