Democratic Myths in Myanmar’s Transition
Aung, Lin Htet | December 2016
Abstract
The people of Myanmar voted in the NLD in the November 2015 elections, throwing their belief behind the NLD election promise of “real change.” But in practice, even before change could really take place, the majority of NLD members had to spend much of their time in preparations to take over administrative and economic priorities. Despite widespread public expectations of change for real, the reality was that not all the bureaucracy could be expected to work in line with the NLD’s priorities for change, as, under the 2008 Constitution, the ministries for defence, home affairs, and border affairs would have ministers appointed by the Commander-in-Chief. .
The people of Myanmar have been anticipating “democracy” since the 1988 democracy protests that catalysed a nation-wide uprising. The 2015 elections thus showed people revealing their high hopes for the NLD and for Daw Aung San Suu Kyi to assume a leading role in the country’s politics. The people’s desire for a democratic state was reaffirmed by the installation of a true civilian President, U Htin Kyaw which seemed to indicate that political objectives had been accomplished.
In fact, the game has just begun. State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has highlighted in her address to the United Nations General Assembly in New York on 21 September 2016 that the democratization of Myanmar is just the beginning of the road. The NLD-led government thus needs to prove by performance, and produce tangible results within the limitations of conditions handed over from previous military governments. In such a scenario, the NLD-led government is dealing with a mix of expectations and myths.
Citation
Aung, Lin Htet. 2016. Democratic Myths in Myanmar’s Transition. © ISEAS Yusof Ishak Institute. http://hdl.handle.net/11540/10528.ISSN
2335-6677
Keywords
Civil Society Development
Agricultural And Rural Development
Development In East Asia
Infrastructure Development Projects
Institutional Development
Millennium Development Goals
Policy Development
Social Development Programs
Social Development
Business Startups
New Business Planning
Rural planning
Aid coordination
Industrial projects
Infrastructure projects
Natural resources policy
Educational development
Cultural Development
Development Economics
Development Issues
Rural planning
Aid coordination
Industrial projects
Infrastructure projects
Natural resources policy
Educational development
Development Issues
Civil government
Common good
Federal government
Delivery of government services
Government missions
Social participation
Political participation
Community banks
Business planning
Infrastructure
Sustainable urban development
Social contract
Communication in rural development
Communication in community development
Economic development projects
Development banks
Economic forecasting
Environmental auditing
Cumulative effects assessment
Human rights and globalization
Gender-based analysis
Sex differences
Job bias
Equal employment opportunity
Fair employment practice
Social participation
Political participation
Human rights and globalization
Government
Political development
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Citable URI
http://hdl.handle.net/11540/10528Metadata
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