09/10/09 4:24pm
Ok, I am not going to pretend to know everything about Aung San Suu Kyi, but her recognition is important in the larger Burmese struggle for independence. She is a 1991 Nobel Peace Prize recipient for her work with Burma and she has become the symbol of peace, equality and democracy for the Burmese people who continue to resist the military takeover that occurred in September, 1988. I am currently reading a book (I would highly suggest to anyone who is curious about the history and political movement here) called Freedom from Fear. It is a compilation of writings by Aung San Suu Kyi she wrote throughout her life, before and after her house arrest, and where all the information below comes from.
So here is the scoop: The British colonized Burma in the late 19th century and continued to have full control over the region until the Independent Union of Burma was established on January 4th, 1948. The fight for independence was influenced by several factors but strongly pushed by an organization supported by many sectors of Burmese people called the Anti-Fascist People’s Freedom League (AFPFL). This organization was lead by Aung San Suu Kyi’s father, Aung San. There is lots of history that plays into the progress for Burmese Independence, but an important thing to note was that, only months before independence was actually accomplished, Aung San was assassinated with six other of his Councillors on July 19th, 1947. Regardless of his assassination, he helped to leave a spirit with the people of Burma thriving for an equal and free nation.
Aung San Suu Kyi was only two years old when her father was assassinated. There continued to be lots of political, social and economic unrest with the uncertainty of the country when independence was recognized, especially after Aung San’s assassination. Aung San Suu Kyi spent much of her early adult life receiving education at Rangoon, Delhi and Oxford University as well as working with the United Nations in New York and Bhutan. She married a British man and had two sons in her twenties while she lived in England. In 1988 she received word that her mother was sick and dying in Burma so she decided to move back to the country to take care of her. When she was there a political revolt occurred which was the time when Aung San Suu Kyi made the decision to follow in her father’s footsteps and continue for the fight for human rights and democracy in Burma. She formed the National League for Democracy (NLD) and became the main political leader in the movement. Regardless of the fact the military promised a free and fair election, they were expecting her efforts to not work. Even so, over 80% of the people voted for a democratic nation but the military refused to hand over the government so on September 18th, 1988 they took over and soon after placed Aung San Suu Kyi in house arrest where she still is today. The military then cut her off from contact with her husband and children in the attempts to weaken her and send her back to England. This didn’t work. Her presence is a constant reminder of the struggle for a free Burma. Needless to say, Aung San Suu Kyi’s photos are everywhere on the Thai/Burma border. You see her on t-shirts, posters, books, magazines, pretty much everywhere a couple times a day. In fact, when I was reading her book, I went to pay the bill and the waitress smiled, pet the cover of my book and said “beautiful”. Just an example of how important of a symbol she has become.
Currently the struggles in Burma have been considered to be one of the longest continued civil wars. The military abuses the land of its natural resources by selling them to neighboring countries, such as China, for the personal enrichment of the military. In addition the people are often abused and displaced to use them in the military or take over their lands for the resources. The struggle continues. Elections are intended to take place in 2010 and it will be interesting to see how the military approaches this. There has been lots of struggle internationally trying to get the military to release Aung San Suu Kyi because the argument is that the military cannot pretend to have a fair election when one of the main candidates is not free. The military not only has not agreed to do this, but has just recently charged her with an additional 18 months due to an American journalist attempting to have an illegal visit with her. There is a belief that even if there are elections next year, they will be corrupt and mean nothing. We will see what happens.
Ok, I am not going to pretend to know everything about Aung San Suu Kyi, but her recognition is important in the larger Burmese struggle for independence. She is a 1991 Nobel Peace Prize recipient for her work with Burma and she has become the symbol of peace, equality and democracy for the Burmese people who continue to resist the military takeover that occurred in September, 1988. I am currently reading a book (I would highly suggest to anyone who is curious about the history and political movement here) called Freedom from Fear. It is a compilation of writings by Aung San Suu Kyi she wrote throughout her life, before and after her house arrest, and where all the information below comes from.
So here is the scoop: The British colonized Burma in the late 19th century and continued to have full control over the region until the Independent Union of Burma was established on January 4th, 1948. The fight for independence was influenced by several factors but strongly pushed by an organization supported by many sectors of Burmese people called the Anti-Fascist People’s Freedom League (AFPFL). This organization was lead by Aung San Suu Kyi’s father, Aung San. There is lots of history that plays into the progress for Burmese Independence, but an important thing to note was that, only months before independence was actually accomplished, Aung San was assassinated with six other of his Councillors on July 19th, 1947. Regardless of his assassination, he helped to leave a spirit with the people of Burma thriving for an equal and free nation.
Aung San Suu Kyi was only two years old when her father was assassinated. There continued to be lots of political, social and economic unrest with the uncertainty of the country when independence was recognized, especially after Aung San’s assassination. Aung San Suu Kyi spent much of her early adult life receiving education at Rangoon, Delhi and Oxford University as well as working with the United Nations in New York and Bhutan. She married a British man and had two sons in her twenties while she lived in England. In 1988 she received word that her mother was sick and dying in Burma so she decided to move back to the country to take care of her. When she was there a political revolt occurred which was the time when Aung San Suu Kyi made the decision to follow in her father’s footsteps and continue for the fight for human rights and democracy in Burma. She formed the National League for Democracy (NLD) and became the main political leader in the movement. Regardless of the fact the military promised a free and fair election, they were expecting her efforts to not work. Even so, over 80% of the people voted for a democratic nation but the military refused to hand over the government so on September 18th, 1988 they took over and soon after placed Aung San Suu Kyi in house arrest where she still is today. The military then cut her off from contact with her husband and children in the attempts to weaken her and send her back to England. This didn’t work. Her presence is a constant reminder of the struggle for a free Burma. Needless to say, Aung San Suu Kyi’s photos are everywhere on the Thai/Burma border. You see her on t-shirts, posters, books, magazines, pretty much everywhere a couple times a day. In fact, when I was reading her book, I went to pay the bill and the waitress smiled, pet the cover of my book and said “beautiful”. Just an example of how important of a symbol she has become.
Currently the struggles in Burma have been considered to be one of the longest continued civil wars. The military abuses the land of its natural resources by selling them to neighboring countries, such as China, for the personal enrichment of the military. In addition the people are often abused and displaced to use them in the military or take over their lands for the resources. The struggle continues. Elections are intended to take place in 2010 and it will be interesting to see how the military approaches this. There has been lots of struggle internationally trying to get the military to release Aung San Suu Kyi because the argument is that the military cannot pretend to have a fair election when one of the main candidates is not free. The military not only has not agreed to do this, but has just recently charged her with an additional 18 months due to an American journalist attempting to have an illegal visit with her. There is a belief that even if there are elections next year, they will be corrupt and mean nothing. We will see what happens.
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