While Ms Suu Kyi has been criticised for relative passivity regarding the systematic persecution of Rohingya Muslims in the country, several days before the election she did promise to protect minorities isolated in “ethnic ghettoes”, which was widely interpreted as addressing Rohingya’s plight. She was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991.
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A huge portrait of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi on the facade of the National League for Democracy headquarters in Yangon.
The military’s quarter-quota of legislative seats amounts to a de facto veto on amending a constitution that prevents Suu Kyi from becoming president because of her sons’ British citizenship.
The elderly monk ended by expressing appreciation of Kyi’s friendship, wishing her good health and the strength in meeting the many challenges that lie ahead in securing the development of Myanmar and the flourishing of its people.
Suu Kyi has said she will protect Muslims in the state, despite appearing to bow to growing Buddhist nationalism by fielding no candidates from the minority. These included three groups fighting in northern Shan State – the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army, the Ta’ang National Liberation Army and the Arakan Army – and three groups the government said did not have military forces – the Wa National Organisation, the Lahu Democratic Union and the Arakan National Council.
The party may, however, choose members of ethnic parties for cabinet positions, including the vice presidency, Win Htein said.
Myanmar pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi casts her ballot during the general election in Burma, November 8.
Suu Kyi, 70, has sought to take a conciliatory approach following the elections, dampening victory celebrations and requesting talks with President Thein Sein, army chief Min Aung Hlaing and parliament speaker Shwe Mann – heavyweights from the former junta. The parliament is scheduled to convene in January and to select a president early next year.
In most countries, parliament is dissolved immediately after the polls and reconvened by the winning parties, said Tin Maung Maung Than, a senior fellow with the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies in Singapore.
Only time will tell whether democracy really has won through, and a democratically elected government can last in Myanmar.
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Of course, the military-led regime lost to the NLD in a 1990 election, but then refused to give up power. Announcing the results on Friday, the fifth day of the vote-count, the Union Election Commission (UEC) said NLD had so far won 238 of the 330 contested seats in the 440-member Lower House while 110 of its nominees had been declared elected on 168 contested seats in the 224-member Upper House of parliament. But they decided that they “can manage it now”, Clapp said, and they are prepared to hand the reins of government to the opposition, confident that the 2008 constitution assures the military’s continued grip on key levers of power.
