This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/15/world/asia/obama-aung-san-suu-kyi-myanmar.html

The article has changed 8 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 4 Version 5
In Myanmar, Obama Affirms Support for Democracy In Myanmar, Obama Affirms Support for Democracy
(about 4 hours later)
YANGON, Myanmar — The last time President Obama met Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, in 2012, it was in the glow of Myanmar’s opening to the West — a historic turn toward democracy that handed Mr. Obama a diplomatic victory and catapulted Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi, the pro-democracy icon, from house arrest to the political front lines. YANGON, Myanmar — The last time President Obama met with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, in 2012, it was in the glow of Myanmar’s opening to the West — a historic turn toward democracy that handed Mr. Obama a diplomatic victory and catapulted Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi, the pro-democracy icon, from house arrest to the political front lines.
On Friday, the two leaders met here again, but this time as battle-scarred political veterans. Both are struggling with setbacks in the rough-and-tumble politics of their home countries; both face doubts about their leadership and a dimming of their star power.On Friday, the two leaders met here again, but this time as battle-scarred political veterans. Both are struggling with setbacks in the rough-and-tumble politics of their home countries; both face doubts about their leadership and a dimming of their star power.
Mr. Obama reassured Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi of America’s support for her and for Myanmar’s reform process, despite evidence of backsliding in its transition from military dictatorship. Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi tried to smooth over suggestions of friction with the Obama administration after recent remarks in which she said the United States had been too optimistic about the progress of Myanmar’s transition. Mr. Obama reassured Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi of America’s support for her and for Myanmar’s steps toward reform, despite evidence of backsliding in its transition from military dictatorship. Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi tried to smooth over suggestions of friction with the Obama administration after recent remarks in which she said the United States had been too optimistic about the progress of Myanmar’s transition.
“Please don’t worry,” she said to reporters in the manicured garden of her lakeside villa here, with Mr. Obama standing beside her. “I always warn against over-optimism because it can lead to complacency. The reform process is going through, let us say, a bumpy path.”“Please don’t worry,” she said to reporters in the manicured garden of her lakeside villa here, with Mr. Obama standing beside her. “I always warn against over-optimism because it can lead to complacency. The reform process is going through, let us say, a bumpy path.”
The president acknowledged that Myanmar, also known as Burma, was falling short in several key respects, including its refusal to amend a constitutional provision that makes Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi ineligible to run for president, as well as its unwillingness to curb the violence against the Muslim Rohingya minority in the country’s west.The president acknowledged that Myanmar, also known as Burma, was falling short in several key respects, including its refusal to amend a constitutional provision that makes Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi ineligible to run for president, as well as its unwillingness to curb the violence against the Muslim Rohingya minority in the country’s west.
Myanmar’s long journey to democracy, Mr. Obama said, is “by no means complete or irreversible.”Myanmar’s long journey to democracy, Mr. Obama said, is “by no means complete or irreversible.”
And yet, in his meetings with government officials, opposition leaders, and a meeting with young people, Mr. Obama expressed confidence that the country would overcome its current troubles, if only because Myanmar’s young would reject the compromises made by their elders, whether on politics, ethnic conflicts or climate change. And yet, in his meetings with government officials, opposition leaders and young people, Mr. Obama expressed confidence that the country would overcome its current troubles, if only because Myanmar’s young would reject the compromises made by their elders, whether on politics, ethnic conflicts or climate change.
“It’s important, I think, that even as we engage with countries that are less open or less democratic, that we also continue to apply constructive criticism where they fall backwards,” Mr. Obama told students at a town hall-style meeting at the University of Yangon, where he bantered with them on issues from technology to religion. “Sometimes that’s hard to do.” “It’s important, I think, that even as we engage with countries that are less open or less democratic, that we also continue to apply constructive criticism where they fall backwards,” Mr. Obama told young people at a town-hall-style meeting at the University of Yangon, where he bantered with them on issues including technology and religion. “Sometimes that’s hard to do.”
