Aung San Suu Kyi


 This article contains Burmese script. Without proper rendering support, you may see question marks, boxes, or other symbols instead of Burmese characters.
Aung San Suu Kyi

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi
Born 19 June 1945(1945-06-19)
Rangoon, Burma
Residence Rangoon
Occupation Prime Minister-elect[1][2][3][4]
Known for Leader of the National League for Democracy, Nobel Peace Prize recipient.
Religious beliefs Theravadin Buddhist

Aung San Suu Kyi AC (Burmese: အောင်ဆန်းစုကြည် or File:AungSanSuuKyi1.png; MLCTS: aung hcan: cu. krany; IPA: [àunsʰánsṵtʃì]), born 19 June 1945 in Rangoon, is Prime Minister-elect,[1][2][3] a pro-democracy activist and leader of the National League for Democracy in Burma, and a noted prisoner of conscience and advocate of nonviolent resistance. Aung San Suu Kyi was the third child in her family. Her name is derived from three relatives; "Aung San" from her father, "Kyi" from her mother and "Suu" from her grandmother.[5] Suu Kyi won the Rafto Prize and the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought in 1990 and the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991. In 1992 she was awarded the Jawaharlal Nehru Award for International Understanding by the Government of India for her peaceful and non-violent struggle under a military dictatorship. She is currently under detention, with the Burmese junta repeatedly extending her detention. According to the results of the 1990 general election, Suu Kyi earned the right to be Prime Minister, as leader of the winning National League for Democracy party, but her detention by the military junta prevented her from assuming that role.

She is frequently called Daw Aung San Suu Kyi; Daw is not part of her name, but an honorific similar to madam for older, revered women, literally meaning "aunt".[6] Strictly speaking, her given name is equivalent to her full name, but it is acceptable to refer to her as "Ms. Suu Kyi" or Dr. Suu Kyi, since those syllables serve to distinguish her from her father, General Aung San, who is considered to be the father of modern-day Burma.

Contents

Personal life

Burma

This article is part of the series:
Politics and government of
Burma
Other countries · Atlas
 Politics portal
view • talk • edit

Aung San Suu Kyi was born on 19 June 1945 in Rangoon.[7] Her father, Aung San, founded the modern Burmese army and negotiated Burma's independence from the United Kingdom in 1947; he was assassinated by his rivals in the same year. She grew up with her mother, Khin Kyi, and two brothers, Aung San Lin and Aung San Oo in Rangoon. Her favourite brother Aung San Lin drowned in a pool accident when Suu Kyi was eight.[5] Her elder brother migrated to San Diego, California, becoming a United States citizen.[5] After Lin's death, the family moved to a house by Inya Lake where she met people of very different backgrounds, political views and religions.[8] Suu Kyi was educated in English Catholic schools for much of her childhood in Burma where she was noted as having a talent for learning languages.[9] She is a Theravada Buddhist.

Suu Kyi's mother, Daw Khin Kyi, gained prominence as a political figure in the newly-formed Burmese government. She was appointed Burmese ambassador to India and Nepal in 1960, and Aung San Suu Kyi followed her there, graduating from Lady Shri Ram College with a degree in politics in New Delhi in 1964.[10][7] Suu Kyi continued her education at St Hugh's College, Oxford, obtaining a B.A. degree in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics in 1969. After graduating, she lived in New York City with a family friend and worked at the United Nations for three years, primarily on budget matters, writing daily to her future husband Michael.[11] In 1972, Aung San Suu Kyi married Dr. Michael Aris, a scholar of Tibetan culture, living abroad in Bhutan.[7] The following year she gave birth to their first son, Alexander Aris, in London; their second son, Kim, was born in 1977. Following this, she earned a Ph.D. at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London in 1985. She was elected an Honourary Fellow in 1990.[7] She also worked for the government of the Union of Burma.

In 1988 Suu Kyi returned to Burma at first to tend for her ailing mother but later to lead the pro-democracy movement. Michael’s visit in Christmas 1995 turned out to be the last time that he and Suu Kyi met, as Suu Kyi remained in Burma and the Burmese dictatorship denied him any further entry visas.[7] Michael was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 1997 which was later found to be terminal. Despite appeals from prominent figures and organizations, including the United States, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and Pope John Paul II, the Burmese government would not grant Michael a visa, saying that they did not have the facilities to care for him, and instead urged Aung San Suu Kyi to leave the country to visit him. She was at that time temporarily free from house arrest but was unwilling to depart, fearing that she would be refused re-entry if she left, as she did not trust the junta's assurance that she could return.[12]

Michael died on his 53rd birthday on March 27, 1999. Since 1989, when his wife was first placed under house arrest, he had seen her only five times, the last of which was for Christmas in 1995. She also remains separated from her children, who live in the United Kingdom.[13]

On 2 May 2008, after Cyclone Nargis hit Burma, Suu Kyi lost her roof and was living in virtual darkness after losing electricity in her dilapidated lakeside residence. She used candles at night as she was not provided any generator set.[14]

Political beginnings

Aung San Suu Kyi returned to Burma in 1988 to take care of her ailing mother. By coincidence, in the same year, the long-time leader of the Socialist ruling party, General Ne Win, stepped down, leading to mass demonstrations for democracy on 8 August 1988 (8-8-88, a day seen as auspicious), which were violently suppressed. On August 26, 1988, she addressed half a million people at a mass rally in front of the Shwedagon Pagoda in the capital, calling for a democratic government.[7] However in September, a new military junta took power. Later the same month, the National League for Democracy (NLD) was formed, with Suu Kyi as general secretary.

Influenced by both Mahatma Gandhi's philosophy of non-violence[15][16] and by more specifically Buddhist concepts,[17] Aung San Suu Kyi entered politics to work for democratization, helped found the National League for Democracy on 27 September 1988, and was put under house arrest on 20 July 1989. She was offered freedom if she left the country, but she refused.

