Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

NLD Sweeps Myanmar Elections

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • NLD Sweeps Myanmar Elections

    Twenty Five years after Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy was denied government after romping home in elections, the NLD appears to have repeated the performance. The results aren't in yet, but it looks like sweeping victories in both houses of Parliament. Of course, the Military has rigged the constitution to ensure that it can block legislation it doesn't like. Thanks to a bizarre & specifically targeted provision about having an overseas born spouse or children Ms Suu Kyi cannot become President. So, quite what all this means is far from clear. Hopefully it marks an important milestone in the process of moving Myanmar from one of the most oppressive states in the world to something more like a democracy.


    The NLD has announced its unofficial victory in the election with 82% of seats in the lower and upper houses of parliament, a senior official told Oliver Holmes in Yangon.

    The NLD informally monitored many of the polling stations during the ballot count and reported back to head office. The percentage is based on results it has counted so far.

    “They are our unofficial results – 82% based on constituencies,” NLD spokesman and aide to Aung San Suu Kyi, U Win Htein, told the Guardian.

    He said the NLD is waiting for the Union Election Commission to confirm a similar figure in the formal results.

    The Myanmar Times has had similar briefing from the opposition.

    It says the NLD has won 271 of the 330 seats in the lower house, and 135 of 168 in the upper house.
    http://www.theguardian.com/world/liv...toric-win-live
    sigpic

    Win nervously lose tragically - Reds C C

  • #2
    Does anyone know how much international pressure has helped this come about and who are the key international players on influencing the military there?

    Comment


    • #3
      I'm not an expert here, but it is my impression that sanctions have had a profound impact. They basically isolated Myanmar to the point where its only real option was to become a Chinese client state. It walked a way down that path, but then changed direction rapidly. Chinese companies & workers were ejected quite suddenly & the distinct impression was left that the Generals & other Burmese found the Chinese they dealt with pretty objectionable. That made dealing away their absolute control over Burmese society away for the relief of sanctions seem preferable.

      Of course, that can only be part of the story. There must be all sorts of strictly internal dynamics at play here. I don't know what the state of the various internal wars was. I don't know about the internal dynamics in the military.

      There has been some criticism of Western nations for lifting sanctions too far too fast, leaving little leverage with which to compel further democratic reforms. Again, I'm not sure of all the issues here , the NLD position etc.
      sigpic

      Win nervously lose tragically - Reds C C

      Comment


      • #4
        Originally posted by tantalus View Post
        Does anyone know how much international pressure has helped this come about and who are the key international players on influencing the military there?
        After ousting the head-in-the-sand thugs who thought ignorance, violence and isolation would ensure threir personal survival and comfort, the slightly more progressive post-2004 junta started to worry about China's surging influence into the vacuum created by the sanctions. Assurances from Daw Aung San Suu Kyi that there would be no retaliation if the military were to give up power slowly seeped into Thein Sein's thick skull, which led to modestly fair elections since 2012.
        Trust me?
        I'm an economist!

        Comment

        Working...
        X