Myanmar's road to reform

Myanmar's leading opposition figure, Aung San Suu Kyi, has launched her historic campaign for a parliament seat in the southern constituency she hopes to represent in the April 1 by-election.

Thousands of cheering supporters waving banners and party flags greeted the 66-year-old Nobel Peace laureate on the road from the former capital of Yangon to the rural district of Kawhmu.

"The road ahead will be tough," Suu Kyi said. "But our goal is to achieve peace, stability and development."

She spoke of creating more job opportunities in the impoverished area, and said the country would need to "work hard" to rise above the conflict between Myanmar's many ethnic minorities.

"I acknowledge there are difficulties," she added. "But let others know we need the people's support. Let us overcome the hurdles together."

Testing government's commitment to change

The April vote to fill 48 parliamentary seats is seen as a test of President Thein Sein's military-backed government and its commitment to democratic change.

Since coming to power last year, after elections that were heavily criticized by the West, Thein Sein has surprised by easing decades of authoritarian rule, signing ceasefire deals with ethnic rebels, increasing media freedoms and releasing hundreds of political prisoners.

However, the brief detention of an activist monk who led a 2007 uprising caused the United States to express its concern on Friday. The US and other Western nations are monitoring the country in the run-up to the by-election to decide whether or not to lift a range of economic sanctions.

"The coming by-election is a key test of how far the government has progressed in the process of reform," said United Nations special envoy Tomas Ojea Quintana last week after a six-day visit.

This is the first election campaign for Suu Kyi, who spent most of the last 20 years under house arrest until she was released in November 2010. In the 1990 election, her National League for Democracy (NLD) party won with an overwhelming majority, but the then-ruling military junta refused to accept the results.

The NLD is expected to well in the by-election, as it is facing little opposition from the ruling regime. However, even if Suu Kyi's party wins all 48 seats, it will have little influence in the 440-seat lower house.

cmk/pfd (AP, dpa, Reuters)