Nobel Peace laureate and icon of democracy Aung San Suu Kyi declared that she wants to run for president of Myanmar in 2015. At the ongoing World Economic Forum in Naypyidaw, she succinctly expressed her intentions to run for the highest position in the land. She was unequivocal and explicit and clear in her intentions as she made the announcement on Thursday in front of world leaders and business titans from all over the world.
“I want to run for president,” said opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi and said that she wanted to be honest with her people about it. She expressed her plans in the Burmese language.
Constitutional amendment needed
In Aung San Suu Kyi’s address to WEF delegates she made the appeal to amend the constitution that has provisions preventing her to lead the country. Any modifications need the support of 75% of Parliament. A quarter of the fledgling parliament of Myanmar is composed of military officials that were not elected to their post.
She added that since according to experts the constitution is the hardest to amend the approach must be to amend the requirements themselves.
Not eligible to run
The constitution that was drafted by the military junta does not allow for anyone who has children or spouses that are citizens of foreign countries for the top position. The two sons of Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi are citizens of the United Kingdom.
Still very popular
For almost two decades, Ms. Suu Kyi was under house arrest under orders from the military junta. She has been freed and welcomed into the new Parliament when she was elected in 2012 . The National League for Democracy which she leads is very popular amongst the populace.
Other political prisoners were set free and ceasefires are in effect quieting years of civil wars in the countryside. These and dramatic economic changes were put in effect when incumbent President Thein Sein assumed office two years ago. The reforms have earned the approval of the West and sanctions have been lifted.
Ms. Suu Kyi has been calling for inclusion of the people of Myanmar in the ongoing reform process. She warned that if the people perceive that they are excluded then the changes may be jeopardized and that there is a danger of a situation reversal.
Myanmar in 2015
Ms. Suu Kyi belongs to the Burman ethnic group. The Burman make up about 2/3 of the population of Myanmar today. Her participation in the elections in 2015 is a definite threat to the party composed of former officers of the military – the party that now holds the majority of Parliamentary seats.
Criticized
Despite the solidity of her support system, Ms. Suu Kyi has recently been criticized for playing politics. Certain ethnic minorities in her country as well as human rights organizations have commented on her muted and often oblique reactions to the violence against Muslims led by Buddhist mobs.
In response, Ms. Suu Kyi reiterated that she did not want to cause a flaring up of the situation with comments on which community is wrong and which isn’t. She was only avoiding inciting a vicious cycle of aggressiveness and extremism.
Photo Credit: Aung San Suu Kyi with US President Obama at her home in Burma
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