The military again crushes the pro-democracy movement, killing hundreds more. The funeral procession draws a huge crowd of supporters, which turns into a peaceful protest against military rule. Than Shwe and Gen. His last request to visit Aung San Suu Kyi, whom he had last seen in , was rejected by the military junta which said if Aung San Suu Kyi wanted to leave the country she could do so. She refused the offer knowing that she would not be allowed to return to Burma.
Her son Alexander Aris receives the award on her behalf. As many as 70 people were killed in the attack and over people arrested, including Aung San Suu Kyi. Aung San Suu Kyi remained in secret detention for over three months. This is the first time she has been seen in public since It was the first time she is able to travel to Europe in 24 years.
She calls for laws to protect ethnic minority rights. A biography of Aung San Suu Kyi. Latest News More This website uses cookies to improve your experience. Continue to use our site as normal if you're happy with this, or click 'Read more' to find out how to manage cookies. Accept Read More. Necessary Always Enabled. Deliberately avoiding violence, which would certainly have invoked bloody repression, Aung San Suu Kyi has called consistently for dialogue with the generals, while encouraging pressure on the Burmese economy through sanctions on trade and tourism.
Her father's memory, coupled with her own tenaciousness, intelligence, and skilful use of world media, have so far combined to make her the most effective thorn in the side of a regime that is unable either to ignore her or to face international outrage by crushing her. Subjects: History — Contemporary History post View all reference entries ». View all related items in Oxford Reference ». All Rights Reserved. Under the terms of the licence agreement, an individual user may print out a PDF of a single entry from a reference work in OR for personal use for details see Privacy Policy and Legal Notice.
Oxford Reference. Publications Pages Publications Pages. Recently viewed 0 Save Search. Your current browser may not support copying via this button. Her stance sparked protests in Muslim-majority countries around the world. Due to her handling of the Rohingya crisis, Suu Kyi was stripped of various honors and lost much of her international support. The Nobel committee was forced to issue a statement saying that her peace prize could not be revoked.
In , Myanmar's ruling National League for Democracy party won the November 8 general election, with enough seats to form the next government. However, the military's proxy party, the Union Solidarity and Development party, claimed fraud and demanded a new election supervised by the military. With that came comments alluding to a possible coup.
Supporters of the party also marched in protest. Myanmar's civilian leader, along with several of her political allies, were detained in an early morning raid on February 1, led by the military.
The move came amid escalating tensions between the civilian government and army, which had been in control for decades. The junta claimed electoral fraud, announced a yearlong state of emergency and named a former general as acting president. At that time, a student-led protest movement was challenging the country's socialist one-party regime.
However, the movement lacked a personality that could unite all of the country's opposition forces against the government. Upon her return to her home country, the students turned to Suu Kyi — and she took the lead without hesitation.
In August , she launched her political rise with a speech in front of an estimated , people at the Shwedagon Pagoda, an iconic golden Buddhist temple in Yangon. In the speech, Suu Kyi built on her father's legacy and called for a "second struggle for national independence. The speech turned Suu Kyi into the country's most popular political figure.
However, the spirit of optimism wouldn't last long. A month after Suu Kyi's speech, Myanmar's military put down the popular uprising and took over the government, promising a new election and a multiparty system. Thousands of people were killed. In , the military government changed the English translation of the country's name to Myanmar.
An election promised by the military went ahead in , and NLD candidates surprisingly won more than four-fifths of all parliamentary seats. For many of Myanmar's people, Suu Kyi embodied the Buddhist ideal of a moral and spiritual leader, and this helped the NLD win at the polls. However, the election results were never put into place. Instead, Suu Kyi was placed under house arrest. Between July and November , she was mostly isolated to her home in the main city of Yangon.
Suu Kyi was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in , and her two sons accepted on her behalf. The award also drew international attention to Myanmar and placed Suu Kyi on a pedestal as a symbol of human rights and democracy. While she was under house arrest, she devoted herself to Mahatma Gandhi's philosophy of non-violence, while preaching "freedom from fear. However, she paid a high price for her "celebrity" status and was kept isolated.
When her British husband, Michael Aris, was dying of cancer in , the military refused to let him enter Myanmar. Authorities said Suu Kyi could travel to London instead. She refused, knowing full well she would never be allowed to return and continue her fight for democracy.
She couldn't turn her popularity and moral capital into political power, and the military couldn't succeed in improving its image from that of a power-hungry dictatorship. Following elections in , the former General Thein Sein became president of Myanmar and announced a comprehensive reform program and the opening of the country. Suu Kyi was released from house arrest, and faced a decision to either refuse to participate in politics under the strict limitations imposed by the military, or make her return according to their rules.
She decided to participate in the political process, a move which went against the principles of those opposed to the military. The NLD won a sweeping victory in Myanmar's general election.
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