Myanmar to hold constitutional referendum in May News
Myanmar to hold constitutional referendum in May

[JURIST] The military government of Myanmar [JURIST news archive] announced in a television broadcast Saturday that it will hold a constitutional referendum in May, with multi-party elections to follow in 2010. Last September a National Convention originally called in 1993 concluded [JURIST report] work on guidelines for a new national charter. The exact subject-matter of the referendum has yet to be declared, however.

The last general elections in Myanmar were held in 1990. The National League for Democracy (NLD), lead by Aung San Suu Kyi, won that election easily, but the ruling military government did not recognize the result and placed Suu Kyi under house arrest. AFP has more. BBC News has additional coverage.

THIS DAY @ LAW

Egypt President Anwar Sadat visits Israel

On November 19, 1977, Egyptian President Anwar Sadat visited Israel, becoming the first leader of an Arab nation to officially visit. Two years later, President Sadat became the first Arab leader to recognize Israel by signing the Egyptian-Israeli Peace Treaty. Read President Sadat's address to the Israeli Knesset.

Jay Treaty signed

On November 19, 1794, US Chief Justice John Jay and British foreign secretary Lord Grenville signed a treaty in Philadelphia under which British forces pulled out of the disputed Northwest Territory. Review the Jay Treaty.