Critics say the White House has been too lenient with the Burmese rulers about the pace of change. But in his meetings with Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi and earlier with President Thein Sein, Mr. Obama made his concerns plain, particularly about violence against Muslims. Critics say the White House has been too lenient with Burmese rulers about the pace of change. But in his meetings with Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi and earlier with President Thein Sein, Mr. Obama made his concerns plain, particularly about violence against Muslims.
“Discrimination toward the Rohingya or any other religious minority does not express the kind of country, over the long term, that Burma wants to be,” he said in the news conference with Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi. “Discrimination toward the Rohingya or any other religious minority does not express the kind of country, over the long term, that Burma wants to be,” he said at the news conference with Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi.
For Mr. Obama, Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi poses something of a riddle. Her stature, as a Nobel Peace laureate who endured years of house arrest under military rule, is indisputable. Mr. Obama said he was baffled that Myanmar’s Constitution would prohibit her from running for president because her two sons hold British passports. For Mr. Obama, Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi poses something of a riddle. Her stature, as a Nobel Peace laureate who endured years of house arrest under military rule, is indisputable. Mr. Obama said he was baffled that Myanmar’s Constitution prohibited her from running for president; Burmese whose spouse or children are foreign citizens cannot seek the presidency, and her two sons hold British passports.
Yet her unwillingness to speak out more strongly about the violence against the Rohingya troubles American officials, who say the persecution is the biggest international blot on Myanmar’s reputation and, if unchecked, could deprive the country of support in the West.Yet her unwillingness to speak out more strongly about the violence against the Rohingya troubles American officials, who say the persecution is the biggest international blot on Myanmar’s reputation and, if unchecked, could deprive the country of support in the West.
Asked Friday about the violence, Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi spoke generally about the need to uphold the rule of law and said, “It is a duty of the government to make all our people feel secure.”Asked Friday about the violence, Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi spoke generally about the need to uphold the rule of law and said, “It is a duty of the government to make all our people feel secure.”
Mr. Obama touched a nerve simply by using the term Rohingya. Many Burmese view the group as interlopers from Bangladesh, and the Myanmar authorities insist that the outside world refer to them as Bengalis. When the secretary general of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon, referred to them as Rohingya on Thursday, the Burmese government expressed “deep disappointment,” saying it would “inflame local sentiment.” Mr. Obama touched a nerve by merely using the term Rohingya. Many Burmese view the group as interlopers from Bangladesh, and the Myanmar authorities insist that the outside world refer to them as Bengalis. When the secretary general of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon, referred to them as Rohingya on Thursday, the Burmese government expressed “deep disappointment,” saying it would “inflame local sentiment.”
Still, Mr. Obama steered clear of exerting pressure on Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi on the issue of the Rohingya’s persecution. He hailed her for her commitment to the rule of law and for enduring years of confinement in her house without ever losing hope. Still, Mr. Obama steered clear of exerting pressure on Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi on the issue of the Rohingya’s persecution. He praised her for her commitment to the rule of law and for enduring years of confinement in her house without ever losing hope.
Mr. Obama got a reminder of his own political struggles when he was asked how he would work with an incoming Republican-controlled Congress that has vowed to block his efforts to overhaul America’s immigration laws or to pass climate change initiatives.Mr. Obama got a reminder of his own political struggles when he was asked how he would work with an incoming Republican-controlled Congress that has vowed to block his efforts to overhaul America’s immigration laws or to pass climate change initiatives.
As Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi looked on with a slightly distracted expression, Mr. Obama began reciting lines familiar from the final weeks of the midterm election campaign, challenging the Republican leadership to bring him proposals on which the two parties could work together. As Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi looked on with a slightly distracted expression, Mr. Obama began reciting lines familiar from the final weeks of the midterm election campaign, challenging the Republican leadership to bring him proposals on which the Democratic and Republican Parties can work together.
