Dec 17, 2008 (DVB)â€"Around 300 young people from Rangoon, Mandalay, Magwe and Irrawaddy divisions attended a meeting at the National League for Democracy headquarters in Rangoon yesterday.

The meeting, entitled ‘Youth and the Future’, was led by NLD central executive committee member Win Tin and lasted two hours.

According to Rangoon division youth member Aye Naing, who attended the meeting, Win Tin mainly told the young people that they must play their part in the country’s future.

"He told us not to worry about the unknown future but to keep our spirits up and be ready to solve anything, to make our voices heard and to take action," Aye Naing said.

"He also advised us to make a breakthrough rather than looking for an escape," he said.

"Our party, the country and the world are looking gloomy and we, the youth, must make it better, he said."

There was also a question and answer session at the event.

Win Tin said there were plans to hold further talks for young people in the future.

"The world is facing all kinds of problems for the future, and in Burma, there is potential that the situation will deteriorate within 10 to 20 years," Win Tin said.

"As for the NLD, we do not accept the constitution and we do not accept the election, and our future is not certain," he said.

"The future of the world and the country belongs to young people. If they have the courage to face up to and overcome whatever happens, they will be able to solve the problems of the future."

There have been tensions between youth members and NLD party chair Aung Shwe, which culminated in more than 100 young people quitting the party in October because they were not consulted over reforms of the youth wing.

Win Tin, a respected party member and former long-term political prisoner, has been involved in negotiations between youth members and party leadership.

Reporting by Naw Say Phaw and Nan Kham Kaew