BURMESE OPPOSITION leader Aung San Suu Kyi made her first political trip into the countryside yesterday, testing the limits of her freedom since her release from house arrest earlier this year.
Ms Suu Kyi called for national unit during her visit to two towns north of Burma’s main city, Rangoon, and thousands turned out along the roadsides to watch her visit.
The government, which is dominated still by the military despite elections late last year, had warned that visits by Ms Suu Kyi could trigger riots in the countryside.
While relations appear to have eased between her National League for Democracy (NLD) party and the government, the Nobel laureate said it was still too early to say whether relations between her and the government were thawing.
“I know the people are very eager to know about the details of my talks with Minister U Aung Kyi,” she said, referring to talks she held on Friday with the Labour Minister Aung Kyi.
“In fact, it is not time yet to reveal the details as there are certain things to be carried out specifically. I just don’t want to form false, lofty expectations. Please understand it,” she said during her visit to Bago, about 80 kilometres north of Rangoon, and nearby Thanatpin, where she opened libraries.
Ms Suu Kyi and the Labour Minister issued a joint statement after their meeting saying they wanted to co-operate to bring stability and economic development to the country.
The last time she travelled outside Rangoon to meet her supporters, she was ambushed and placed under house arrest for seven years. She was finally released last November.
After half a century of army rule, the ruling junta officially handed power to a civilian administration in March, but the government is dominated by former military leaders and many believe the poll was aimed at putting a democratic gloss on what remains an authoritarian army-run state.
There are still about 2,000 political prisoners in jail and over 100,000 refugees live in neighbouring countries.
Since the election, Ms Suu Kyi has been cautious about direct criticism of the government, and it too has been less aggressive in its criticism of her.
This is her first political visit, although she has left Rangoon since being released from house arrest – last month she visited the ancient city of Bagan with her son on a private pilgrimage.