It was Mr. Obama’s second visit to the house of the woman known in Myanmar simply as the Lady. He came in 2012, just after his re-election, with Hillary Rodham Clinton, who was then ending her stint as secretary of state and had forged a friendship with Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi in the course of her efforts to re-establish diplomatic ties with Myanmar. At the University of Yangon, Mr. Obama appeared to be in his element, alternatively teasing and lecturing the audience members, handpicked by the White House from across Southeast Asia. He was professorial but informal, his shirt sleeves rolled up. Above all, he seemed to treasure his rock star reception and joked that he did he not get that kind of treatment at home.
Two years ago, during his first visit to Myanmar, Mr. Obama gave a formal address behind a podium at the university. The decision to use the town hall format was somewhat subversive in a region where leaders’ public appearances are typically scripted and stilted.
The day before, at a summit meeting attended by Mr. Obama and his counterparts from across Asia, presenters all but groveled as they introduced leaders as “excellency.” The Burmese government kept the presidents and prime ministers at a safe distance from the more than 1,000 reporters covering the conference.
Mr. Obama’s meeting with the young people, by contrast, was spontaneous and jovial. The questions were mostly softballs, but on substantive topics: How to handle global warming? What would you do if you were Myanmar’s leader?
Mr. Obama held forth for just under an hour and seemed to speak more fluidly than he does when answering political questions at home. He criticized the deforestation of Indonesian jungles, suggested that Southeast Asian leaders learn to take criticism, and warned of the dangers of rote memorization in education.
“The best universities are ones that teach you how to think, not what to think,” he counseled.
Mr. Obama’s visit to the home of Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi, known in Myanmar simply as the Lady, was his second. He came in 2012, just after his re-election, with Hillary Rodham Clinton, who was then ending her stint as secretary of state and had forged a friendship with Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi in the course of her efforts to re-establish diplomatic ties with Myanmar.
Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi said Friday that her top priority was not winning elections but building a country where the rule of law would prevail.Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi said Friday that her top priority was not winning elections but building a country where the rule of law would prevail.
“Please don’t worry about whether we will win the elections in 2015,” she said. “Winning is not everything. I’d rather lose than win in the wrong way. We want to win in the right way.”“Please don’t worry about whether we will win the elections in 2015,” she said. “Winning is not everything. I’d rather lose than win in the wrong way. We want to win in the right way.”
As Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi and Mr. Obama spoke under a sweltering tropical sun, they faced construction cranes on the far shore of the lake — tangible evidence of how quickly Yangon, Myanmar’s largest city, is developing, as foreign investors pour in.
Earlier, Mr. Obama, in sunglasses and shirt sleeves, toured the Secretariat, the grand, crumbling colonial-era edifice where the British had their administrative headquarters and where Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi’s father, Aung San, was assassinated in July 1947.Earlier, Mr. Obama, in sunglasses and shirt sleeves, toured the Secretariat, the grand, crumbling colonial-era edifice where the British had their administrative headquarters and where Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi’s father, Aung San, was assassinated in July 1947.
Mr. Obama mentioned the Secretariat to his young audience later in the day. But he was more interested in discussing the problems of today. Roaming a vaulted auditorium with a microphone, Mr. Obama drew on the civil rights battles of the 1960s to illustrate the need for racial and religious tolerance. Mr. Obama mentioned the Secretariat to his young audience at the university. But he was more interested in discussing the problems of today. Roaming a vaulted auditorium with a microphone, Mr. Obama drew on the civil rights battles of the 1960s to illustrate the need for racial and religious tolerance.
He draw spontaneous applause when he emphasized the importance of national identity, a fraught issue in Myanmar, which has been rived with ethnic insurgencies for decades. He draw spontaneous applause when he emphasized the importance of national identity, a fraught issue in Myanmar, which has been riven with ethnic insurgencies for decades.
“If people think in terms of ethnic identity before national identity, then I think over time the country will start breaking apart and democracy will not work,” Mr. Obama said.“If people think in terms of ethnic identity before national identity, then I think over time the country will start breaking apart and democracy will not work,” Mr. Obama said.