Burmese democracy movement

In the wake of successful election in Myanmar over the weekend, the United States is taking action to relax some of the sanctions it has imposed on the country, also known as Burma, for more than two decades.

Officials and advocates say that Europe and the United States should use the seemingly successful Myanmar elections as a reason to justify a broad rollback of the sanctions that have been levied against the southeast Asian nation for decades.

While Aung San Suu Kyi is out of prison and free to run in the upcoming elections in the country formerly known as Burma, there are still signs that there is more work to do. But many in Myanmar are just thrilled with the progress they’ve had so far.

During U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s historic visit to Myanmar last month, she said that even one political prisoner was one too many. Now, there are signs that more of the thousands of people believed to be jailed for politica reasons will be released.

In an effort to gain a level of international acceptance, the government of Myanmar has agreed to grant amnesty to some of the political dissidents it has imprisoned.