Myanmar: The long road to democracy

by Korina Sanchez, ABS-CBN News ... Posted at 03/03/2012 8:26 PM | Updated as of 03/04/2012 12:34 AM   ..

Myanmar's pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi waves to supporters as she arrives in Mandalay March 3, 2012. REUTERS/Soe Zeya Tun

MANILA, Philippines – A British Colony for almost 125 years, the former Burma won its independence in 1948.

It installed into power a military junta, led by a senior general -- lasting another 50 years.
The new name of Burma became Myanmar.

Synonymous to Burmese recent history is the name Aung San Suu Kyi. Her father, General Aung San, was a prominent revolutionary in the 40's and was assassinated in 1947.

After completing her studies abroad, Aung San Suu Kyi decided to never leave Myanmar and continue from where her father left -- actively opposing what then were world-denounced atrocities against her country and countrymen.

Suu Kyi's name became known the world over and more so when she was placed under house arrest for all of 15 of the last 20 years.

In 1991 Aung San Suu Kyi was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for Non-Violent Struggle For Democracy and Fight For Human Rights.

Myanmar continues to suffer economic sanctions imposed by the Western Countries for these human rights violations by the military junta.

But a new Constitution in 2008 provided for a planned democratic election in 2010 -- installing President Thein Sein into the country's leadership.

This was seen as a clear sign of reform within Myanmar.

The home of freedom fighter Aung San Suu Kyi is found in the heart of the city of Yangon. For more than a decade, the worldwide icon of democracy in Asia was under house arrest.

Just last year, Aung San Suu Kyi was finally released from captivity, and the move is seen worldwide as the message of the Myanmar government that it is now ready for change, reform and development.

The foreign press were allowed into Myanmar only last year.

It is the hope of the Myanmar government that publicity on what is expected as clean and orderly elections this April will help convince the Western Countries to lift its economic sanctions against Myanmar and speed up investment and development.

Support for PNoy

For the first time in the last 50 years, a Foreign Secretary of State entered Myanmar when Hillary Clinton came and had a meeting with government and with Suu Kyi to ask about the reported reforms.

Former President Corazon Aquino once sought to meet with Aung San Suu Kyi but this could not happen then.

But the democracy icon expressed her admiration for the former Filipino President and bridges her support to Cory Aquino's son, current President Benigno Aquino III.

“With regards to Mrs. Aquino, I would like to say that we have always been grateful to her for the way in which she has supported us through out our very, very difficult years. We do not just admire her, we have great affection for her. And we have transferred the respect and admiration to her son who I hope will be following in her footsteps very closely,” she said.

Aung San Suu Kyi is now busy campaigning for a seat in Parliament with elections coming up in April -- an aspiration she shares with what is believed as majority of the population who revere her as their living hero.

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/-depth/03/03/12/myanmar-long-road-democracy