Millions support Suu Kyi call for Myanmar charter change

Myanmar’s opposition gathered millions of signatures in support of changes to a constitution that bars its leader Aung San Suu Kyi from becoming president. Suu Kyi travelled the country to drum up support against provisions in the 2008 charter that blocks anyone whose spouse or children are overseas citizens from leading the country – a clause widely believed to be targeted at Suu Kyi, whose two sons are British. Suu Kyi spent most of two decades locked up under the junta, but now joins former generals in parliament. The petition, which was launched in May, had gathered around three million signatures by early July. While the campaign has generated headlines, experts say it is unclear what effect it will have. A member of the constitution amendment committee said the petition would make no difference to its deliberations. Independent Myanmar expert Renaud Egreteau said “there is no support for a change to this article” within Myanmar outside Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy party.

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