In her victory speech Aung San Suu Kyi hailed a “new era” for Myanmar - previously called Burma - and called for political unity. “This is not so much our triumph as a triumph for people who have decided that they must be involved in the political process in this country,” she told a euphoric crowd gathered outside her run down party headquarters in Yangon, the capital of Myanmar/Burma. Her battle, as she has often pointed out earlier, is in pursuit of empowerment and engagement for the people of Burma, for it is the people who must promote democratic values.
Myanmar/Burma is slowly walking the path of democratic transition after 21 years of military dictatorship. Aung San Suu Kyi, leader of the formally outlawed NLD and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, endured 20 years of house arrest and is an icon for democracy both in her country and abroad. “There’s a lot of work ahead”, she said, for it is not just democratization, liberalization and socio economic reforms that are needed, there is also the greater challenge of integrating Burma once again into the international community.
The Club de Madrid and its Members salute Aung San Suu Kyi’s victory, what it means for democracy in her country and, as always, stand ready to support this historical transitional process.
