Tuesday 13 December 2011

MYANMAR AND THE NLD

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MYANMAR LEGALIZES SUU KYI’S POLITICAL PARTY AHEAD OF PLANNED BY-ELECTIONS

Daniel Ten Kate

Bloomberg, December 13, 2011

Myanmar’s government granted legal status to Aung Sang Suu Kyi’s political party in a further sign of reforms before planned by-elections in which the democracy advocate will run for parliament for the first time.

Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy plans to submit its policies and constitution to authorities in Naypyidaw, Myanmar’s capital, after being permitted to register, party spokesman Nyan Win said by phone. The NLD voted last month to formally re- register after boycotting 2010 elections won by allies of the former ruling junta.

“We received permission to register and we decided to run in the by-elections,” Nyan Win said by phone from Yangon, the former capital. “It’s a good sign.”

Suu Kyi’s participation in yet-to-be-scheduled elections would build on President Thein Sein’s efforts to ease political repression and end the country’s international isolation. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Dec. 2 she was “cautiously hopeful” after completing the highest-level U.S. visit to Myanmar in more than five decades.

Derek Mitchell, a special U.S. envoy to Myanmar, met with Chinese foreign ministry officials yesterday in an effort to coordinate policies. U.S. sanctions in place for more than two decades have left Myanmar dependent on neighbors China, India and Thailand, which have poured more than $25 billion into ports, power plants, and oil and gas pipelines.

(...) [artículo aquí]

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