One of her most famous speeches is the "Freedom From Fear" speech, which begins:

“ It is not power that corrupts but fear. Fear of losing power corrupts those who wield it and fear of the scourge of power corrupts those who are subject to it. ”

Political career

1990 general election

In 1990, the military junta called a general election, which the National League for Democracy won decisively. Being the NLD's candidate, Aung San Suu Kyi under normal circumstances would have assumed the office of Prime Minister.[18] Instead, the results were nullified, and the military refused to hand over power. This resulted in an international outcry. Aung San Suu Kyi was placed under house arrest at her home on University Avenue (16°49′32″N 96°9′1″E / 16.82556°N 96.15028°E / 16.82556; 96.15028) in Rangoon. During her arrest, she was awarded the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought in 1990, and the Nobel Peace Prize the year after. Her sons Alexander and Kim accepted the Nobel Peace Prize on her behalf. Aung San Suu Kyi used the Nobel Peace Prize's 1.3 million USD prize money to establish a health and education trust for the Burmese people.[19]

House arrest

Aung San Suu Kyi has been placed under house arrest on numerous occasions since she began her political career, totalling 13 of the past 19 years.[20] During these periods she has been prevented from meeting her party supporters and international visitors; international visitors, likewise, have been prevented from meeting her. She lives with her two maids and receives visits from her doctor. In an interview, Suu Kyi said that whilst under house arrest she spent her time reading philosophy, politics and biographies that her husband had sent her.[21]

The media have also been prevented from visiting. In 1998, journalist Maurizio Giuliano, after photographing her, was stopped by customs officials, and all his films, tapes and some notes were confiscated.[22] Suu Kyi met the leader of Burma, General Than Shwe, accompanied by General Khin Nyunt on September 20, 1994, while under house arrest. It was the first meeting since she had been placed in detention.[7] When the military government has released Suu Kyi from house arrest it has made it clear that, if she left the country to visit her family in the United Kingdom, it would not allow her return. On several occasions, Suu Kyi has been in poor health for severe weakness.[23]

Suu Kyi continues to be imprisoned under the 1975 State Protection Act (Article 10 b), which grants the government the power to imprison persons for up to five years without a trial.[24] She has appealed against her detention.[25] Many nations and figures have continued to call for her release and that of 2,100 other political prisoners in the country.[26][27]

UN involvement

The UN has attempted to facilitate dialogue between the junta and Suu Kyi.[28] On 6 May 2002, following secret confidence-building negotiations led by the United Nations, the government released her; a government spokesman said that she was free to move "because we are confident that we can trust each other". Aung San Suu Kyi proclaimed "a new dawn for the country". However on 30 May 2003, a government-sponsored mob attacked her caravan in the northern village of Depayin, murdering and wounding many of her supporters.[29] Aung San Suu Kyi fled the scene with the help of her driver, Ko Kyaw Soe Lin, but was arrested upon reaching Ye-U. The government imprisoned her at Insein Prison in Rangoon. After she underwent a hysterectomy in September 2003,[30] the government again placed her under house arrest in Rangoon.

The results from the UN facilitation have been mixed; Razali Ismail, UN special envoy to Burma, met with Aung San Suu Kyi. Ismail resigned from his post the following year, partly because he was denied re-entry to Burma on several occasions.[31] Several years later in 2006, Ibrahim Gambari, UN Undersecretary-General (USG) of Department of Political Affairs, met with Aung San Suu Kyi, the first visit by a foreign official since 2004.[32] He also met with Suu Kyi later the same year.[33] On 2 October 2007 Gambari returned to talk to her again after seeing Than Shwe and other members of the senior leadership in Naypyitaw.[34] State television broadcast Suu Kyi with Gambari, stating that they had met twice. This was Suu Kyi's first appearance in state media in the four years since her current detention began.[35]

The United Nations Working Group for Arbitrary Detention rendered an Opinion (No. 9 of 2004) that her deprivation of liberty was arbitrary, as being in contravention of Article 9 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1948, and requested that the authorities in Burma set her free, but the authorities have so far ignored this request.[36]

Such claims were rejected by Major-General Khin Yi, the national police chief of Burma. On 18 January 2007, the state-run paper The New Light of Myanmar accused Suu Kyi of tax evasion for spending her Nobel Prize money outside of the country. The accusation followed the defeat of a US-sponsored United Nations Security Council resolution condemning Burma as a threat to international security; the resolution was defeated due to strong opposition from China, which has strong ties with the military junta (China later voted against the resolution, along with Russia and South Africa).[37]

In November 2007 it was reported that Suu Kyi would meet her political allies National League for Democracy along with a government minister. The ruling junta made the official announcement on state TV and radio just hours after the United Nation's special envoy Ibrahim Gambari ended his second visit to Burma. The NLD confirmed that it had received the invitation to hold talks with Ms. Suu Kyi.[38] However, the process delivered few concrete results.

On July 3, 2009, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, arrived in Myanmar on a journey seeking the release of Aung San Suu Kyi and to press the junta for democratic reform. However, on departing from Burma, Ban Ki-moon said he was "disappointed" with the visit after junta leader Than Shwe refused permission for him to visit Suu Kyi, citing her ongoing trial. Ban said he was "deeply disappointed that they have missed a very important opportunity."[39]

Periods under detention

  • July 20, 1989: Placed under house arrest in Rangoon under martial law that allows for detention without charge or trial for three years.[28]
  • July 10, 1995: Released from house arrest.[5]
  • September 23, 2000: Placed under house arrest.
  • May 6, 2002: Released after 19 months.
  • May 30, 2003: Arrested following the Depayin massacre she was held in secret detention for over 3 months before being returned to house arrest.
  • May 25, 2007: House arrest extended by one year flouting a direct appeal from U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan to General Than Shwe.[40]
  • October 24, 2007: Reached 12 years under house arrest, solidarity protests held at 12 cities around the world.[41]
  • May 27, 2008: House arrest extended for another year, illegal under both international law and Burma's own law.[42]

