Myanmar Leader Promises Democracy
Myanmar's junta chief Than Shwe said on Thursday, March 27, 2008, that civilians would take the reins of government after elections in 2010, once a constitution is approved, giving broad powers to the military. Shwe made these statements to 13,000 soldiers at a military parade in the new capital Naypyidaw. Foreign journalists were denied visas to report on the event, which came six months after a deadly crackdown on pro-democracy protests led by Buddhist monks.