2. AUNG SAN SUU KYI
Burma’s pro-democracy leader
Fought against former socialist leader
General Ne-Win
Spent more than 15 years in under
full watch (detention)
Most of it under house arrest
3. HISTORY
Colonized by the British
1940s- General Aung San led fight for
independence from the British under
Burma Independence Army
Aung San was assassinated by political
rivals in 1947.
Independence in 1948- Democratic
government and constitution established
1962 coup- military group overthrew
the democratic government, led by
General Ne Win
General Aung San
4. HISTORY
1962-1974 Military ruled the country
headed by Gen. Ne Win
Business, media, production were under
government control.
Under ‘the Burmese Way to Socialism’
Socialist government with superstitious
belief.
In 1974, new constitution adopted,
country was ruled as a one-party system.
Led to ‘the 8888 Uprising’ (8 August
1988)
General Ne Win
5. THE 8888 UPRISING (CAUSES)
Withdrawal of currency
notes w/o compensation
Failure of the Burmese
Way to Socialism
Police Brutality
Military dictatorship
Corruption
6. POLITICAL CAUSES (CONT)
Highly oppressive policies
Lack of freedom of speech
No guarantee of fair public trials
Suppression of ethnic minority
groups
Flawed electoral laws
7. THE 8888 UPRISING
Demonstration/ Riots/ Civil
Disobedience/ Strike Action
Monks, young children, university
students, housewives, doctors, and
lawyers
1 million protesters in Yangon, 500,000
at Schwedagon Pagoda, 500,000 at
downtown Yangon, 100,000 in
Mandalay
3,000-10,000 deaths, ten thousands
fled to Thailand.
8. NATIONAL ICON FOR DEMOCRACY
In 1988, Aung San Suu Kyi
returned home to Burma to be
with her dying mother.
The 8888 Uprising inspired Aung
San Suu Kyi.
Became a national icon of
Burmese to democracy
Inspired by both Mahatama
Gandhi’s philosophy of nonviolence and Buddhist concepts
9. POLITICAL EFFECTS
Suu Kyi helped found the NLD, the
National League for Demoracy,
appointed Gen.Secretary
In 1990 Burmese dictatorship was
forced to hold a general election. Suu Kyi
was already being detained under house
arrest before the election. (since 1989)
NLD won majority of seats in Parliament
(392 out of 447), but results were
ignored.
Over 2,000 members of the NLD was
arrested.
10. HOUSE ARREST
Suu Kyi was held under house
arrest until July, 1995
Received Nobel Peace Prize in
1991
In 2000- put under house arrest
again
In 2002, she was released again
with freedom to travel the country.
No phone, no mail, and no security
13. 2007 SAFFRON REVOLUTION
Saffron colored robe of monks
Increasing Oil Price up to 66%
30,000-100,000 people
demonstrating in Yangon
The largest Burmese antigovernment protest in 20 years
The military junta was sanctioned
by the US, EU, and Canada
14.
15. FAMILY REUNION
Remain under house arrest for
almost 15 of the 21 years from
July 1989
Recent release on 13 November
2010
Kim Aris was granted a visa in
November 2010
First met in 10 years
16.
17. INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
Suu Kyi met with Hillary
Clinton on 1 December 2011
Met Thai Prime Minister
Yingluck Shinawatra in Yangon
on 21 December 2011
Met British Foreign Minister
William Hague met Aung San
Suu Kyi on 5 January 2012
19. BRAINSTORMING
What does it take for a person to
manage 15 years under house
arrest?
If you were to meet Aung San Suu
Kyi in person, what questions
would you ask?
