Burma's pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi delivers first televised election address

15.03.2012

Burma's opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi has delivered her first ever televised election campaign speech on state-controlled media.

Suu Kyi used the opportunity to call for further political and judicial reforms by the military-controlled government in the country also known as Myanmar.

She called for repressive laws to be revoked, constitutional reform, a freer media and a stronger judiciary, the news service says.

"As long as freedom of movement and human rights are not fully achieved, democracy will not prevail," she said.  

Suu Kyi's televised address was a result of Burma's electoral law, which states that each political party be allowed broadcast its manifesto. That in allowing the address to take place, the regime demonstrated how far it had come "with a surprising series of reforms following the end of nearly five decades of outright military rule".

Suu Kyi has spent much of the past 22 years under house arrest.

She and her National League for Democracy party have submitted candidates for all 47 seats up being contested in the Apr. 1 by-elections.