MYANMAR’S first democratically elected Parliament opened on Monday in capital Naypyidaw as a milestone event after a half-century of military rule. It is a defining moment and victory of democracy that Myanmar’s 53 million people won through a free, fair and peaceful election. We welcome the development to our neighbour across the border. The new move for which Myanmar people waited for long started to take shape following the landslide victory of National League for Democracy (NLD) in last November election led by democracy leader and Nobel Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, who inspired the nation all along to fight for democracy and dream about an elected government by the people. But one should not also lose sight at the same time of the unequivocal contribution of President Thein Sein of the military led civilian government whose reformist policies after 2012 slowly created the environment for transition to democracy. Earlier NLD similarly won a landslide election victory in 1990 but the military junta refused to recognize it and the restoration of democracy missed the chance. In fact Myanmar was reeling under military rule since 1962 and it goes without saying that the changing outlook of the military has at last paved the way for ending the junta’s monopoly on power. They also released Suu Kyi from house arrest after 15 years as part of democratic reforms. But it is not all that selfless. The new Constitution, which the junta framed prior to bringing about political liberalization, has reserved 25 percent seat in Parliament to be nominated by army and that Suu Kyi can’t be president since she was married to a foreign national. Army has also retained the rights to nominate ministers in key posts including the Minister for Defense, interior and borders. So despite having 80 percent of Parliamentary seats, outside the reserved seats for the army, Suu Kyi has no room for complacency and rather be enough far sighted not to pick any issue that may make the army critical to her government. The real test of the transition lies ahead. Her observation that she would operate above the President may give scope for misgivings to many. The new government has many challenges to address including combating poverty, underdevelopment and defusing ethnic fights. The new political beginning has renewed new hopes among the people, but to make it happen support from every quarter would be necessary for Suu Kyi led new government to be formed in April next. Moreover the election of a new president needs to be acceptable to all.Bangladesh is looking at the development in Myanmar with keen interest when democracy here is also facing many challenges. We hope that the people to people relations between the two countries will further strengthen under the new democratic government.
