Myanmar democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi’s party said today it has

Myanmar democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi’s party said today it has chosen the image of a fighting peacock gazing at a white star as its new voting emblem, as it prepares to re-enter the political fray.

The image, which is similar to the party’s flag and will be its official insignia at the ballot box, is a symbol of the country’s struggle for change, said Win Htein, a senior member of the National League for Democracy (NLD).

“In our new seal, the white star represents the revolution. It was used many years ago as revolutionary symbol,” he told AFP.

The announcement was aired in state-run media in an unusual concession by Myanmar’s army-dominated government, which has embarked on a series of reform measures in recent months, including holding talks with critics.

The NLD has accepted an invitation to rejoin the political mainstream and applied in November to re-register as a political party. Suu Kyi has said she will take part in upcoming by-elections, although no date has been set.

Win Htein said the peacock was chosen in a homage to student protesters involved in the country’s 1988 rallies against the military which were brutally crushed by the then ruling junta.

The NLD’s new symbol replaces its well-known bamboo hat trademark, which was used by a breakaway group that participated in the much-criticised 2010 election.

Source AFP