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Suu Kyi in parliamentary debut

July 9, 2012

Myanmar democracy campaigner Aung San Suu Kyi on Monday assumed her seat in parliament, marking her debut in mainstream politics. It comes as the country is still wrestling with a number of major problems.

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Myanmar pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi attends a parliamentary meeting at the Lower House of Parliament in Naypyitaw
Image: Reuters

Taking her seat in parliament for the first time as an elected politician, Suu Kyi told AFP news agency: "I will try my best for the country."

Suu Kyi was originally scheduled to make her debut in the assembly in the capital Naypyidaw on Wednesday, but postponed her appearance to recover from a five-nation European tour last month.

The 67-year-old Nobel Peace Prize laureate was sworn in as a member of parliament in May after she and 42 members of her Lational League for Democracy (NLD) party won seats in April 1 by-elections.

Her parliamentary debut marks a new phase in her struggle to bring democracy to Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, which was long under the rule of juntas and still has a strongly pro-military, though civilian, government.

She spent a total of 15 years under house arrest in her family compound in the former capital, Yangon.

Troubled times

Her entry into parliament comes as Myanmar is confronted by some pressing problems.

In a sign that the country still has a way to go in creating peace among its ethnic groups, the parliament must approve an ongoing state of emergency after communal violence in June between ethnic Buddhist Rahkine and Muslim Rohingya.

Dozens died and tens of thousands were made homeless in the fighting.

The parliament is also debating a new foreign investment law aimed at reviving the country's battered economy.

And although the new government has enacted some promising reforms on the path to complete democracy, some fear that the authorities are having difficulties forming new habits and turning away from the repressive measures that characterized the former juntas.

Last week, the government came under fire from other activists after some 20 student leaders were briefly arrested on Friday ahead of the 50th anniversary of a brutal suppression of student protests.

The students were released late on Saturday.

tj/msh (dpa, AFP)