Parliament unanimous over participation of Nobel Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi in Burmese elections

New Zealand’s Parliament today voted unanimously to “call upon the military rulers of Burma to reinstate the political and democratic rights of Aung San Suu Kyi and allow her to contest the forthcoming general election” in Myanmar, formerly known as Burma.

Maryan Street, Labour MP and Chairperson of the Cross-Party Parliamentary Group on Burma, moved the non-debatable motion in the House before Question Time, after having secured the support of every other party in Parliament.

“Aung San Suu Kyi led the National League for Democracy to power in elections on 27 May, 1990, but the ruling Generals have never allowed Suu Kyi and her party to take office,” said Maryan Street.

“Suu Kyi has spent most of the past two decades locked up in jail or under house arrest. The elections in Burma, planned for later this year, will be a sham if Suu Kyi is not permitted to contest them again.

“Her release from house arrest and the reinstatement of her democratic rights, together with the release of the estimated 2200 other political prisoners held by the junta, are the only things which will make these elections credible in the eyes of the world,” said Maryan Street.

“The New Zealand Parliament is joining voices of nation states from around the world in seeking advances in democracy for the people of Burma,” she said.

Immediately after the Notice of Motion was passed by the House, Hon Chris Carter, Opposition Spokesperson on Foreign Affairs, tabled the Partners Human Rights Report on Displaced Childhoods (see attached pdf file).

“The atrocities and dislocation of people, especially children, perpetrated by the military rulers of Burma need to be brought to the attention of the world and I was keen to place this report on the table in Parliament, allowing it to be accessed by the public at any time,” said Chris Carter.

ENDS

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