Dr. Aung San Suu Kyi
74Prisoner for Democracy
Dr. Aung San Suu Kyi is the daughter of General Aung San, who was considered by many to be the founder of modern Burma. He negotiated the freedom of Burma from the British in 1947. General Aung San was assassinated shortly after that.
Dr. Aung San Suu Kyi is a well educated citizen of Burma, which is now called Myanmar, and she helped found the National League for Democracy on 27 September, 1988. In general elections held in 1990, the National League for Democracy won the elections, and as the leading member, Dr. Aung San Suu Kyi was expected to assume the position of Prime Minister.
However, the military nullified the elections and refused to hand over power. Dr. Aung San Suu Kyi was put under house arrest. Her status remains the same, although she was allowed to temporarily leave house arrest in May of 2002, during which a riot occurred with the express purpose of killing her. She fled, but the junta arrested her and sent her to prison without apparent charges. Before long she was once again placed under house arrest.
Her husband, British citizen Michael Aris, died in March, 1999, before which the military had steadfastly refused to allow him back into Burma to see his wife. Her children are also banned from returning, and after once offering to let Dr. Aung San Suu Kyi go free if she agreed to leave Burma, the junta that rules the nation informed her that if she left she would never be allowed to return.
Instead Dr. Aung San Suu Kyi remains a prisoner of the junta in Burma, subject to the whims of the ruling military dictatorship which illegally holds power, and which has no intention of ever allowing her to go free or to assume the role of Prime Minister, which she earned in free and open elections almost 20 years ago.
This is the same junta that refuses to allow foreigners into the recently cyclone-devastated nation to help hundreds of thousand of afflicted people survive the aftermath of the storm.
For years the American government has condemned the junta for refusing to allow Democracy to flourish in Burma, but other than protests, and a few sanctions, nothing has changed the situation for the millions of Burmese who live in a military dictatorship.
In spite of her being held prisoner, Dr. Aung San Suu Kyi has been awarded the Sakharov Price for Freedom of Thought in 1990, and the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991. Because of her detainment, however, her sons had to accept the Nobel for her. She donated the 1.3 million dollars earned with the Nobel Prize to creating a health and education trust for the people of Burma.
Dr. Aung San Suu Kyi remains a hero and patriot of her people, who suffer daily under the cruel hand of the military junta. Her greatest hope is to see Burma enjoy the freedom that other nations enjoy.
Sources:
http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/1991/kyi-bio.html
Further Injustice!
Update 5-15-2009
Dr Aung San Suu Kyi has been chaged with treason and will be put on trial because allegedly she had a visitor, an American tourist who swam to her compound where she is being kept hidden by the junta.
Further update, August, 2009
Again the junta has decided to keep Aung San Suu Kyi imprisoned inside her house, after ignoring thousands of letters of protest against her treatment and the patently false charges made against her. Nothing short of direct action will affect the decisions this illegal junta is making to repress the voice of the legally elected leader of Burma.
They have shown no regard for the many voices who have called for the release and restoration to power of Aung San Suu Kyi. It is time for the nations of the world to act and free her now!
Dr Aung San Suu Kyi
Dr. Aung San Suu Kyi in an interview shortly after her temporary release from years of house arrest
Music Video supporting Dr. Aung San Suu Kyi
A musical trribute to Dr. Aung San Suu Kyi
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You are more than welcome, solarshingles, and I am glad to help in any way I can. This is a cause that is dear to me because of the friends I have made who are from Burma and because of the great love I have for Democracy fulfilled. Again, thanks for the positive comments!
I had heard bits and pieces about Dr. Aung San Suu Kyi, but didn't know the whole story. She is extremely brave. That is an understatement, I believe.
Excellent.
I'm never surprised of the depths our fellow man can sink to. Thank you for bringing this injustice to light. We have to remain positive for not only the people of Myanmar, but all those oppressed. Great hub.
Rob, it is true that we can be a pretty despicable species when we want to be! I enjoy watching the drama unfold in Battlestar Galactica, the new series, where the CYlons look like us, and the interaction between the two.
The question that always arises is whether the Human race deserves to survive. I often wonder that myself.
I like your hub Chef Jeff, once again you bring light to a subject that can easily be forgotten. The whole out of site out of mind thing. It really is a pity that they are unwilling to accept help. Due to me being a part of the human race, I would like to think that we deserve to live. If not, I am very thankful for grace and mercy.
It's interesting that this particular military dictatorship was not installed by America. Or was it? Neither are we making any particular effort to remove it. Is there oil in Burma?
