11th February, 2016
An ethnic Karen Christian from Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy party has been appointed as speaker of the upper house in Myanmar’s Parliament in a move hailed as advancing the cause of reconciliation in the predominantly Buddhist country.
UCAnews reports that Baptist Mahn Win Khaing Than, grandson of Mahn Ba Khine who was assassinated with independence hero General Aung San in 1947, is among at least 40 Christians in the new parliament.
Taking up his new role on 3rd February, he was quoted as telling local reporters that: "We must work to make laws that are needed and abolish laws that are necessary for getting peace, rule of law and national reconciliation".
Catholic parliamentarian Mahn Johnny told UCAnews that Mahn Win’s experience as lawyer will aid his transition to the new job. "I am very proud of him and I see that choosing an ethnic minority as speaker advances the national reconciliation effort by Suu Kyi," he said.
The Myanmar Parliament is expected to begin the process of electing a new president on 17th March. Aung San Suu Kyi, whose party swept to power last November, is presently barred from becoming president under the constitution but has said she would govern from "above the president".
– DAVID ADAMS
