Print
02 May 2012| last updated at 12:26PM

Suu Kyi sworn in as Myanmar MP



0 comments

NAYPYIDAW: Myanmar pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi was sworn in as a member of parliament Wednesday, opening a new chapter in the Nobel laureate’s near quarter-century struggle against oppression.

The 66-year-old stood to read the parliamentary oath in unison with 33  other members of her National League for Democracy party who were elected to  the lower house in April, an AFP reporter said.

The signing of the oath marks a dramatic transformation in the fortunes of  the 66-year-old who was held under house arrest for much of the past 20 years  but is now central to the nation’s tentative transition to democracy.

The oath, taken in front of lower house speaker Shwe Mann, states members  will “safeguard and abide by the Constitution of the Union” and “hold always in  esteem (the) non-disintegration of the Union, non-disintegration of national  solidarity and perpetuation of sovereignty.”    Suu Kyi had initially refused to swear the oath, objecting specifically to  the “safeguard” element of the army-created constitution.

But on Monday she retreated from that position having failed to secure a  compromise on the wording from President Thein Sein who heads the nation’s  nominally civilian government. - AFP

Myanmar pro-democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi, center, and elected lawmakers of her National League for Democracy party swear during a regular session of Myanmar Lower House at parliament in Naypyitaw, Myanmar, Wednesday, May 2, 2012. Suu Kyi was sworn in to Myanmar's military-backed parliament Wednesday, taking public office for the first time since launching her struggle against authoritarian rule nearly a quarter century ago. Pix by AP.

1 / 1

Leave Your Comment


Leave Your Comment:

New Straits Times reserves the right not to publish offensive or abusive comments and those of hate speech, harassment, commercial promos and invasion of privacy. Your IP will be logged and may be used to prevent further submission.The views expressed here are that of the members of the public and unless specifically stated are not those of NST.