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Nearly 5M sign up to support change of Myanmar's military-drafted constitution

Associated Press
Published | Updated

Win Htein, a parliament member of Myanmar Opposition Leader Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy party, talks to journalists during a press conference on a campaign to collect signatures to amend 2008 constitution jointly organized by opposition NLD party and Myanmar prominent 88 Generation Students Group, along with Tin Oo, left, senior leader of NLD, as portrait of Suu Kyi is displayed in the background at the headquarter of NLD Wednesday, Aug 6, 2014, in Yangon, Myanmar. Myanmar’s opposition party has collected nearly 5 million signatures from the public in support of the party’s call to change the country’s constitution. Democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi and a popular students group known as the 88 Generation Peace and Open Society jointly launch signature campaign to change section 436 of the constitution, a clause that requires 75 percent parliamentary approval to amend major chapters of the constitution. (AP Photo/Khin Maung Win) (The Associated Press)

Ko Ko Gyi, a leader of Myanmar prominent 88 Generation Students Group, talks to journalists during a press conference on a campaign to collect signatures to amend 2008 constitution jointly organized by Myanmar Opposition Leader Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy party and their 88 Generation Students Group, at the headquarter of NLD Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2014, in Yangon, Myanmar. Myanmar’s opposition party has collected nearly 5 million signatures from the public in support of the party’s call to change the country’s constitution. Democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi and a popular students group known as the 88 Generation Peace and Open Society jointly launch signature campaign to change section 436 of the constitution, a clause that requires 75 percent parliamentary approval to amend major chapters of the constitution. (AP Photo/Khin Maung Win) (The Associated Press)

Ko Ko Gyi, a leader of Myanmar prominent 88 Generation Students Group, talks to journalists during a press conference on a campaign to collect signatures to amend 2008 constitution jointly organized by Myanmar Opposition Leader Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy party and their 88 Generation Students Group, along with Nyan Win, right, lawyer of NLD, Mya Aye, left, a leader of their 88 generation students group, and Win Htein, second from left, a parliament member of NLD, as portrait of Suu Kyi is displayed in the background at the headquarter of NLD Wednesday, Aug 6, 2014, in Yangon, Myanmar. Myanmar’s opposition party has collected nearly 5 million signatures from the public in support of the party’s call to change the country’s constitution. Democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi and a popular students group known as the 88 Generation Peace and Open Society jointly launch signature campaign to change section 436 of the constitution, a clause that requires 75 percent parliamentary approval to amend major chapters of the constitution. (AP Photo/Khin Maung Win) (The Associated Press)

The party of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi has collected nearly 5 million signatures in support of changing Myanmar's military-drafted constitution and challenging the military's dominance in parliament.

Suu Kyi's party has set a priority on changing an article in the 2008 constitution that requires a 75 percent parliamentary approval to amend major chapters of the charter. The military occupies 25 percent of the seats.

National League for Democracy party spokesman U Nyan Win said Wednesday the campaign for signatures was a success since it was done under pressure and intimidation by authorities.

The campaign was launched nationwide on May 27 and ended on July 19.

The party will submit the list of signatures to parliament where a committee can suggest changes.