DEMOCRACY CAMPAIGNER Aung San Suu Kyi is refusing to take her seat in parliament in a disagreement over the oath of office sworn by MPs.
Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy party takes issue with the wording of the oath, saying that they want to swear to “respect” the constitution, rather than “safeguard” it, the BBC reports. The party says the use of “safeguard” is undemocratic.
Nobel laureate Suu Kyi won a parliamentary seat in Burma’s recent by-elections, along with 43 of her party colleagues.
Meanwhile, the EU today lifted sanctions it had imposed against Burma following a range of political reforms over the past year. An EU arms embargo remains in place and the Council said it will continue to closely monitor the situation on the ground and will continually review its measures.
“These reforms will need time to implement and to bear fruit,” the Council of the European Union said in a statement this morning. “The foundation for development is legitimate government, the rule of law and national reconciliation. The EU praises the peaceful nature of the process and the readiness of the parties to work towards the same goals, with a shared vision for political, social and economic reforms.”
The Council said that the EU still expects the unconditional release of remaining political prisoners and restrictions on those who have already been released.
EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton is due to travel to Burma for an official visit later this week.
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