Your letters: Myanmar wins
democracy

A propos of the reports that Myanmar’s democracy crusader Aung San Suu Kyi’s confidant and proxy has been elected president, which will have a long-term impact on the political dynamics of Myanmar.

A similar proxy for the Indian National Congress, President Sonia Gandhi, 10 years back weakened the national party and placed several major political and administrative decisions of the nation in jeopardy, which were believed to have been pulled behind the curtain by forces other than ex-Prime Minister Mahmohan Singh.

This has impacted Indian democracy as well as progress because of executive decisions being mishandled as a result of an invisible and complex power struggle. Furthermore, it weakened the Indian Congress party politically and devastatingly, with severe losses in elections. One more lesson to learn from history is that often such low-tone proxies turn against their own masters, and bite them severely once they get a taste of power.

This decision is going to impact establishing democracy in Myanmar as well as the future of the nation significantly. Myanmar stands at a crossroads of history and I sincerely pray that future power struggles do not hold back the nation in moving ahead.

The military junta did a great disservice to the nation by preventing authoritarianism and a democratically elected individual with a sweeping majority as well as national and international acceptance in holding the position of head of state.

Suu Kyi represents the face of Myanmar and by blocking her political ambitions the nation is possibly moving toward jeopardy like her Indian neighbor in establishing true democracy.

Saikat Kumar Basu
Lethbridge, Canada