Burma's spokesman clears last hurdle to electoral bid

Burma's most prominent opposition party says the last obstacle to a run for parliament by party leader Aung San Suu Kyi has been removed. National League for Democracy spokesman Nyan Win told VOA's Burmese service Rangoon election-commission officials announced the decision Tuesday. He said the decision was posted on an election-commission notice board in accordance with regulations. The National League for Democracy has won approval for its candidates to run in 47 of 48 parliamentary by-elections scheduled for April 1. A ruling on the final by-election is pending. Aung San Suu Kyi announced weeks ago that she planned to run for parliament in Kawhmu, a poor district south of Rangoon. But a rival challenged her right to be a candidate, forcing the election commission to issue its ruling Tuesday. The National League for Democracy is attempting to return to parliament for the first time since its landslide electoral victory two decades ago. The military prevented it from taking power at that time. The party refused to participate in elections in 2010 because of rules that ensured victory by a pro-military party and prevented Aung San Suu Kyi from being a candidate. But the government that came to power as a result has instituted a number of democratic reforms, including allowing the National League for Democracy to re-register as a political party.