Myanmar is emerging from half a century of brutal military dictatorship during which successive regimes plundered the country’s economy, decimated the health and education systems, instigated civil wars with ethnic minorities, and deliberately inflamed inter-religious tensions.
As the new National League for Democracy (NLD) government led by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi begins the enormous task of rebuilding a country that has suffered so much, it is still restrained by the powerful armed forces.
Cardinal Bo is calling for the international community to continue standing by Myanmar but reminds us that democratic transition cannot happen overnight.
