Myanmar's military Saturday said they would thwart attempts by leader Aung San Suu Kyi's party to alter the "essence" of the country's controversial constitution, putting the army and civilian administration on a collision course over the politically-charged issue.

Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) dominated 2015 elections ending decades of military-backed rule.

But because of a 2008 charter scripted by the military, the NLD was forced into an uneasy power-sharing agreement.

The constitution grants the armed services control of security ministries and a quarter of unelected parliamentary seats.

That hands the military an effective veto over constitutional change.

But the NLD-dominated parliament voted earlier this month to form a cross-party committee to look at reforms of the charter, a key campaign pledge.

The party will be allocated 18 out of 45 seats on the panel, the military will have eight and the remainder will be divided between other parties.

There has been no detail about the specific reforms, but military MPs stood up in protest when the idea was first mooted.

Major General Tun Tun Nyi told reporters in Yangon that 45 people is not enough to review the charter and the process "would not be fair".

Tun Tun Nyi said the army is not opposed to amendments but "we are rejecting trying to change the constitution this way".

Brigadier General and military MP Than Soe said they would take part in the panel but would oppose changes to the "essence of the constitution", echoing rare comments by commander-in-chief Min Aung Hlaing in an interview this month with Japanese paper Asahi Shimbun.

Debates over the constitution are highly sensitive in Buddhist-majority Myanmar, especially among nationalist movements.

The military is still fighting with ethnic armed groups in border areas and has said its role in politics is necessary for stability. But critics say it does not want to relinquish influence.

The 2008 charter also prevents anyone with a foreign spouse from becoming president, a measure believed to be aimed at Suu Kyi, who had a family with the late British academic Michael Aris.

The decision to form the panel came just a few days after a court handed death sentences to the killers behind the 2017 murder of Muslim lawyer and Suu Kyi advisor Ko Ni.

He was leading the charge on constitutional reform when he was shot dead in cold blood at Yangon airport, while cradling his grandson.

Ko Ni also helped craft the position of state counsellor for Suu Kyi after the election since she could not be president.

Tun Tun Nyi reiterated opposition to that legal manoeuvre, calling it "beyond the constitution", which is why "we condemned it when it was discussed."

Myanmar's military Saturday said they would thwart attempts by leader Aung San Suu Kyi's party to alter the "essence" of the country's controversial constitution, putting the army and civilian administration on a collision course over the politically-charged issue.

Myanmar's military Saturday said they would thwart attempts by leader Aung San Suu Kyi's party to alter the "essence" of the country's controversial constitution, putting the army and civilian administration on a collision course over the politically-charged issue. Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) dominated 2015 elections ending decades of military-backed rule. But because of a 2008 charter scripted by the military, the NLD was forced into an uneasy power-sharing agreement. The constitution grants the armed services control of security ministries and a quarter of unelected parliamentary seats. That hands the military an effective veto over constitutional change. But the NLD-dominated parliament voted earlier this month to form a cross-party committee to look at reforms of the charter, a key campaign pledge. The party will be allocated 18 out of 45 seats on the panel, the military will have eight and the remainder will be divided between other parties. There has been no detail about the specific reforms, but military MPs stood up in protest when the idea was first mooted. Major General Tun Tun Nyi told reporters in Yangon that 45 people is not enough to review the charter and the process "would not be fair". Tun Tun Nyi said the army is not opposed to amendments but "we are rejecting trying to change the constitution this way". Brigadier General and military MP Than Soe said they would take part in the panel but would oppose changes to the "essence of the constitution", echoing rare comments by commander-in-chief Min Aung Hlaing in an interview this month with Japanese paper Asahi Shimbun. Debates over the constitution are highly sensitive in Buddhist-majority Myanmar, especially among nationalist movements. The military is still fighting with ethnic armed groups in border areas and has said its role in politics is necessary for stability. But critics say it does not want to relinquish influence. The 2008 charter also prevents anyone with a foreign spouse from becoming president, a measure believed to be aimed at Suu Kyi, who had a family with the late British academic Michael Aris. The decision to form the panel came just a few days after a court handed death sentences to the killers behind the 2017 murder of Muslim lawyer and Suu Kyi advisor Ko Ni. He was leading the charge on constitutional reform when he was shot dead in cold blood at Yangon airport, while cradling his grandson. Ko Ni also helped craft the position of state counsellor for Suu Kyi after the election since she could not be president. Tun Tun Nyi reiterated opposition to that legal manoeuvre, calling it "beyond the constitution", which is why "we condemned it when it was discussed."

