Suu Kyi seeks support for democracy in Myanmar

DAVOS, Switzerland,  (Reuters) – Myanmar pro-democracy  leader Aung San Suu Kyi called on world leaders and top  executives meeting in the Swiss resort of Davos yesterday to  promote democracy and economic growth in her country.

“I would like to appeal to all those present … to promote  national reconciliation, genuine democratisation, human  development and economic growth in Burma,” the Nobel laureate  said in a pre-recorded address to the World Economic Forum.

Earlier on Friday, a special appeals court rejected a move  by Suu Kyi, whose 1990 election victory was ignored by the  military junta, to have her political party reinstated after it  was dissolved for boycotting last year’s election.

Aung San Suu Kyi

Suu Kyi, who was released in November after seven years of  detention, said Myanmar’s 55 million people had been left behind  as globalisation had proceeded apace and yearned to be part of  the world community.

“Despite an abundance of natural resources, Burma’s  development has lagged far behind its neighbours,” she said,  adding the government spent 40 percent of output on the military  compared to just 2 percent on health and education combined.

“As necessary steps towards integration within the global  community Burma must achieve national reconciliation, political  stability, and economic growth grounded in human resources  development,” she said.

Her National League for Democracy (NLD) shunned the election  because of what it said were “unfair and unjust” rules that  prohibited hundreds of its detained members from running for  seats in a parliament due to hold its first session on Monday.