CWB, there are private groups seeking to sway the junta in Rangoon to see reason, but without any backing from a government powerful enough to have influence, I doubt they will meet with success. The junta simply does not have to listen to outside groups, and waves them off like so many annoying mosquitoes.
Unfortunately, I think it will take strong action.
Thank you so much for this, Chef Jeff. Dr. Aung San Suu Kyi is a person we Westerners know so little about. She is a saint in the truest sense of the word. The goernment must be very afraid of her to keep her locked up that way--at least that means they don't dare kill her--I hope. Ironic that the people of Burma were better off under British colonial rule than they are under their own military dictatorship.
To tell the truth, robie2, they are scard stiff of her! She represents everything they stuggle to keep secret - they are a dictatorship of the few privielged elites, military men who believe that Burma/Myanmar is under the threat of a U. S. led invasion.
They keep the people impoverished like in North Korea, and then blame it all on the West. Burma/Myanmar has oil and money, so the poverty is carefully calculated and doled out to keep people from attaining power.
These military rulers are like a dozen Saddam Husseins in their fear of giving up even an inch of power, and as for their fear of an invasion, it is all propaganda to keep the masses in line. With our forces tied up in the senseless struggle in Iraq, who would we send there - the Boy Scouts?
I really feel like, often times, with so many other things going on, people lose track of some of the most important issues, such as this one, which
play an EXTREMELY important role on the world stage!
Hi I used to go out with a women who suffered severe bipoler disease. i tried everything under the sun to hang in there with her but the mood swings were too much for me. She threw things, started screaming and said nasty thing that were out of character for her, when she had her I want to say attacks. She was taking neurontin. Anyway she had a severe case. I feel for you and hope thing go well for you!
Dan
Thanks, Med Advice - I am not taking meds right now - trying holistic methods for now, and therapy.
I was inspired to look up a few items, since Bush's former spokesperson released a book http://www.qassia.com/former-spokesman-bashes-bush -- I found it disturbing that President Franklin D Roosevelt created "Trading with the Enemy Act" http://www.qassia.com/trading-with-the-enemy-act to stop Bush's great grandfather Prescott Bush, from doing business with Nazi's.
A good hub on a right mtter.Perhaps you are the only hubber who gave this much importance to this fighter. Indians are very much concerned over ther th peaceful life in neibhouring couintries, But unfortunately, we do not see it in the neibourhood. Aandsan is really a great lady,just like Mandela and Lincoln
Unfortuantely for the Burmese people Burma doesnt have enough oil for the US to bother invading and liberating everyone: which for the Burmese would be an improvement probably. Even the Cyclone hasn't managed to get the West to take notice of one of the most corrupt governments on the planet and who stole from their own people and prevented the aid getting to the untold thousands who died
I agree 100%, Lissie. Amazing what a little oil can do to grab our national attention, eh? !!!
I believe at this point our government should step in.
John Yettaw, who swam over 1 mile to visit this remarkable woman, lives just a few miles from me. My daughter attended school with his daughter.
I say: Obama, help John and Suu Kyi.
Help them please!!
Froggy213, I agree 100%!!!! We need to stand upfreedom all around the world, and Dr Aung San Suu Kyi deserves our urgent help. I hope this so-called trial (it's actually a show trial, as we all know very clearly!!!) the junta is putting on does no harm to either of them.
I am hoping she gets out of prison soon and can be free to lead her nation. She is a big hit over here in Spain. People want her to be set free and many have marched in protest over the junta's actions toward her.
Are you sure her name starts with "Dr"? I thought her first name was "Daw" as all other Burmese ladies ("Daw" is added to their name after over 40yrs of age).
Good story though.
dassk.org also has more updated information that you may be interested.
Daw is indeed a title of respect, and my sources indicate she has a doctorate, but is not a physician.
"Suu Kyi then went to Britain for further study at Oxford University. She received a B.A. in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics from St. Hugh's College, Oxford in 1969. Suu Kyi completed her formal education with a PhD from the University of London's School of Oriental and African Studies in 1985."
Well, she is finally free from the restrictive house arrest, and like powerful peacemakers before her, she immediately reaches out to try to make her entire nation free of the oppresive military regime that holds Burma in bondage. Long live Dr. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi!!!!
Cheers!
Chef Jeff
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solarshingles 4 years ago
Wonderful hub and especially very useful to understand recent events caused by criminal military government in Burma. Much, much more people are going to die, because of their corrupted military leaders, than due to the weather catastrophe.
I really haven't known much about Burma, before. Thank you for refreshing my rather weak knowledge about Burma.