Why real democracy will remain a distant dream in Myanmar
- By Niranjan Sahoo
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E-mail China.org.cn, November 20, 2015
Winner's challenges
Notwithstanding massive electoral mandate, Suu Kyi's party would find its going tough when it comes to running of the government and delivering on promises. The single biggest challenge for the victorious party is forging a working relationship with the military. Notwithstanding initial overtures to Suu Kyi, military elites, who have built huge stakes in the country's politics and economy wherein they own and control large businesses, would be competing for the governing spaces and keep a close eye on her government.
With key portfolios such as defence, home and police staying with military and constitution providing widespread powers to armed forces, the newly elected government would be left with mostly mundane jobs. Thus, the real paradox is while it would be a government with limited powers, it would be the one with huge burden of expectations. The NLD is expected to deliver on many promises made during the campaigns, notwithstanding its structural and institutional handicaps.
It must be noted that this resource rich nation is probably one of the poorest and unequal countries in the entire Southeast Asian region. Years of economic liberalization and exploitation of natural resources might have raised the country's economic profile, yet the net results have been that resources have been captured by military elites and their cronies, leaving millions of people to fend for themselves. In all key human development indicators, Myanmar stands in stark contrast to its Southeast Asian peers. Thus, millions of people who have voted with their feet for Miss Suu Kyi have plenty of hopes and expectations that her government would bring positive change in their lives. With military continuing to have upper hand in policy decisions and governing agenda, it has to be seen how the NLD would deliver on those promises.
Finally, the most significant challenge comes from managing country's fragile ethnic relations and issues of safeguarding minority rights particularly the Rohingyas and ethnic groups in conflict torn Kachin and Rakhine states. For decades, most part of Myanmar is ravaged by insurgencies and violent ethnic conflicts. Although a peace agreement among eight major ethnic groups was facilitated by the military government recently, such a truce would not last longer unless the new government shows sincerely in addressing key issues and grievances of these groups.
The most daunting challenge for the new government is navigating between the Rohingya Muslims and rising Buddhist extremism. Myanmar's dozens of political parties including NLD refrained from putting up a single candidate from Rohingya minority group in the recent election. In short, roads to democracy are paved with multiple turns and potholes.
Niranjan Sahoo is Senior Fellow, Observer Research Foundation, New Delhi.
Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn
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