After an Election and a Symbolic Re-election in Myanmar - What Next?

Abstract

The article examines some aspects of the changes taking place in Myanmar in connection with the elections held on November 7, 2010 and the release of Aung San Suu Kyi, the worldwide recognised opposition leader one week later. After providing an overview of the country‟s post-war elections the political strategies of Suu Kyi and the military are outlined, contrasting the symbolic politics of Suu Kyi and the military with its roadmap towards a “disciplined democracy”. Next, the impact of “third forces”, both in the Burmese heartland and on the country‟s fringes which are inhabited by a variety of ethnic groups, is considered. The final section makes a cautious estimate of the prospects for the transition process which may well depend on the international response to the activities of Myanmar‟s various political actors.