YANGON, Burma/Myanmar—Burma’s transition to greater democracy after decades of military rule surged ahead Wednesday as opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi’s party continued its election sweep and the government promised a peaceful transition of power.
Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy said it received a message from Information Minister Ye Htut on behalf of President Thein Sein congratulating it for leading the race for parliamentary seats in Sunday’s election.
Ye Htut said the government will pursue a peaceful transfer of power “in accordance with the legislated timeline.” He was not immediately available for comment.
The message helps remove lingering concerns that the military, which has a large influence over the ruling party, may deny the NLD power, as it did after elections in 1990.
It also means that Burma is likely to soon have its first government in decades that isn’t under the military’s sway. But while an NLD victory virtually assures it of being able to elect the president as well, Suu Kyi remains barred from becoming president by a constitutional provision inserted by the military before it transferred power to a quasi-civilian government in 2011.
Suu Kyi has declared, however, that she will become the country’s de facto leader, acting “above the president,” if her party forms the next government.
She described that plan further in interview Tuesday with Singapore’s Channel NewsAsia television.
“I make all the decisions because I’m the leader of the winning party. And the president will be one whom we will choose just in order to meet the requirements of the constitution,” she said. “He (the president) will have to understand this perfectly well that he will have no authority. That he will act in accordance with the positions of the party.”
