Global Feminist Daily News Wire
April-30-12

Suu Kyi will take Myanmar Oath of Office

Aung San Suu Kyi, who won a seat in Myanmar's (previously Burma) parliamentary election in the beginning of April as a member of the opposition National League for Democracy party, will take the country's oath of office. The oath ends the opposition party's boycott of the parliament. The decision is seen as a step towards compromise and reconciliation in the country.

Secretary General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon, said on a visit to Myanmar that the end of the boycott is a positive step and is "in the interest of greater democracy." Suu Kyi said that she would "take an oath for the country and for the people" and that "politics is an issue of give and take. We are not giving up; we are just yielding to the aspirations of the people."

Suu Kyi's victory in the election opens the possibility that the National League for Democracy party, which won 40 of the 45 contested seats, could take control of Myanmar's government in the next election in 2015. Nevertheless, the military, which holds a majority of the 664 parliamentary seats, continues to exert great influence over Myanmar's government. The National League for Democracy party has not won an election since 1990, although the results were then annulled by the army-junta that was in power at the time.

Media Resources: New York Times 4/30/12; CNN 4/30/12; BBC News 4/30/12; Feminist Daily News Wire 4/2/12

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