Democracy News

Suu Kyi Announces Candidacy in Burma; Government Releases Dissidents
January 13, 2012
By: Rebecca Aaberg | Printer Friendly

Since taking office in March 2011, Burmese President Thein Sein has enacted a series of reforms that have opened the political space for democratic reorganization, including trade unions and the establishment of a Human Rights Commission.  In an interview with the BBC, opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi commented on the ability of President Sein, a former general, to lead Burma as a civilian: “I trust the president, but I can’t yet trust the government for the simple reason that I don’t yet know all the members of government... The important thing about the president is that he is an honest man… He is a man capable of taking risks if he thinks they are worthwhile.”

On January 10, Suu Kyi, leader of Burma’s National League for Democracy (NLD), announced her candidacy for the April 2012 parliamentary elections.  Suu Kyi is the first pro-democracy candidate to run for parliament in Burma, and her inclusion in the election is symbolic of the political opening occurring in the country, Voice of America reported.  As reported the BBC, the “nominally civilian government” allowed the NLD to register for the 2010 elections—the first in twenty years—but the party chose to boycott the polls because of electoral laws restricting Suu Kyi’s and other high ranking party members’ participation.  After the 1990 elections, the military barred the NLD from taking office, but Suu Kyi remained optimistic about achieving democracy in Burma within her lifetime, she stated in a BBC interview.

On January 13, the BBC reported that 651 prisoners were released after Suu Kyi expressed the importance of freeing political prisoners in a January 5 statement. Though the exact number of political prisoners among the 651 freed was not announced, Min Ko Naing, the leader of the failed 1988 uprising, was among the prominent prisoners released.  According to Voice of America, the government has not dropped all charges against some dissidents, suspending rather than commuting sentences.  Even so, this is an increased number from the Independence Day release, which accounted for about 30 prisoners.  The Burmese government has previously denied the existence of political prisoners, and the BBC reported that opposition groups estimate another 1500 remain behind bars.

In addition to allowing Suu Kyi’s candidacy and releasing political prisoners, the BBC also reported that President Sein negotiated a ceasefire with the Karen National Union (KNU).   The KNU has been fighting the government for autonomy since Burmese independence in 1948, and the violence has forced thousands to live as refugees in neighboring Thailand.  The agreement took place in the wake of visits from United Kingdom (UK) Foreign Secretary William Hague and from United States (US) Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

On January 13, US President Barack Obama announced that the US would restore full diplomatic relations with Burma, calling the recent inclusion of Suu Kyi in the April 2012 elections, the release of political prisoners, and the ceasefire with the KNU “a substantial step forward for democratic reform,” the New York Times reported. Currently, Burma is under economic sanctions by US and the European Union that limit trade, and all political prisoners must be released before those sanctions can be lifted.  UK Foreign Secretary Hague commented: “The release of all political prisoners is a long-standing demand of the international community and I warmly welcome these releases as a further demonstration of the Burmese government’s commitment to reform.”

For more news on Burma, please see:
Burma's NLD to Re-Enter Political Process; US Announces Clinton Visit

Sources:
BBC - Burma Frees High-Profile Dissidents in Amnesty

BBC - Suu Kyi: Burma Democracy in My Lifetime

BBC - William Hague Hails Burma Reforms, Says More Needed

New York Times- Aung San Suu Kyi Confirms She Will Run for Parliament

New York Times – US Restores Myanmar Ties in Response to Rapid Reforms

Voice of America – Britain to Maintain Sanctions Until Burma Frees Political Prisoners

Voice of America - Burma Releases Prominent Political Prisoners

Voice of America – Burma Signs Cease-Fire with Karen Rebel Group

Washington Post – Signs of Reform Emerge in Burma