2007 anti-government protests

Main article: 2007 Burmese anti-government protests

Protests led by Buddhist monks began on 19 August 2007 following steep fuel price increases, and continued each day, despite the threat of a crackdown by the military.[43]

On Saturday, 22 September 2007, although still under house arrest, Suu Kyi made a brief public appearance at the gate of her residence in Rangoon to accept the blessings of Buddhist monks who were marching in support of human rights.[44] It was reported that she had been moved the following day to Insein Prison (where she had been detained in 2003),[45][46][47][48] but meetings with UN envoy Ibrahim Gambari near her Rangoon home on 30 September and 2 October established that she remained under house arrest.[49][50]

2009 trespass incident

On May 3, 2009, an American man, identified as John William Yettaw, swam across Inya Lake to her house uninvited and was arrested when he made his return trip three days later.[51] He had attempted to make a similar trip two years earlier, but for unknown reasons was turned away.[20] It is unknown what his motives were. On May 13, Suu Kyi was arrested for violating the terms of her house arrest because the swimmer, who pleaded exhaustion, was allowed to stay in her house for two days before he attempted the swim back. Suu Kyi was later taken to Insein Prison, where she could face up to five years confinement for the intrusion.[52] The trial of Suu Kyi and her two maids began on May 18 and a small number of protesters gathered outside.[53][54] Diplomats and journalists are barred from attending the trial; however, on one occasion, several diplomats from Russia, Thailand and Singapore and journalists were allowed to meet Suu Kyi.[55] The prosecution had originally planned to call 22 witnesses.[56] It also accused John Yettaw of embarrassing the country.[57] During the ongoing defence case, Suu Kyi said she was innocent. The defence was only allowed to call one witness (out of four), while the prosecution has been permitted to call 14 witnesses. The court rejected two character witnesses, NLD members Tin Oo and Win Tin and only permitted the defense to call a legal expert.[58] According to one unconfirmed report, the junta is planning to, once again, place her in detention, this time in a military base outside the city.[59] In a separate trial, Yettaw said he swam to Suu Kyi's house to warn her that her life was "in danger".[60] The national police chief later confirmed that Yettaw was the "main culprit" in the case filed against Suu Kyi.[61] According to aides, Suu Kyi spent her 64th birthday in jail sharing biryani rice and chocolate cake with her guards.[62]

Her arrest and subsequent trial received worldwide condemnation by the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, the United Nations Security Council,[63] Western governments,[64] South Africa,[65] Japan[66] and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, of which Burma is a member.[67] The Burmese government strongly condemned the statement, as it created an "unsound tradition"[68] and criticised Thailand for meddling in its internal affairs.[69] The Burmese Foreign Minister Nyan Win was quoted in the state-run newspaper New Light of Myanmar as saying that the incident "was trumped up to intensify international pressure on Burma by internal and external anti-government elements who do not wish to see the positive changes in those countries' policies toward Burma".[57]

International support

There has been international support for Aung San Suu Kyi.

Aung San Suu Kyi has received vocal support from Western nations in Europe[70], Australisia[70] and North[71] and South America, as well as India,[3] Israel,[72] Japan[73] and South Korea.[74] In December 2007, the US House of Representatives voted unanimously 400-0 to award Aung San Suu Kyi the Congressional Gold Medal; the Senate concurred on April 25, 2008.[75] On 6 May 2008, President Bush signed legislation awarding Suu Kyi the Congressional Gold Medal.[76] She is the first recipient in American history to receive the prize while imprisoned. Other non-American recipients of the medal include Sir Winston Churchill, Pope John Paul II, Nelson Mandela, the Dalai Lama and Mother Theresa.[71] More recently, there has been growing criticism of her detention by Burma's neighbours in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, particularly from Indonesia,[77] Thailand,[78] the Philippines[79][80] and Singapore.[81] At one point Malaysia warned Burma faced expulsion from ASEAN as a result of the detention of Suu Kyi.[82] Other nations including South Africa,[83] Bangladesh[84] and the Maldives[85] have also called for her release. The United Nations has urged the country to move towards inclusive national reconciliation, the restoration of democracy, and full respect for human rights.[86] In December 2008, the United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution condemning the human rights situation in Burma and calling for Suu Kyi's release – 80 countries voting for the resolution, 25 against and 45 abstentions. [87] Other nations, such as China and Russia are less critical of the regime and prefer to cooperate only on economic matters.[88] Indonesia has urged China to push Burma for reforms.[89] However, Samak Sundaravej, former Prime Minister of Thailand, criticised the amount of support for Suu Kyi, saying that "Europe uses Aung San Suu Kyi as a tool. If it's not related to Aung San Suu Kyi, you can have deeper discussions with Myanmar."[90]

Nobel Peace Prize

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991. The decision of the Nobel Committee mentions:[91]

“ The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided to award the Nobel Peace Prize for 1991 to Aung San Suu Kyi of Myanmar (Burma) for her non-violent struggle for democracy and human rights.

...Suu Kyi's struggle is one of the most extraordinary examples of civil courage in Asia in recent decades. She has become an important symbol in the struggle against oppression...

...In awarding the Nobel Peace Prize for 1991 to Aung San Suu Kyi, the Norwegian Nobel Committee wishes to honour this woman for her unflagging efforts and to show its support for the many people throughout the world who are striving to attain democracy, human rights and ethnic conciliation by peaceful means.

