Myanmar to resume constitution talks in July News
Myanmar to resume constitution talks in July

[JURIST] The government of Myanmar [JURIST news archive] announced plans Tuesday to reconvene negotiations on a new constitution [JURIST news archive] for a final session next month. The national constitutional drafting convention, tasked with creating guidelines for a more democratic constitution, has been on hold since December 2006. The country's military regime announced the plan after being criticized by the West [JURIST report] for its political practices and continued house arrest of pro-democratic leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi [advocacy website]. The acting prime minister, Lt. Gen. Thein Sein [Wikipedia profile], said the constitutional convention is scheduled to resume on July 18.

Critics contend the convention may be for show as delegates are all chosen by the government, which also retains the decisive vote on any guidelines the convention creates. In addition, democracy advocate Suu Kyi remains under house arrest. Suu Kyi has spent 11 of the past 17 years in prison or under house arrest for alleged violations of an anti-subversion law [text]. AP has more.

THIS DAY @ LAW

Indian National Congress founded

The Indian National Congress (INC) was founded on December 28, 1885 in Bombay (now Mumbai), India. In subsequent decades, the so-called Congress Party would advocate for Indian independence from the UK, which was eventually achieved in 1947. The first Prime Minister of independent India, Jawaharlal Nehru, was elected as a member of the INC. Learn more about the history and founding of the Indian National Congress.

Congress recognized Pledge of Allegiance

On December 28, 1945, Congress officially recognized the Pledge of Allegiance and encouraged its recitation in schools. The Pledge was supposedly written in 1892 by Francis Bellamy, a Baptist minister, to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Columbus Day. The words “under God” were added by Congress in 1954. The revised version of the Pledge was the subject of litigation before the United States Supreme Court originally brought by Michael Newdow, a parent who unsuccessfully objected to his daughter's school district policy requiring daily recitation of the Pledge. The court ruled that Newdow had no standing.

Nepal ends monarchy, establishes republic

On December 28, 2007, the Kingdom of Nepal's interim parliament ended the country's monarchy and established the Republic of Nepal. Free elections were held on April 10 of the following year to elect a Constituent Assembly.

Learn more about the rise of democracy in Nepal.