Democracy in Myanmar: Far From Home

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Critics fret that within NLD, authority resides with a tiny inner-circle, focused on personality politics. This perception has been reinforced by Aung San Suu Kyi's recent statement that she wouldbe above the president – a position she is constitutionally barred from holding. Democracy of a sort may be coming to Myanmar, some say, but will it come to NLD?

If anyone has earned the right to lead Myanmar and has a mandate to do so, it is Daw Suu Kyi. Given all that she has been through, it is hardly surprising she is determined to be more than a figurehead. However, in the same interview she also spoke reassuringly of cabinet decision-making, but this was largely ignored.

The new government should be judged on what it does and not what contrarian commentators think it might do.

Brisbane Times

The most immediate and urgent strategic objective of India in Myanmar pertains to the fate of pending Indian projects which have already been overly delayed. This delay is extremely galling for India and that is why for the past two years the ministry of external affairs has taken a policy decision that it won’t work on new projects until the pending ones are completed. 

An obvious outcome of the delay would be that the new government would either cancel these commitments or seek out others who can do it. China could be the biggest beneficiary and now, with the return of democracy and sanctions lifted, there will be a rush from the world community – including those who have imposed sanctions – to help Myanmar rebuild itself. 

Myanmar is on the cusp of political change that remains uncertain. There is still need for caution in that it is necessary to wait and watch if the present government of president Thein Sein will keep its promise.

One cannot lose sight of the fact that the military has been predominant and calls the shots on the ground and has even 25 per cent reserved strength in the new legislature.

Daily O

Clampdowns on free speech and anti-government activity in Thailand and Malaysia are further reminders of backward steps from democracy in the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations as it prepares to host US President Barack Obama at its annual summit this week. 

“Elections in Myanmar will certainly change the dynamics within Asean,” said Ambika Ahuja, Southeast Asia analyst at Eurasia Group, the political risk consultancy. 

“Myanmar's case highlighted a development disparity in the region. But now major economies such as Thailand and Malaysia are increasingly embroiled in internal political struggles.”

Financial Times 

Stripped of their right to cast ballots by the current government, many Rohingya now hope that, with the NLD able to rule largely on its own, a Suu Kyi-led government will work to restore their lives and many of the rights they have lost. 

"I hope that things will get a little bit better," said Noor Bagum, a 28-year-old mother-of-five, whose village was destroyed during violence between Buddhists and Muslims that swept through Myanmar's western Rakhine State in 2012.

Dealing with the Rohingya will be one of the most controversial - and unavoidable - of a long list of issues Suu Kyi will inherit from the current government.

Reuters