The party of Burma's detained opposition leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, has apologized for its failure to bring democracy to the country because of repression by the military government.
Last week, the National League of Democracy (NLD) decided to boycott upcoming elections, saying that laws preventing Aung San Suu Kyi from participating are unjust.
In a statement Tuesday, the NLD said its members endured arrests, punishment, intimidation, disturbances and harassment in an effort to achieve national reconciliation and democracy. The party apologized for failing to achieve those goals, adding that it will continue its non-violent struggle.
The NLD won the last general election in 1990, but the military refused to let the party assume power.
No date has been set for the upcoming elections, which are largely seen as a sham designed to keep the military in power.
Aung San Suu Kyi has been under some sort of detention for 14 of the last 20 years, and many NLD officials have been held as political prisoners.
On Monday, Burma's number-two leader, Maung Aye, vice chairman of the State Peace and Development Council and army commander, said the government will see that the coming multi-party general elections are held this year, in accordance with the new constitution.
Some information for this report was provided by AP and Reuters.