Battle won, her war for democracy continues

Myanmar Opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi met foreign diplomats on Tuesday as she began her struggle to rebuild the democracy movement and ...

Myanmar Opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi met foreign diplomats on Tuesday as she began her struggle to rebuild the democracy movement and push for political change.

Myanmar’s military government freed Suu Kyi on Monday after 19 months in house arrest. The Nobel peace laureate must now try to resolve divisions over strategy in the democracy movement and push the ruling generals to implement real change.

‘‘Both sides agree the phase of confidence building is over,’’ Suu Kyi said shortly after her release on Monday. ‘‘We look forward to moving across to a more significant phase.’’ But she said she remained opposed to foreign investment, aid and tourism while the military held power.

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Media blanks Suu Kyi

YANGON: Myanmar’s state media on Tuesday blacked out news of Aung San Suu Kyi’s release. The front pages of state-owned newspapers including the English-language New Light of Myanmar, were devoted instead to the activities of visiting Vietnamese President Tran Duc Luong. (Reuters)

Many analysts remain unconvinced the junta is serious about its promise to work towards democracy. The military has ruled Myanmar for four decades, and says the multi-ethnic country could disintegrate if it moved towards democracy too quickly. The National League for Democracy won elections in 1990 by a landslide but the military refused to hand over power.

Suu Kyi was held under house arrest from 1989 to 1995 and was detained again in September 2000 after a series of attempts to leave Yangon to visit party members.

Mirroring international reaction when she was set free in 1995, the world hailed Suu Kyi’s release on Monday but leaders cautioned it was only the first step towards restoring democracy.

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United States President George W. Bush said her release was a possible ‘‘new dawn’’ for Myanmar, but the US government expected other major changes before lifting investment, aid and other sanctions.

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