RANGOON — The patron of Burma’s ruling party, the National League for Democracy (NLD), responded to recent criticism of the fledgling government and called for all parties to participate actively if they wish to see real change in the country.
Since riding to power on the slogan “Vote the NLD for Change,” critics say the NLD has been slow to deliver on its promises. But NLD Chairman U Tin Oo says the current government has only been in power for a short time.
“How much time has the NLD been in power so far?” he said during a National Day celebration at the party’s headquarters in Rangoon on Thursday. “There are many problems [left by the previous government]. You have to put them into consideration.”
The NLD government took power in March after its victory in the November 2015 general election. But the government led by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has come under fire for failing to quickly tackle problems like the ongoing fighting in ethnic areas, skyrocketing commodity prices, and mounting social problems—many of which are the legacy of mismanagement by the previous military regime.
A National Day statement released by the party urged all people to work for the success of the 21st Century Panglong Peace Conference, to overcome their differences, and to keep trying to build a democratic federal union in Burma.
“Many people may feel discouraged given the situation now,” U Tin Oo said, referring to predicaments like the Rohingya crisis in western Burma and the ongoing conflict with ethnic armed groups in northern Shan State.
“But I am not at all [discouraged],” he added. “As long as we have the unity we should have, if ethnic groups, civil society organizations, political parties, and the military are collectively united, we don’t need to be scared.”
