Aljazeera, 19
Aug 2011
 |
| Suu Kyi's party, the National League for Democracy, boycotted elections in 2010 [Reuters] |
Myanmar
pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi has met President Thein Sein for the
first time in the capital, Naypyidaw.
The meeting
is seen as the latest olive branch from the army-backed government that came to
power this year after five decades of direct military rule.
Suu Kyi,
who spent 15 years under house arrest for campaigning for democracy, flew to
the capital for the meeting with Thein Sein, formerly a top general in the
military regime.
It was the
first visit by Suu Kyi to Naypyitaw, a city built in 2005 on a mountain plateau
330km north of Myanmar's old capital and biggest city, Yangon.
The short meeting
took place at the presidential palace, according to a senior official from the
ministry of information, who gave no details of what was discussed.
Suu Kyi,
66, was released when her latest term of house arrest expired last November,
just after elections that were widely criticised as a sham after the army
appeared to make sure it dominated parliament and the new cabinet.
Thein Sein,
who took office in March, is regarded as one of the more moderate members of
the new government which contains many hardliners opposed to any engagement
with Suu Kyi.
The
military's unbroken, 49-year grip on power officially ended in March, when the
ruling State Peace and Development Council made way for a nominally civilian
government led mostly by retired generals.
Suu Kyi's
National League for Democracy (NLD) boycotted the 2010 elections, because of
election laws it said were unfair.
The NLD won
the polls before that, in 1990, but was never allowed to take power.
Despite her
detention, Suu Kyi, the daughter of Myanmar's late independence hero, General
Aung San, remained the figurehead of the
country's democratic movement.
Related Arrticles:
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.