Hundreds of people rallied in downtown Yangon on Saturday to call for changes to Myanmar’s military-drafted constitution, which came into effect following a dubious referendum more than a decade ago.

Protestors gathered in the scorching heat holding placards and wearing headbands urging people to “mobilize... to change the constitution” and support the parliament’s new committee to amend the charter.

The constitution gives sweeping powers to the military, including a quarter of legislative seats and control of the defense, home affairs, and border affairs ministries.

“It is crucial to remove the army from politics,” added Myint Oo, 68, another protestor. “They have to go back to the barracks.”

Constitutional reform is key to establishing a federal democracy and ending decades of armed civil strife in many parts of the country, he added.

Htin Linn Oo, a speaker who addressed the crowd from a stage in front of City Hall, said the military should withdraw from politics and stick to its duties of “managing defense affairs and protecting the country’s boundaries.”

Htut Zeyar, 29, pointed out the constitution does not specify any procedures for appointing or removing the military’s commander-in-chief. Yet it bars Aung San Suu Kyi from being president because she had foreign children with her late British spouse.  

The National League for Democracy last month used its large majority in parliament to form a constitutional amendment committee in the face of objections from military legislators.

Reforming the charter was one of Aung San Suu Kyi’s key election pledges ahead of her landslide 2015 victory.

Saturday’s rally was one of several held across the country in recent weeks to support the new committee. Pro-military demonstrators have held counter rallies opposing constitutional reform.

In a recent interview with Japanese media, commander-in-chief Min Aung Hlaing said he is open to constitutional reform but that it should not change the document’s “original essence”.