Myanmar: Suu Kyi ally sworn in as president

By Kyaw Ye Lynn

YANGON, Myanmar

Myanmar’s president-elect Win Myint, a loyalist to Myanmar’s de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi, has been sworn into office on Friday.

Win Myint, former house speaker, was elected as new president by parliament on Wednesday to fill the vacancy left by Htin Kyaw, who resigned last week.

Win Myint took the oath of office before parliament on Friday, becoming the country’s second president with no military background in more than 50 years.

The ceremony was witnessed by senior government officials including Suu Kyi.

In his inaugural speech to the country which was lived by state broadcasters, Win Myint said Myanmar is facing growing pressure and criticism as the world misunderstands the country.

“We have to do more to promote human rights in the country,” he said, without giving details.Myanmar has faced heavy criticism for its military crackdown on Rohingya Muslims in the western Rakhine state.

Since Aug. 25, 2017, some 750,000 refugees, mostly children and women, fled Myanmar when Myanmar forces launched a crackdown on the minority Muslim community, according to the UN.