 ”
 
— Oslo, 14 October 1991

Nobel Peace prize winners (Archbishop Desmond Tutu, The Dalai Lama, Shirin Ebadi, Adolfo Pérez Esquivel, Mairead Corrigan, Rigoberta Menchú, Prof. Elie Wiesel, Betty Williams and Jody Williams) have called for the rulers of Burma to release Suu Kyi "create the necessary conditions for a genuine dialogue with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and all concerned parties and ethnic groups in order to achieve an inclusive national reconciliation with the direct support of the United Nations."[28] Some of the money she received as part of the award helps fund London-based charity Prospect Burma, who provide higher education grants to Burmese students.[92]

Organizations

  • Freedom Now, a Washington, D.C.-based non-profit organization, was retained in 2006 by a member of her family to help secure Aung San Suu Kyi's release from house arrest. The organization successfully secured a positive judgment from the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention and has been conducting political and public relations advocacy on her behalf.
  • Aung San Suu Kyi has been an honorary board member of International IDEA and ARTICLE 19 since her detention, and has received support from these organisations.
  • The Vrije Universiteit Brussel and the Université Catholique de Louvain, both located in Belgium, have granted her the title of Doctor Honoris Causa.[93]
  • In June of each year, the US Campaign for Burma organizes hundreds of "Arrest Yourself" house parties around the world in support of Aung San Suu Kyi. At these parties, the organizers keep themselves under house arrest for 24 hours, invite their friends, and learn more about Burma and Aung San Suu Kyi.[94]
  • The Freedom Campaign, a joint effort between the Human Rights Action Center and US Campaign for Burma, looks to raise worldwide attention to the struggles of Aung San Suu Kyi and the people of Burma.
  • The Burma Campaign UK is a UK based NGO (Non Governmental Organisation) that aims to raise awareness of Burma's struggles and follow the guidelines established by the NLD and Aung San Suu Kyi.
  • St. Hugh's College, Oxford, where she studied, had a Burmese theme for their annual ball in support of her in 2006.[95]
  • Aung San Suu Kyi is the official patron of The Rafto Human Rights House in Bergen, Norway. She received the Thorolf Rafto Memorial Prize in 1990.
  • She was made an honorary free person of the City of Dublin, Ireland in November 1999, although a space has been left on the roll of signatures to symbolize her continued detention.
  • In November 2005 the human rights group Equality Now proposed Aung Sun Suu Kyi as a potential candidate, among other qualifying women, for the position of U.N. Secretary General.[2] In the proposed list of qualified women Suu Kyi is recognised by Equality Now as the Prime Minister-Elect of Burma.[2]
  • The United Nations's special envoy to Myanmar, Ibrahim Gambari, met Aung San Suu Kyi on 10 March 2008 before wrapping up his trip to the military-ruled country.[96]
  • July 3, 2009: United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon journeys to Myanmar, specifically to meet with the junta leaders, pursuing the release of Aung San Suu Kyi from prison

The Bommersvik Declarations

In Bommersvik, Sweden, in 1995 and 2002, two conventions of the Elected Representatives of the Union of Burma took place and the following two landmark declarations were issued:[97][98]

Bommersvik Declaration I

In 1995, during the first convention that lasted from 16-23 July, the Representatives issued the Bommersvik Declaration I:[99]

“ We, the representatives of the people of Burma, elected in the 27 May 1990 general elections, meeting at the First Convention of Elected Representatives from the liberated areas of Burma, hereby — Warmly welcome the unconditional release of 1991 Nobel Peace laureate Daw Aung San Suu Kyi on 10 July 1995; Thank all who have worked tirelessly and consistently for the release of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the cause of democracy in Burma; Applaud Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's determination, in spite of having spent 6 years under house arrest, to continue to work to bring true democracy to Burma; Welcome Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's return to politics to take up the mantle of her father, General Aung San, in Burma's second struggle for independence;... ”
 
— The Elected Representatives of the Union of Burma

Bommersvik Declaration II

In 2002, during the second convention that lasted from 25 February to 1 March, the Representatives issued the Bommersvik Declaration II:[100]

“ We, the representatives of the people of Burma, elected in the 27 May 1990 general elections presently serving as members of the National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma and/or the Members of Parliament Union, meeting at the Convention of Elected Representatives held in Bommersvik for the second time, hereby reaffirm — Our Mandate, Position, and Strategic Objectives — that we will never ignore the will of the Burmese people expressed through the May 1990 general elections; - that the military's refusal to honor the election results does not in any way diminish the validity of these results..... ”
 
— The Elected Representatives of the Union of Burma

Books

Authored

  • Der Weg zur Freiheit (1999) with U Kyi Maung, U Tin Oo, ISBN 978-3404614356
  • Letters from Burma (1998) with Fergal Keane ISBN 978-0140264036
  • The Voice of Hope (1998) with Alan Clements, ISBN 978-1888363838, fully updated and re-issued in October 2008 by Rider Books, ISBN 978-1846041433
  • Letter to Daniel: Despatches from the Heart (1996) by Fergal Keane, foreword by Aung San Suu Kyi, edited by Tony Grant ISBN 978-0140262896
  • Freedom from Fear and other Writings (1995) with Vaclav Havel, Desmond M. Tutu, and Michael Aris, ISBN 978-0140253177
  • Burma's Revolution of the Spirit: The Struggle for Democratic Freedom and Dignity (1994) with Alan Clements, Leslie Kean, the Dalai Lama, Sein Win, ISBN 978-0893815806
  • Aung San of Burma: A Biographical Portrait by His Daughter (1991) ISBN 978-1870838801, 2nd edition 1995
  • Aung San (Leaders of Asia Series) (1990) ISBN 978-9990288834
  • Burma and India: Some aspects of intellectual life under colonialism (1990) ISBN 978-8170231349
  • Bhutan (Let's Visit Series) (1986) ISBN 978-0222010995
  • Nepal (Let's Visit Series) (1985) ISBN 978-0222009814
  • Burma (Let's Visit Series) (1985) ISBN 978-0222009791

Edited

  • Tibetan Studies in Honour of Hugh Richardson. Edited by Michael Aris and Aung San Suu Kyi. (1979). Vikas Publishing house, New Delhi.

