In what has been hailed by many onlookers as an historic breakthrough, the recent general election in Myanmar saw Aung San Suu Kyi’s NLD (National League for Democracy) party win over 300 seats across both houses of parliament. For a party whose recent history vividly recalls the dogged political struggle of Suu Kyi’s father and national icon, Aung San, the result is nothing short of momentous. Cornered into political wilderness for vast periods of its short existence, the party can now operate with as powerful a mandate as has been seen in the state since it gained its independence from Britain in 1948. That a substantial proportion of newly-elected members of parliament were once political prisoners indicates the enormous strides the country has taken towards establishing a democratic state.
It is perhaps therefore surprising that optimism does not reign throughout the country. Yes, large swathes of the population appear jubilant at the prospect of a government who will not rule by brute force but by the will of the electorate, that the master-narrative of Suu Kyi’s phoenix-like journey is nearing its triumphant conclusion. But there remains an undercurrent of doubt, of an optimism tempered by anxiety that the NLD’s mission is one which exclusively serves the country’s large Buddhist population.
For more information - Visit here.
No comments:
Post a Comment