The November 8 elections in Myanmar reaffirmed the fact that its people, cutting across religious and ethnic differences, have abiding faith in the abilities of the charismatic Aung San Suu Kyi to lead them into an era of ethnic peace, prosperity and democratic freedoms.
Administering a stunning rout of the ruling military-dominated Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy won 135 out of the 168 seats contested in the Lower House and 255 of the 330 seats contested in the Upper House.
These results assured her a comfortable majority in both houses of parliament, where 25 per cent of the members are nominated by the armed forces. The army continues to play a significant role in national affairs, especially on issues of internal and external security.
Ruling Myanmar inevitably involves wearing a crown of thorns. Ever since its independence in 1948, Myanmar has been torn apart by a number of ethnic insurgencies. There are 135 different ethnic groups in the country, with the majority Burmans (Bamars) constituting 68 per cent of the population. But in substantive terms, the country comprises seven states, representing the seven major ethnic nationalities and seven regions of majority Bamars. (Courtesy of The Hindu Business Line)
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