Mentioned in

  • Aung San Suu Kyi (Modern Peacemakers) (2007) by Judy L. Hasday, ISBN 978-0791094358
  • The Lady: Aung San Suu Kyi: Nobel Laureate and Burma's Prisoner (2002) by Barbara Victor, ISBN 978-0571211777, or 1998 hardcover: ISBN 978-0571199440
  • Perfect Hostage: A Life of Aung San Suu Kyi (2007) by Justin Wintle, ISBN 978-0091796815
  • Tyrants: The World's 20 Worst Living Dictators (2006) by David Wallechinsky, ISBN 978-0060590048
  • Aung San Suu Kyi (Trailblazers of the Modern World) (2004) by William Thomas, ISBN 978-0836852639
  • No Logo: No Space, No Choice, No Jobs (2002) by Naomi Klein ISBN 978-0312421434
  • Mental culture in Burmese crisis politics: Aung San Suu Kyi and the National League for Democracy (ILCAA Study of Languages and Cultures of Asia and Africa Monograph Series) (1999) by Gustaaf Houtman, ISBN 978-4872977486
  • Hidden Agendas(1998)by John Pilger
  • Aung San Suu Kyi: Standing Up for Democracy in Burma (Women Changing the World) (1998) by Bettina Ling ISBN 978-1558611979
  • Aung San Suu Kyi: Fearless Voice of Burma (Newsmakers Biographies Series) (1997) by Whitney Stewart, ISBN 978-0822549314
  • Prisoner for Peace: Aung San Suu Kyi and Burma's Struggle for Democracy (Champions of Freedom Series) (1994) by John Parenteau, ISBN 978-1883846053
  • Des femmes prix Nobel de Marie Curie à Aung San Suu Kyi, 1903-1991 (1992) by Charlotte Kerner, Nicole Casanova, Gidske Anderson, ISBN 978-2721004277
  • Aung San Suu Kyi, towards a new freedom (1998) by Chin Geok Ang ISBN 978-9814024303
  • Aung San Suu Kyi's struggle: Its principles and strategy (1997) by Mikio Oishi ISBN 978-9839861068
  • Finding George Orwell in Burma (2004) by Emma Larkin ISBN 0143037110
  • Character Is Destiny: Inspiring Stories Every Young Person Should Know and Every Adult Should Remember by John McCain, Mark Salter (Random House, October 2005) ISBN 1-4000-6412-0

Awards

Popular media

 Lists of miscellaneous information should be avoided. Please relocate any relevant information into appropriate sections or articles. (June 2009)
  • In a list compiled by the British magazine New Statesman in 2006, she was voted as number one among the "50 Heroes of Our Time". Other "heroes" mentioned were Nelson Mandela, Noam Chomsky, Bill Gates, and Bono.[108]
  • In 2002, the Freedom Forum recognized Suu Kyi's efforts to promote democracy peacefully with the Al Neuharth Free Spirit of the Year Award, in which she was presented over satellite because she was under house arrest. She was awarded one million dollars.[109]
  • In January 2008, the Europe-based A Different View has selected Suu Kyi as one of the 15 Champions of World Democracy. Other "champions" featured include Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King Jr., Lech Walesa, and Corazon Aquino.[110]
  • She was featured prominently in John Boorman's 1995 film Beyond Rangoon, starring Patricia Arquette. Suu Kyi was played by Adele Lutz, the former wife of the musician David Byrne.
  • The jazz saxophonist Wayne Shorter named one of his compositions after her. The piece is best known from the 1997 Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter duet album, 1 + 1.
  • The Irish rock band U2's 2001 single "Walk On" was about and dedicated to Aung San Suu Kyi. 2000 U2 album All That You Can't Leave Behind.[111] and the multi-artist 2004 compilation album For The Lady, which featured "Walk On", were banned by the junta.[112] During Vertigo Tour concerts in London and Glasgow (19 June and 21 June 2005 respectively), U2 dedicated performances of "Running to Stand Still" to her. Other artists, including Black Eyed Peas, Coldplay, Damien Rice, and R.E.M. have also publicly supported Aung San Suu Kyi's cause.
  • She was featured prominently in the music video for Damien Rice's collaboration with Lisa Hannigan, "Unplayed Piano", which was written for Suu Kyi after a visit to her, from Rice, in July 2004.
  • In 2003's MTV Europe Music Awards in Edinburgh, Scotland, she was given the "Free Your Mind" award.
  • On 28 August 2007 Jim Carrey released a video on YouTube on behalf of the U.S. Campaign for Burma to raise awareness
  • The Freedom Campaign is in the process of producing a feature documentary film entitled Freedom from Fear about Aung San Suu Kyi and the people of Burma. While the film is not yet complete, a preview is available at theFreedomCampaign.org
  • Aung San Suu Kyi, and the situation in Burma/Myanmar generally, served as the backdrop for the Evan Tanner mystery Tanner On Ice, by Lawrence Block, published in 1998 after a long hiatus in the series.[113]
  • Aung San Suu Kyi and Burma situation mentioned in Saving Fish From Drowning by Amy Tan 2005.
  • Aung San Suu Kyi and Burma situation mentioned in The Lizard Cage by Karen Connelly 2005.
  • British film company Left Bank Pictures is planning a biopic of Suu Kyi, with Michelle Yeoh in talks to play her.[114]
  • Aung San Suu Kyi is the subject of the song, "Women of Hope," which appears on New York City singer-songwriter Morley's 2008 CD, "Seen." Morley sings, “Under house arrest, for her peaceful protest. When her people asked her for a message she said, ‘If you’re feeling helpless, help someone.’”
  • Aung San Suu Kyi is one of the subjects of the State Radio song "Bohemian Grove".
  • "Aung San Suu Kyi" is a song in her honour by Jane Birkin on Birkin's 2008 album, "Enfants d'hiver".
  • In the NBC series The Philanthropist, an episode titled "Myanmar" features a Burmese leader under house arrest known as Daw May Lin Wai, presumably as a homage to Suu Kyi.

