Ban Ki-moon at Burmese Parliament: Suu Kyi and Thein Sein "united" for democracy
Yangon (AsiaNews / Agencies) - The UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon today held a historic speech in front of the Burmese Parliament, in which he invited president Thein Sein - expression of the former military junta in power - and opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi "to work as partners on the road of change." Meanwhile the dispute over the Assembly oath bymembers of the National League for Democracy (NLD) has been resolved: as announced by the Nobel Laureate, the oath will be taken "as soon as possible" under the terms currently envisaged by the Constitution.
Speaking to Myanmar's members of parliament,
Ban Ki-moon said that the route was "too narrow to go back" and he spoke
directly to the two leaders, Thein Sein and Aung San Suu Kyi, the protagonists
of the "democratic" change in the country, complimenting their "courage and
foresight." In
recent days the United Nations Secretary General met with the president for a
private face to face, while tomorrow will seee the turn of the opposition
leader.
In
the earlier visit to Myanmar, in 2009, Ban Ki-moon had not been able to meet
the Nobel Laureate, under house arrest for 15 of the last 22 years, at the
order of the military regime in power until 2011. The
head of international diplomacy praised the "vision, leadership and
courage" of President Thein Sein and Aung San Suu Kyi. "Burma
- he added - can meet the challenge of reconciliation and development, but this
will require a lot of determination and leadership and a shared
partnership" between all the people of the Union.
The UN secretary
general also explained that "the elections and open government"
should be considered a "healthy and vibrant" political climate, in
which however "much still needs to be done" in particular, to achieve
peace with ethnic minorities, "above all the Kachin people. "
Meanwhile
the controversy concerning the oath to the Constitution, imposed on all Burmese
parliamentarians including opposition members and Aung San Suu Kyi has been
resolved. The
leader of the NLD was confirmed she will be sworn in "according to the
will of the people", thus facilitating her full membership in the national
political landscape.
Last week,
members of the NLD, who had won a seat in Parliament in elections of April 1, delayed
their entry to the Assembly over a controversy regarding the formulation of the
oath: they did not want to promise to "protect the Constitution", but
a simply "respect" it.
The fundamental law of the State was promulgated and "approved" by referendum
in May 2008, in full emergency caused by Cyclone Nargis and reserves 25% seats
of the army.
However,
Aung San Suu Kyi wants to leave behind controversy and look to the future:
"We're going [to Naypyidaw] as soon as possible to participate in
parliamentary proceedings." She
clarifies: "we accept the word safeguard, first of all because it is the
wish of our people. Our voters have chosen us because they want to see us in
Parliament."
.png)
