Aung San Suu Kyi has seen "no meaningful change" in the Burmese government since the elections last year, she said in a recent interview with the German news media. "I know there have been elections but the government that has taken over since the elections are the same as those who were in place before the elections … We are still waiting to see whether there has been real change," she said.
These statements have been echoed by civil society groups and human rights NGOs. Suu Kyi's comments come as the new government in Burma tries to gain more international legitimacy by engaging in meetings with a senior UN official and applying for the chairmanship ASEAN.
On the surface, the Burmese government appears to be reaching out to the international community; however, there is no indication that it will stop violating the human rights of the Burmese people. Fighting is continuing in the border areas, and over 2,000 political prisoners remain in jail.
Suu Kyi said that if Burma gets the ASEAN chairmanship, that "it will not help democracy in Burma in any way," unless conditions are attached that would promote democracy.