See also

Current events/Southeast Asia portal

Footnotes

  1. ^ a b Aung San Suu Kyi should lead Myanmar, Pravda Online. September 25, 2007
  2. ^ a b c d The Next United Nations Secretary-General: Time for a Woman. Equality Now.org. November 2005.
  3. ^ a b c MPs to Suu Kyi: You are the real PM of Myanmar. The Times of India. June 13, 2007
  4. ^ Walsh, John. (February 2006). Letters from Burma. Shinawatra International University.
  5. ^ a b c d Aung San Suu Kyi – Biography. Nobel Prize Foundation.
  6. ^ "Myanmar Family Roles and Social Relationships". Government of Myanmar. http://www.myanmar.gov.mm/Perspective/persp1997/9-97/fam9-97.htm. Retrieved on 2007-09-24. 
  7. ^ a b c d e f g A biography of Aung San Suu Kyi. Accessed May 7, 2009.
  8. ^ Stewart (1997), p. 31
  9. ^ Stewart (1997), p. 32
  10. ^ "Aung San Suu Kyi — Biography". Nobel Foundation. http://nobelprize.org/peace/laureates/1991/kyi-bio.html. Retrieved on 4 May 2006. 
  11. ^ Before the storm: Aung San Suu Kyi photograph peels back the years. The Guardian. June 18, 2009
  12. ^ Suu Kyi rejects UK visit offer, BBC News Online, March 26, 1999.
  13. ^ "Obituary: A courageous and patient man". BBC News. 1999-03-27. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/305487.stm. Retrieved on 2006-07-04. 
  14. ^ Official: UN plane lands in Myanmar with aid after cyclone, Associated Press.
  15. ^ "Profile: Aung San Suu Kyi". BBC News Online. 25 May 2006. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/1950505.stm. Retrieved on 2007-05-26. 
  16. ^ "The Nobel Peace Prize 1991 Presentation Speech". Nobel Foundation. http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/1991/presentation-speech.html. Retrieved on 2007-05-26. 
  17. ^ Mental culture in Burmese crisis politics: Aung San Suu Kyi and the National League for Democracy (ILCAA Study of Languages and Cultures of Asia and Africa Monograph Series) (1999) by Gustaaf Houtman, ISBN 978-4872977486
  18. ^ "Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, Burma's Icon of Democracy, Hope and Grace Under Pressure". http://women.amnestyusa.org/defenders/aungsansuukyi.asp. 
  19. ^ Miller (2001), p. 21
  20. ^ a b John Yettaw: Suu Kyi's Unwelcome Visitor, TIME, May 20, 2009
  21. ^ Aung San Suu Kyi interview (video), Youtube
  22. ^ "Maurizio Giuliano denied entry to Burma after meetings with Aung San Suu Kyi". http://www.ifex.org/alerts/content/view/full/6725/. 
  23. ^ Wadhams, Nick (2006-06-09). "Myanmar's Suu Kyi Hospitalized". Associated Press. Washington Post. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/09/AR2006060901000.html. Retrieved on 2006-06-09. 
  24. ^ The Irrawaddy (2006-05-27). "Opposition Condemns Extension of Suu Kyi's Detention". The Irrawaddy. 
  25. ^ Suu Kyi appeals to Myanmar junta against her detention: party AFP, October 11, 2008.
  26. ^ Myanmar dissident Suu Kyi completes 13 years under house arrest, www.smartbrief.com
  27. ^ EU envoy urges lifting of Aung San Suu Kyi's house arrest eubusiness.com
  28. ^ a b c Biography Aung San Suu Kyi, Burma Campaign.
  29. ^ "The Depayin Massacre 2 Years On, Justice Denied" (PDF). ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Burma Caucus. 2005-05-30. http://www.aseanmp.org/resources/Depayin%20Massacre.pdf. Retrieved on 2007-02-04. 
  30. ^ "Suu Kyi has 'major' operation". BBC News. 2003-09-19. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/3119038.stm. Retrieved on 2006-07-04. 
  31. ^ "Annan expresses sadness for the resignation of his envoy for Burma". Democratic Voice of Burma. 2006-01-10. http://english.dvb.no/news.php?id=6287. Retrieved on 2006-07-04. 
  32. ^ "After meeting Aung San Suu Kyi, UN envoy leaves Burma". United Nations. 2006-05-20. http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=18557&Cr=Myanmar&Cr1=. Retrieved on 22 May 2006. 
  33. ^ "Rare visite" (in French). Radio-Canada. Société Radio-Canada. 2007-01-08. http://www.radio-canada.ca/nouvelles/International/2006/11/11/010-emissaire-suukyi.shtml. Retrieved on 2007-01-12. 
  34. ^ "UN envoy meets with Burma's top general to discuss 'current situation'". UN News Service. 2007-10-02. http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=24129. Retrieved on 2007-10-06. 
  35. ^ "Burma junta releases footage of Suu Kyi (AFP)" (in en/au). ABC News (Australia). 2007-10-06. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/10/06/2052595.htm. Retrieved on 2007-10-06. 
  36. ^ "Daw Aung San Suu Kyi v. Burma, Working Group on Arbitrary Detention,". United Nations. University of Minnesota Human Rights Library. 2004-05-28. http://www1.umn.edu/humanrs/wgad/9-2004.html. Retrieved on 2006-07-04. 
  37. ^ "Burmese Daily at Odds With Democracy Advocate". New York Times. 2007-01-18. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/19/world/asia/19myanmar.html. Retrieved on 2007-01-19. 
  38. ^ Suu Kyi to meet party colleagues.BBC. Retrieved 2007-11-08.
  39. ^ UN chief leaves Myanmar 'disappointed' with junta. The Jakarta Post. July 5, 2009
  40. ^ "Burma extends Suu Kyi detention". Bangkok Post. 2006, May 27. http://www.bangkokpost.com/breaking_news/breakingnews.php?id=99467. 
  41. ^ Campaigners mark 12 years of detention for Aung San Suu Kyi, Burma Campaign UK, October 24, 2007
  42. ^ UN: Suu Kyi detention 'illegal'. Al Jazeera. May 16, 2009
  43. ^ Yahoo News on Buddhist monk uprising. Associated Press.
  44. ^ Democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi greets Myanmar monks. AFP. September 22, 2007
  45. ^ Suu Kyi moved to Insein prison. Reuters. September 25, 2007
  46. ^ Inside Burma's Insein jail. BBC News Online. May 14, 2009
  47. ^ Security tight amid speculation Suu Kyi jailed. The Australian. September 28, 2007
  48. ^ Burmese Junta silences the monks. TIME. September 28, 2007
  49. ^ UN envoy sees top Burma dissident, BBC News Online, September 30, 2007
  50. ^ UN envoy holds key Burmese talks. BBC News Online. October 2, 2007
  51. ^ U.S. Man Held After Swim to Burmese Nobel Peace Laureate’s Home, New York Times, May 7, 2009
