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Subscribe to RSSOnly a few months ago it would have been unthinkable that thousands of people in Myanmar could turn out to support opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
But now, the ruling military junta has loosened its grip on power and after 15 years under house arrest, the democracy icon and Nobel Peace Prize winner is leading her party into parliamentary elections.
Ecstatic cheers as Aung San Suu Kyi registers for seat in Myanmar parliament
The vote is thought to be an attempt by the government at improving transparency and its international reputation after a 2010 general election that was marred by allegations of fraud, and widely dismissed as a sham to favour a party created by the junta.
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Channel Four Europe's John Sparks travelled with the candidate as she campaigned in the southern city of Maw-la-me-yei.
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Thanks for sharing!!!
Such a beautiful and strong woman.
But now, the ruling military junta has loosened its grip on power???
What they are not telling you...
1. There are only 40+seats being voted on...
2. The ruling body has over 600+seats...
3. To make any changes to the Government, it takes a 3/4 majority. The Military is still holding these seats, they are just wearing civilian clothes...
4. Myanmar's assuming the ASEAN chairmanship in 2014 and 2015 ASEAN is being activated...
5. These supposed changes are resulting in BILLIONS of AID and Investment dollars flowing into Myanmar...
But it sure looks pretty in the PHOTO-OPS... Ha! Ha!
Come live in Asia, it will give you a whole new out-look on how the World/USA MEDIA reports the NEWS...
Bernard Madoff could take a few lessions from Myanmar's leadership and their PONZI scheme...
That's all true. And yet, this is still undeniably a regime opening up and loosening its grip on power, just as the article states.
That they've allowed this much, and without a civil war, uprising, or foreign military intervention is a miracle on its own. Naturally, they still have a way to go, but for the first time in a long while, things are heading in the right direction. I see no reason for so much cynicism; a country cannot change from despotic hellhole to gleaming field of flowers and honey in a week.
Myanmar's leadership has been trying to reconcile with the ethnic populations sense the Military came to power. They are still working on this issue, with little gain after 20+years...
The country is based on graft and tea money pay-offs. The Military rulers never could win this battle , so they just joined into the party...
About 5+years ago there was a realization that depending on China was a one-way street. Myanmar was being raped of their resources and their citizens were little more than slaves. This was when their Military leaders started making overtures to other foreign nations and they realized that this is where their golden future was, NOT with China...
As a Myanmar/Thai reporter has stated, when he was describing the changes, after his latest visit. "After decades of darkness and lost hope, there is now a light. Whither this is going to be a perminate charge, both he and the Myanmar people are still waiting." It is his opinion that San Suu Kyi is placing her hopes on ONE person and this is a mistake...
A year ago, Myanmar was shooting Thai helicopters out of the sky. The drug flow & poppy growth is on-going, with INCREASING crop levels. There are still tens of thousands of displaced people in Thailand with NO possibility of legal status in either country. The many ethnic populations of Myanmar are still facing extinction and lose of their ancestral homes/land. Stable infrastructure is non-existent and does not even exist in many reagons...
While China's influence is DECREASING, which is a good thing. There are numerous foreign countries/businesses showing interest. But the vast majority of this is based on cheap labor and access to natural resources at below market rates. Just another country being plundered by the world and a select few internal leaders...
But from a WESTERN perspective, this is a good thing... Ha! Ha!
Thanks for the President Obama and the Secretary of State Clinton. Thanks on behalf of the people of Myanmar.
You want to describe what either of these people have done for the Myanmar People???
IMO - Just more taking credit for something they had NOTHING to do with, by the current Administration...