Aung San Suu Kyi The Defender and Icon of Myanmar's Democracy

Aung San Suu Kyi 

The Defender and Icon of Myanmar's Democracy

Aung San Suu Kyi

Aung San Suu Kyi was born on June 19, 1945 in the city of Rangoon, Burma. General Aung San Kyi and Daw Khin Kyi brought her into the world. Her father, General Aung Sun, was the national leader of Burma until his assassination on July 17, 1947. His death would be one of the main contributors to her fight for peace and independence for the country of Burma. She was educated in the city of Rangoon until she was fifteen years old. Her mother would soon become Burmese ambassador to India and Nepal. In 1960 she would travel with her mother to these other countries. While living in these foreign lands she studied politics at Delhi University. She continued her education at St. Hugh's College and Oxford University where she received a BA in economics, politics, and philosophy. During the next several years she worked abroad and met her future husband Dr. Michael Aris. The couple soon married and had two children.

Aung's life was a little different then what most people are accustomed to in the world. Her father was assassinated for his political beliefs and her mother was an ambassador of the country of Burma. Politics played a big role in Aung's life and that is why it is not hard to believe what would soon happen to her. Aung had made her way back to her homeland in 1988, to take care of her sick mother. While in Burma she joined the pro-democracy movement, which was pushing for political reforms in Burma. On August 26, 1988 she addressed a half million people in a rally at the famous Shwedagon Pagoda in Rangoon. She had preached to these people and called for a democratic government so that the people of Burma could experience freedom. An army unit in the Irrawaddy Delta confronted her almost a year later on April 5, 1989 while she was delivering a speech for democratic freedom. The army unit had orders to aim their weapons at her during the speech waiting for the order to fire. A major had finally ordered the troops back which prevented her from being assassinated like her father. Three months later on July 20, 1989 Aung San Suu Kyi is placed under house arrest in the city of Rangoon.

The elections were going to be held in May of 1990 in which she was declared ineligible. Even though she was unable to run in the election the National League for Democracy had a landslide victory even without her present. She would spend the next six years of her life at her lakeside villa in Rangoon to serve her house arrest. She wrote many speeches and books that were published. During this time she received many awards dealing with her great aspiration toward peace. However, maybe her greatest honor was the Nobel Peace Prize that she won on October 14, 1991. With her prize money of 1.3 million dollars she established a health and education trust for the people of Burma.

Aung San Sunn Kyi was released from house arrest on July 10, 1995. In 2002 authorities arrested her once more.  Freed in 2002, the next year the Burmese government again arrested her.  She remains in prison in 2006, despite ill health and international protests.  She keeps on fighting for democracy and freedom in her homeland of Burma. She has dedicated her life to the citizens of Burma so that they can experience the freedom that they deserve.  She has secured her name in Burmese history and will forever fight for democracy.