  52. ^ Lake swimmer could cost Suu Kyi her freedom, Guardian, May 14, 2009
  53. ^ Burma opposition leader on trial, Financial Times, May 19, 2009
  54. ^ Burma's Aung San Suu Kyi on trial, BBC News Online, May 18, 2009
  55. ^ Suu Kyi 'composed' at Burma trial, BBC News Online, May 20, 2009
  56. ^ Lawyers for Aung San Suu Kyi protest innocence as trial begins, The Times, May 18, 2009
  57. ^ a b Myanmar Court Charges Suu Kyi, Wall Street Journal, May 22, 2009
  58. ^ "Court Rejects Two Suu Kyi Defense Witnesses". Irrawaddy.org. http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=15892. Retrieved on 2009-06-10. 
  59. ^ "Myanmar Aung San Suu Kuy to be put under detention - Asia News". Asianews.it. 2006-02-14. http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=15461. Retrieved on 2009-06-10. 
  60. ^ Suu Kyi's witnesses 'rejected', BBC News Online, May 28, 2009
  61. ^ Myanmar says American main culprit in Suu Kyi case. AP. June 25, 2009
  62. ^ Aung San Suu Kyi celebrates 64th birthday with jail guards. The Guardian. June 19, 2009
  63. ^ UN calls for release of Suu Kyi, The Age, May 24, 2009
  64. ^ Western outcry over Suu Kyi case, BBC News Online, May 18, 2009
  65. ^ SAfrica urges immediate Aung San Suu Kyi release, AFP at IC Publications, May 22, 2009
  66. ^ Asian leaders call for release of Aung San Suu Kyi, Radio Australia, May 15, 2009
  67. ^ Asian leaders condemn Burma trial, BBC News Online, May 19, 2009
  68. ^ Myanmar protests ASEAN alternate chairman statement on Aung San Suu Kyi, Xinhua, May 24, 2009
  69. ^ Burma lashes out at Thailand over Suu Kyi, Bangkok Post, May 25, 2009
  70. ^ a b Myanmar offer is a 'sop' to the West. IOL. October 7, 2007
  71. ^ a b US House honours Burma's Suu Kyi BBC News, 18 December 2007.
  72. ^ "Press releases". Mfa.gov.il. http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/About+the+Ministry/MFA+Spokesman/2009/Press+releases/. Retrieved on 2009-06-10. 
  73. ^ Japan calls for Suu Kyi release. BBC News Online. June 24, 2003
  74. ^ Leaders demand Suu Kyi's release 15 May 2007.
  75. ^ Burmese detainee receives US honour.
  76. ^ BBC NEWS | Asia-Pacific | Burma's cyclone death toll soars.
  77. ^ U.S., Indonesia call for Suu Kyi's release. Mizzima. June 9, 2009
  78. ^ Burma lashes out at Thailand over Suu Kyi. Bangkok Post. May 25, 2009
  79. ^ Philippine Daily Inquirer. January 27, 2008.
  80. ^ Myanmar urged to release peace activist Suu Kyi. Gulfnews. 30 May 2007.
  81. ^ S'pore disappointed with extension of Aung San Suu Kyi's detention. Channel News Asia. May 27, 2009
  82. ^ Burma 'faces ASEAN expulsion'. BBC News Online. July 20, 2003
  83. ^ SA calls for immediate release of Aung San Suu Kyi. Mail & Guardian. May 22, 2009
  84. ^ 432 eminent citizens call for Suu Kyi's freedom. Daily Star. June 19, 2006
  85. ^ "President Nasheed calls for immediate release of Aung San Suu Ky". Maldiveschronicle.com. 2009-02-12. http://www.maldiveschronicle.com/president-nasheed-calls-immediate-release/. Retrieved on 2009-06-10. 
  86. ^ UN Secretary Repeats Call for Release of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi 27 May 2007.
  87. ^ UN General Assembly condemns Myanmar. Taipei Times. December 26, 2008
  88. ^ Myanmar breaks own law holding Suu Kyi: UN panel. Daily Times of Pakistan. March 25, 2009
  89. ^ RI woos India, China over Suu Kyi. Jakarta Post. June 13, 2009
  90. ^ Thai PM says West uses Mynamar. Nasdaq.com. August 25, 2008
  91. ^ Nobel Committee press release.
  92. ^ "Home". Prospect Burma. http://www.prospectburma.org/index.php. Retrieved on 2009-06-10. 
  93. ^ "Overzicht Eredoctoraten Vrije Universiteit Brussel" (in Dutch). Vrije Univeriteit Brussel. http://www.vub.ac.be/home/DHC/overzicht.html. Retrieved on 2006-07-04. 
  94. ^ "Arrest Yourself". US Campaign for Burma. http://www.uscampaignforburma.org/action/community.html. Retrieved on 2006-07-04. 
  95. ^ "St. Hugh's Full Moon Ball". The Burma Campaign UK. http://www.thefullmoonball.com/ie/. Retrieved on 2006-07-04. 
  96. ^ "Arrest Yourself". CNN. http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/03/11/myanmar.un.ap/index.html. Retrieved on 2008-03-11. 
  97. ^ Burma Library website.
  98. ^ Burma Lawyers' Council characterizes Declarations as Landmark.
  99. ^ Bommersvik Declaration I, the National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma.
  100. ^ Bommersvik Declaration II, National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma.
  101. ^ It’s an Honour: Companion of the Order of Australia. Australian Government
  102. ^ "Honorary Graduates of Memorial University of Newfoundland" (PDF). 2008-06-04. http://www.mun.ca/senate/Honorary_graduates_by_convocation.pdf. Retrieved on 2008-06-04. 
  103. ^ "Recipients of the Four Freedoms Award". http://www.feri.org/common/news/info_detail.cfm?QID=1983&ClientID=11005. Retrieved on 2008-12-24. 
  104. ^ "CBS News Journalist Lesley Stahl to Deliver Colgate's 2008 Commencement Address". 2008-02-21. http://www.collegenews.org/x7907.xml. Retrieved on 2008-05-18. 
  105. ^ US Senate honours Burma's Suu Kyi - BBC News 2008-04-25.
  106. ^ "Daw Aung San Suu Kyi i Cynthia Maung, winners of the 20th edition of the Premi Internacional Catalunya". http://www.gencat.cat/pic/eng/index_2008.htm. 
  107. ^ Aung San Suu Kyi Awarded Freedom of Glasgow, Burma Campaign, March 5, 2009
  108. ^ Cowley, Jason (2006-05-22). "Heroes of our time — the top 50". New Statesman. http://www.newstatesman.com/200605220016. Retrieved on 2006-05-22. 
  109. ^ freedomforum.org.
  110. ^ A Different View, Issue 19, January 2008.
  111. ^ U2's criminal record NME.com
  112. ^ "for the lady". BBC Burmese. 2004-11-01. http://www.bbc.co.uk/burmese/highlights/story/2004/11/041101_for_the_lady.shtml. Retrieved on 2006-07-04. 
  113. ^ Reviews for Tanner on ice : an Evan Tanner novel / Lawrence Block.
  114. ^ Thomas, Liz (2008-02-08). "Left Bank plans £5m Myanmar film". Broadcast. 

