Myanmar's Military Leader Promises Democracy By 2010

Yangon, Myanmar (AHN) - Myanmar Junta Chief Than Shwe said Thursday that he Is not "power hungry" and he is willing to step down in 2010, once a new government is elected. In a nationally televised speech marking Armed Forces Day, Shwe announced that a new constitution, which will give broad power to the military, will be presented to the public in May.

"As the new constitution has already been drafted, it will be put to a national referendum in forthcoming May, and subsequently the multi-party general elections will follow in 2010 in line with the provisions of the constitution," Shwe told the 13,000 soldiers at a military parade in the new capital Naypyidaw.

Shwe added that his military government did not "crave for power," but insisted that the junta's "ultimate aim [is] to hand over the state power to the people." However, critics slam Shwe's promised constitution, saying that it is another way to ensure that the military will stay powerful in Myanmar. Pro-democracy protesters argue that the drafting process did not include detained opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi. Suu Kyi has been on house arrest for 18 years.

Foreign journalists were refused visas to cover the referendum on May, which comes six months after the military government's crackdown on Buddhist monks and pro-democracy protesters.

The current military junta rose to power in 1988 after a crackdown on the failed uprising, which killed 3,000 people.