MYANMAR: Aung San Suu Kyi's campaign promises of human rights and measures against poverty eradication raise hopes among her supporters

Record ID: 346546

  • Title: MYANMAR: Aung San Suu Kyi's campaign promises of human rights and measures against poverty eradication raise hopes among her supporters
  • Date: 16th February 2012
  • Summary: HLEGU TOWNSHIP, YANGON DIVISION, MYANMAR (FEBRUARY 15, 2012) (REUTERS) CROWD SURROUNDING NATIONAL LEAGUE FOR DEMOCRACY LEADER AUNG SAN SUU KYI'S CAR SUPPORTERS CHANTING "LONG LIVE AUNG SAN SUU KYI!" VARIOUS OF AUNG SAN SUU KYI WAVING TO SUPPORTERS FROM HER CAR MEN SHOUTING "LONG LIVE MOTHER SUU!" SUU KYI WAVING FROM CAR SUPPORTERS WAVING FLAGS SUU KYI RECEIVING PORTRAIT OF HER FATHER AND FLOWERS FROM SUPPORTERS NATIONAL LEAGUE FOR DEMOCRACY (NLD) MEMBERS SHOUTING "VICTORY!" FROM CAMPAIGN TRUCK (SOUNDBITE) (Burmese) SUPPORTER OF AUNG SAN SUU KYI SAYING: "I think the elections will be free and fair, because Aung San Suu Kyi is leading the process." SUU KYI SUPPORTERS REACHING TO SHAKE HER HAND (SOUNDBITE) (Burmese) SUPPORTER OF AUNG SAN SUU KYI SAYING: "I believe that the future of the poor, like their economic standing and their social situation and everything, will improve when the NLD candidates are in parliament." YANGON TOWNSHIP, YANGON DIVISION, MYANMAR (FEBRUARY 15, 2012) (REUTERS) SUU KYI SPEAKING FROM BALCONY OF NLD OFFICE (SOUNDBITE) (Burmese) NATIONAL LEAGUE FOR DEMOCRACY LEADER AUNG SAN SUU KYI SAYING: "I am not only campaigning for the NLD. I am campaigning for people to have rights." SUPPORTERS WITH PLACARDS (SOUNDBITE) (Burmese) NATIONAL LEAGUE FOR DEMOCRACY LEADER AUNG SAN SUU KYI SAYING: "I want the people to know that we are not only talk. We have programmes." SUU KYI SPEAKING (SOUNDBITE) (Burmese) NATIONAL LEAGUE FOR DEMOCRACY LEADER AUNG SAN SUU KYI SAYING: "We won't be discriminating. If you like our party's policies and principles, if you want to encourage our party's activities, whatever party you belong to, you can vote for us. This way, we can achieve unity based on diversity." CROWD CHEERING HLEGU TOWNSHIP, YANGON DIVISION, MYANMAR (FEBRUARY 15, 2012) (REUTERS) CROWD SURROUNDING SUU KYI'S MOTORCADE SUU KYI AND NLD CANDIDATES ON STAGE VARIOUS OF CROWD CHEERING SUU KYI STANDING BESIDE NLD CANDIDATE WOMEN CHEERING MAN RAISING ARMS AND CHEERING SUPPORTERS CLAPPING HANDS TO TUNE OF CAMPAIGN JINGLE (SOUNDBITE) (Burmese) SUPPORTER SAYING: "I think that Suu will be good for the poor and for the whole country." SUPPORTERS WAVING FLAGS WOMEN CHEERING
  • Embargoed: 2nd March 2012 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Myanmar, Myanmar
  • Country: Myanmar
  • Topics: Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA8BCMFWVMHI4O1LN9T6ZWXIZXG
  • Story Text: Myanmar's pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi is attracting large crowds as she stages a noisy and colourful election campaign.
    Suu Kyi, vying for a legislative seat in April's by-elections, leads the National League for Democracy (NLD) party which is contesting 48 seats in various legislatures including the 440-seat lower house in polls which could give political credibility to Myanmar and help advance the end of Western sanctions.
    Suu Kyi's campaign follows dramatic reform in the country over the past few months, which has seen hundreds of political prisoners freed, the loosening of media controls, a call for peace with ethnic insurgents and open dialogue with the opposition leader.
    Official campaigning began on Saturday (February 11), and the NLD is gathering momentum, attracting thousands of supporters whenever Suu Kyi makes an appearance.
    Their campaign is running like a well-oiled machine, with an army of volunteers leading a convoy on motorcycles, distributing pamphlets and asking for donations.
    Suu Kyi is contesting a seat at the Kawhmu constituency in Yangon division, but is campaigning for other NLD candidates all over the country.
    Supporters lined the road to Hlegu, about 45 kilometres (28 miles) from Yangon, chanting "Long live Mother Suu!" and waving red NLD flags and posters with images of Suu Kyi and or her father, Myanmar's independence hero Aung San.
    Her motorcade crawled, as she greeted crowds of supporters, some offering flowers, messages and gifts.
    Her supporters are optimistic that the elections in April, which will be tightly watched by the international community as it contemplates lifting sanctions, will be credible.
    "I think the elections will be free and fair, because Aung San Suu Kyi is leading the process," said one woman.
    Others are hoping that Suu Kyi's participation in government will usher in policies that will improve their lives.
    "I believe that the future of the poor, like their economic standing and their social situation and everything, will improve when the NLD candidates are in parliament," another supporter said.
    Suu Kyi's bid for a parliamentary seat is largely symbolic, with only 48 seats up for grabs in the by-elections, meaning the NLD can only secure a tiny stake in the national legislature.
    The last time the NLD contested an election was in 1990, when its landslide win was ignored by the military junta. Suu Kyi did not run in the poll because she was held under house arrest.
    This time, NLD candidates are running on a platform of poverty eradication, human rights protection and health programmes.
    "I am not only campaigning for NLD. I am campaigning for people to have rights," she told a crowd in Yangon, where she inaugurated a branch office of her party.
    It remains to be seen exactly what Suu Kyi could achieve in a parliament stacked with military appointees and lawmakers allied with a well-heeled party widely believed to have been formed and funded by the old regime before it stepped aside.
    But she said their promises are backed with action.
    "I want the people to know, that we are not only talk. We have programmes," she said.
    NLD counts strong grassroots support, and flocks of volunteers have turned up for the campaign.
    "We won't be discriminating. If you like our party's policies and principles, if you want to encourage our party's activities, whatever party you belong to, you can vote for us. This way, we can achieve unity based on diversity," Suu Kyi said.
    At Hlegu, thousands of people gathered in a dusty field under the scorching heat to listen to Suu Kyi's speech. She courted votes, and introduced the NLD's candidate for the township.
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