Bibliography

  • Miller, J. E. (2001). Who's who in contemporary women's writing. Routledge.
  • Stewart, Whitney (1997). Aung San Suu Kyi: fearless voice of Burma. Twenty-First Century Books. ISBN 978-0822549314

External links

Sister project Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Aung San Suu Kyi
Wikisource has original works written by or about:
Sister project Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Aung San Suu Kyi
Political offices
Preceded by
Party Created		 General Secretary of the National League for Democracy
27 September 1988 – present		 Succeeded by
Incumbent
v • d • e
Nobel Peace Prize laureates

Betty Williams / Mairead Corrigan (1976) · Amnesty International (1977) · Anwar El Sadat / Menachem Begin (1978) · Mother Teresa (1979) · Adolfo Pérez Esquivel (1980) · United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (1981) · Alva Myrdal / Alfonso García Robles (1982) · Lech Wałęsa (1983) · Desmond Tutu (1984) · International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (1985) · Elie Wiesel (1986) · Óscar Arias (1987) · UN Peacekeeping (1988) · Tenzin Gyatso (14th Dalai Lama) (1989) · Mikhail Gorbachev (1990) · Aung San Suu Kyi (1991) · Rigoberta Menchú (1992) · Nelson Mandela / F.W. de Klerk (1993) · Yasser Arafat / Shimon Peres / Yitzhak Rabin (1994) · Pugwash Conferences / Joseph Rotblat (1995) · Carlos Belo / José Ramos-Horta (1996) · International Campaign to Ban Landmines / Jody Williams (1997) · John Hume / David Trimble (1998) · Médecins Sans Frontières (1999) · Kim Dae-jung (2000)
Complete roster · 1901–1925 · 1926–1950 · 1951–1975 · 1976–2000 · 2001–present
v • d • e
Olof Palme Prize laureates

Cyril Ramaphosa (1987) • UN Peace Keeping Operation (1988) • Václav Havel (1989) • Harlem Désir, SOS Racisme (1990) • Amnesty International (1991) • Arzu Abdullayeva, Anahit Bayandour (1992) • Students for Sarayevo (1993) • Wei Jingsheng (1994) • Fatah Youth, Israeli Labor Young Leadership, Peace Now (1995) • Casa Alianza, Bruce Harris (1996) • Salima Ghezali (1997) • Veran Matić, Senad Pecanin, Victor Ivancic (1998) • Kurdo Baksi, Björn Fries, Klippan Parent Group (1999) • Bryan Stevenson (2000) • Fazle Hasan Abed (2001) • Hanan Ashrawi (2002) • Hans Blix (2003) • Ludmila Alekseyeva, Sergei Kovalev, Anna Politkovskaya (2004) • Aung San Suu Kyi (2005) • Kofi Annan, Mossaad Mohamed Ali (2006) • Parvin Ardalan (2007) • Denis Mukwege (2008)
adult





stock | retire | vm
Why are we here?
All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License
This page is cache of Wikipedia. History