YANGON – Myanmar’s democracy champion Aung San Suu Kyi called for citizens of her country to rejuvenate their struggle for national reconciliation in 2011 in a New Year’s message released on Friday.
She asked the people of Myanmar “to struggle together with new strengths, new force and new words in the auspicious new year”, in the message released by her National League for Democracy (NLD) party.
“We must struggle by establishing people’s political and social networks to get national reconciliation as well as a truly united spirit,” she added.
The 65-year-old was released from more than seven years’ house arrest on November 13, days after Myanmar’s widely criticised first election in 20 years, in which the junta-backed party has claimed overwhelming victory.
Suu Kyi was locked up for the poll, which her party boycotted.
This led to a split in the opposition movement, with some NLD members leaving to form a new party to contest the election. On Thursday the United States called again on Myanmar to free political prisoners and engage in dialogue to promote democracy, as the military-led country prepares for its 63rd independence anniversary on January 4.
