Interview with spokesman for Myanmar human rights group as Suu Kyi takes oath

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• published: 30 Jul 2015
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1. Various of Soe Aung, Deputy Secretary of Forum for Democracy in Burma (a group for exiled activists from Myanmar promoting democracy in Myanmar) 2. SOUNDBITE (English) Soe Aung, Deputy Secretary of Forum for Democracy in Burma: "Despite the differences, which are very big differences, they are trying their best. So now we have to see that the other parties are going to work together with her and her party on this bid." 3. Close of Soe speaking 4. SOUNDBITE (English) Soe Aung, Deputy Secretary of Forum for Democracy in Burma: "I think they are going to expand the space of the opposition by not only discussing with the other existing political parties, ethnic political parties, but they are also going to reach out to the USDP (Union Solidarity and Development Party) and military representatives. She has clearly mentioned that without the support of the ''''Tatmadaw'''' (the armed forces), they will never be able to bring about changes in the country, the genuine changes that people would like to see." 5. Wide of Soe speaking STORYLINE: Opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi was sworn in to Myanmar''''s military-backed parliament on Wednesday, taking public office for the first time since launching her struggle against authoritarian rule nearly a quarter century ago. The opposition leader''''s entry into the legislature heralds a new political era in Myanmar, cementing a risky detente between her party and the reformist government of President Thein Sein, which inherited power from the army last year. Soe Aung, spokesman for Thailand-based Forum for Democracy in Burma, a human rights group which still uses the former name for the country which was officially renamed Myanmar by the ruling junta, said that Suu Kyi''''s National League for Democracy (NLD) and Thein Sein''''s government will work together despite their "very big differences." Suu Kyi''''s party will occupy too few seats to have any real power in the ruling-party dominated assembly, however, and there are fears the presence of the opposition lawmakers could simply legitimise the regime without any change. But the new lawmakers are also likely to bring a level of public debate to the legislative body that has never been seen as they prepare for the next general election in 2015. "I think they are going to expand the space of the opposition by not only discussing with the other existing political parties, ethnic political parties, but they are also going to reach out to the USDP (Union Solidarity and Development Party) and military representatives," Soe said. The opposition NLD won 43 of the 44 seats it contested on April 1, and 34 of those lawmakers were also sworn in Wednesday. Several other lawmakers are out of the country, and oaths will not be taken for two other seats on regional parliaments that are not in session this week. While the opposition''''s entry into the bicameral legislature is highly symbolic, the new lawmakers will have little power. A couple dozen lawmakers from smaller opposition parties also sit in the assembly, but the vast majority of seats are held by the military-backed ruling party and the army, which is allotted 25 percent of them. Soe said Suu Kyi is aware that she needs the support of Myanmar''''s armed forces in order to bring any changes into the country; "the genuine changes that people would like to see," Soe said. Changes to the constitution require a 75 percent majority, meaning that doing so is all but impossible without military approval. You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/ee1fddaf5e8c2db8b8c1da8924c0cbda Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork