With her significant role Myanmar’s reconciliation e fforts, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has Daw Aung San Suu Kyi hailed as a symbol of hope for human rights worldwide.
In his meeting with the nobel laureate, Mr. Ban also highlighted the role played by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi in Myanmar’s democracy and development.
Mr. Ban also re-affirmed the commitment of the UN to helping the Asian nation in its efforts.
“We have great expectations and hope that she will lead this path of reconciliation and greater participatory democracy and development of her country, together with President Thein Sein of Myanmar.” – Mr. Ban
Mr. Ban also pays his great tribute to President Thein Sein and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.
Both leaders have been walking together down the path of reconciliation and political stability and democracy and human rights, and I really count on her continuing support, Mr. Ban added.
While in the the UN headquarter in New York, Mr. Ban and Ms. Suu Kyi also held a meeting before addressing the media which they discussed a range of issues, including how the United Nations can help with further democratization in Myanmar.
In his remarks, Mr. Ban mentioned his appreciation of Ms. Suu Kyi’s participation in the global ‘Education First’ initiative, which he will launch on Wednesday next week.
The Secretary-General also highlighted how UN counts on the Nobel Laureate’s “continuing commitment and leadership” in the Organization’s work with Myanmar.
In May this year, Myanmar Nobel Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi was sworn in as a member of parliament.
The sworn-ceremony was held in the capital Naypyidaw where the pro-democracy leader stood to read the oath together with 33 other members of her National League for Democracy party elected to the lower house in April this year.
The international community welcomed her election as a step towards democracy.
US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinoton said its only eighteen months ago that Nobel Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi was under house arrest.
The pro-democracy leader and several other members of the National League for Democracy have taken their newly won seats in Burma’s parliament.
For the first time in the country’s history, Aung San Suu Kyi and members of her party will have a role and voice in government
Aung San Suu Kyi’s winning seat in the parliamen is an important moment for Burma’s future.
Earlier this year, US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said from the beginning of Obama Administration, the US government has pursued a policy of engagement to support human rights and reform in Burma.
United States maintain extensive, targeted sanctions against Burmese regime. Sanctions also targeted against senior leaders of the Burmese government and military, their immediate family members, their key supporters, and others who abuse human rights.
Obama Administration continues to show commitment to promote democracy and human rights in Burma and on key recent developments in Burma including the release of Aung San Suu Kyi from house arrest, the 2010 elections, and the formation of a government headed by former top regime general and now President Thein Sein.
The National League for Democracy, Aung San Suu Kyi’s political party, won in Burma’s general elections in 1990, but the country’s military junta refused to relinquish its power. The opposition leader and Nobel laureate has been detained at her residence in Burma’s capital, Rangoon, since May 2003 when the convoy in which she was riding was attacked by a junta-backed militia.
Aung San Suu Kyi is among more than 1,100 Burmese who have been imprisoned by the military regime for the peaceful expression of their political views.
