Domestic issues face scrutiny as leaders gather for a regional summit

 Leaders from ten Asean countries and its dialogue partners including US President Barack Obama will gather for their summit in the capital city of Nay Pyi Taw during today and tomorrow. Obama is also scheduled to meet opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi on Friday.

In Kayah State for a meeting with some ethnic groups’ leaders, Suu Kyi said “Our country has arrived at the most important time. In the past, there was the military rule. After the 2010 election … some regarded this government as democratic. I want to say it still has not met full democratic standards. This is still the period where we are trying to obtain democracy and that’s why it is so important.”

According to a report by Reuters, Deputy National Security Advisor for Strategic Communications Ben Rhodes, speaking on the sidelines of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Beijing, said Myanmar has a big opportunity to democratise but is still facing enormous challenges, and the outside world needs to remain practical about how long the transition will take.

The United States is concerned about the humanitarian situation facing Myanmar's Rohingya Muslim minority and is focused on the Myanmar government achieving lasting ceasefires with ethnic rebel groups in the country, the spokesman said.

The former pariah state, which currently holds the chairmanship of Southeast Asia's regional bloc, has come under fire from opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi who sought to temper US "over-optimism" in comments just days before the American leader's arrival.

Obama, who will meet both Suu Kyi and President Thein Sein during his visit, will highlight America's commitment to "keep reforms on track", according to National Security Adviser Susan Rice. 

"The United States recognises the progress that Burma has made but notes that real challenges remain and missteps have been made in the course of this transition," she added, using Myanmar's former name.

Wrangles over the nation's constitution, the cramping of media freedom as well as tinderbox issues such as burgeoning Buddhist extremism and anti-Muslim violence, have taken the sheen off its emergence from isolation after decades of iron-fisted army rule. Myanmar is also struggling to win peace after years of ethnic minority insurgency, while grappling with waves of deadly anti-Muslim violence and accusations of state complicity in the plight of tens of thousands of stateless Rohingya Muslims in desperate displacement camps.

Despite warnings on media freedom, the country apparently maintains the tight control on media. Journalists have also complained about tight security for the coverage of the summit and related meetings which started on November 9.

“In my experience, there has been no country that restricted media access to information during an Asean Summit so as heavily as Myanmar currently is. At the very least, journalists have previously always been allowed to take photos and ask questions to the delegates,” said Nay Tun Naing, a reporter of Eleven Media.

He said that private media were not allowed access to information from these meetings taking on November 9. On November 10, when the meetings of high-ranking officers were held, neither foreign nor local private media were permitted to carry out independent reporting. Reporters were not even allowed to take photos or approach the meeting rooms.

Journalists are allowed to cover the meetings only on November 12 and 13.