Myanmar: Election Result a Clear Demand for Democracy

photo: Photo: Htoo Tay Zar

The election result in Myanmar, in which the National League for Democracy (NLD)’s Aung San Suu Kyi has claimed the party won around 75% of the vote, underlines the strength of commitment of the people of Myanmar to a democratic future. The NLD needed to win two-thirds of the vote to ensure a majority in the parliament, with 25% of the seats and certain ministries reserved for the military.

Sharan Burrow, ITUC General Secretary, said “The people have spoken loud and clear, with an overwhelming result for the NLD. The military must respect this result and allow the NLD to govern without interference. The military must also accept that their guaranteed representation in the parliament, and their control of certain ministries, must come to an end. Genuine democracy is the only acceptable future for Myanmar, and the new government must move the country irrevocably on that path. We salute all those who have struggled for decades to bring the country to this point, including the trade union centre CTUM and will continue to stand with them in the quest for genuine democracy, with fundamental workers’ rights as a cornerstone.”

“Despite the fact that the military was guaranteed substantial representation in the parliament, and serious concerns over significant numbers of people being denied the right to vote, the result for the NLD is overwhelming and will enable the country to set out in a new direction and complete the transition to full democracy. After so many decades of struggle, with the trade unions playing a leading role in the campaign for democracy and human rights, Myanmar now seems to be on an irrevocable path away from dictatorship and into the community of nations. We congratulate the NLD on their win, and look forward to the full respect for human rights, including the rights to union representation and collective bargaining for the country’s workforce.”

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