Myanmar army warns against changing 'essence' of constitution

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/myanmar-policeman-found-killed-in-northern-rakhine-state-185930">Myanmar police </a>have clashed with insurgents in the<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/myanmars-president-praises-rakhine-state-for-auspicious-year-on-44th-anniversary-184243"> troubled western state of Rakhine</a>, state-run media said on Wednesday, as intensified fighting continued between the security forces and an armed group representing the Buddhist Rakhine ethnic group.

The United Nations said about 2,500 people had been driven from their homes since early December when clashes broke out with the Arakan Army, one of several groups fighting Myanmar`s army that want more autonomy for ethnic minorities.

The Myanmar military last month announced a four-month halt in fighting in the north and northeast of the country in order to kick-start stalled peace talks with the armed groups.

Rakhine, in the west, was excluded from the pause, stoking doubts about the military's willingness to bring an end to all the country's conflicts.

Rakhine was where the military launched a campaign in 2017 that has driven more than 730,000 Rohingya Muslims into bordering Bangladesh.&nbsp;

Recent fighting has involved the Arakan Army, which claims to represent the Rakhine, the Buddhist ethnic group who make up the majority in the state of the same name.

The state-run Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper said one policeman was critically injured when border guard police were attacked by about 30 men carrying "small and heavy arms" on Tuesday near Saytaung, a village in the Buthidaung area.

Khin Thu Kha, a spokesman for the Arakan Army, denied that the group attacked the police, but said the group did clash with government security forces in Saytaung on Tuesday.

Hundreds of border guard police had been deployed in areas far from the border with Bangladesh as part of a broader military offensive against the group, Khine Thu Kha told Reuters on Wednesday.

"Today the fighting started at 8 am" in another location, he said.

Major General Tun Tun Nyi, a military spokesman, declined to comment.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said on Monday that 1,500 people were newly displaced by fighting last week in Rakhine, in addition to about 1,000 people displaced since clashes broke out on December 8.

Authorities, along with local and foreign aid groups, were providing aid to the displaced, the UN agency said in an update.

The United Nations said about 2,500 people had been driven from their homes since early December when clashes broke out with the Arakan Army.

Myanmar police have clashed with insurgents in the troubled western state of Rakhine, state-run media said on Wednesday, as intensified fighting continued between the security forces and an armed group representing the Buddhist Rakhine ethnic group. The United Nations said about 2,500 people had been driven from their homes since early December when clashes broke out with the Arakan Army, one of several groups fighting Myanmar`s army that want more autonomy for ethnic minorities. The Myanmar military last month announced a four-month halt in fighting in the north and northeast of the country in order to kick-start stalled peace talks with the armed groups. Rakhine, in the west, was excluded from the pause, stoking doubts about the military's willingness to bring an end to all the country's conflicts. Rakhine was where the military launched a campaign in 2017 that has driven more than 730,000 Rohingya Muslims into bordering Bangladesh. Recent fighting has involved the Arakan Army, which claims to represent the Rakhine, the Buddhist ethnic group who make up the majority in the state of the same name. The state-run Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper said one policeman was critically injured when border guard police were attacked by about 30 men carrying "small and heavy arms" on Tuesday near Saytaung, a village in the Buthidaung area. Khin Thu Kha, a spokesman for the Arakan Army, denied that the group attacked the police, but said the group did clash with government security forces in Saytaung on Tuesday. Hundreds of border guard police had been deployed in areas far from the border with Bangladesh as part of a broader military offensive against the group, Khine Thu Kha told Reuters on Wednesday. "Today the fighting started at 8 am" in another location, he said. Major General Tun Tun Nyi, a military spokesman, declined to comment. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said on Monday that 1,500 people were newly displaced by fighting last week in Rakhine, in addition to about 1,000 people displaced since clashes broke out on December 8. Authorities, along with local and foreign aid groups, were providing aid to the displaced, the UN agency said in an update.

Myanmar says police attacked as western fighting displaces thousands

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Myanmar army warns against changing 'essence' of constitution

Myanmar says police attacked as western fighting displaces thousands