Sunday, January 31, 2021

Rise and Fall of Burma's Suu Kyi explained


The Rise and Fall of Burma’s Aung San Suu Kyi Explained
NowThis
(NowThis World, 3/24/19) A non-violent freedom fighter? A war crimes apologist? Or is she something in between?

What kind of karma makes one a national leader?
Aung San Suu Kyi’s decades-long, non-violent struggle for democracy made her a heroine around the world. But once she was finally appointed to office in the Parliament (having been banned from ever becoming the country's official leader by the outgoing dictators), many say her leadership has been disappointing.
Born on June 19, 1945 in what was then Rangoon, Burma, Suu Kyi was destined to be defiant from the start.

Her father, national hero Aung San
Her father was none other than national hero Aung San -- the former military general who negotiated Burma’s independence from the British in 1947. He became known as a national hero and the founder of modern-day Burma, which the dictatorship changed to Myanmar.

But in 1947, when Suu Kyi was just 2-years-old, everything changed. Her father was assassinated by a rival politician.

She went on to graduate from high school in 1964 and then studied with the global elite at England's Oxford University. There she met her to-be husband. Years later they settled in the United Kingdom, where they had two sons.

Dictator General Than Shwe
During this time Suu Kyi continued to watch as her country was sinking further into the grip of a military dictatorship led by General Than Shwe.

After nationwide protests against the one-party rule and the military dictatorship culminated in what later became known as the 8/8/88 Uprising protesters were in search of  a leader.

They looked to the then 43-year-old Suu Kyi to fill the shoes of her father -- as a fighter for Burmese democracy.

Saffron Revolution: Soldier bashes in head of a peaceful Buddhist monk for the dictatorship.
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And that’s exactly what she did. She was under house arrest during the next big uprising led by Buddhist monks, the Saffron Revolution. The dictatorship committed atrocities to put it down.

But what was her journey to leadership and what would she do once she achieved her goal? And what would her leadership mean for the minority Muslim Rohingya in Rakhine state and the alleged ethnic cleansing was taking place in Burma?
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NowThis World is dedicated to bringing topical explainers about the world around us. Each week it explores current stories in international news by examining the facts, providing historical context, and outlining the key players involved. It also highlights powerful countries, ideologies, influential leaders, and ongoing global conflicts that are shaping the current landscape of the international community across the planet today.
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