Page 376 - The Rough Guide to Myanmar (Burma)

374 CONTEXTS History
AUNG SAN SUU KYI
the world’s most famous former prisoner of conscience, Aung San Suu Kyi has for many
years served as the human face of the Burmese freedom struggle – as synonymous with her
country’s democratic aspirations as Nelson Mandela was with the anti-Apartheid movement in
south Africa.
Much of Aung san suu Kyi’s standing undoubtedly derives from her status as the daughter
of the revered Aung San (1915–47), father of modern Myanmar, although despite her
illustrious parentage there was little in her early life to suggest the path she would later follow.
Born in yangon in 1945, Aung san suu Kyi was just two when her father was assassinated and
subsequently spent many of her younger years abroad, first in Delhi (where her mother, Khin
Kyi, served as Burmese ambassador to india and Nepal) before studying at oxford University,
where she met her future husband, the late distinguished Asian scholar Dr Michael Aris. she
subsequently worked for the UN in New york before marrying Aris in 1971. they spent their
first year of married life in Bhutan (where Aris was tutor to the royal family), after which they
returned to England, living in oxford where Aris had been made a university lecturer.
Meanwhile, Aung san suu Kyi continued her studies at London University’s school of oriental
and African studies and also became the mother of two sons.
THE STRUGGLE BEGINS
the spectacular rise to global prominence of the formerly bookish and retiring wife of an
oxford don followed a remarkably serendipitous chain of events. in 1988, Aung san suu Kyi
returned to yangon to care for her sick mother, who had been admitted to the rangoon
General Hospital. Within weeks of her return, Aung san suu Kyi found herself caught up in the
greatest popular uprising in modern Burmese history (see p.373), with the hospital itself at the
epicentre of events. swept along in the sudden political upheavals, she determined to devote
herself to the fight for democracy, espousing political beliefs rooted in non-violent
resistance, dialogue, reconciliation and inclusivity, which owed much to the ideas of Mahatma
Gandhi as well as her own Buddhist faith. Her first official public speech, at the shwedagon
Pagoda, was attended by thousands of Burmese whose imaginations had been fired by the
unexpected return of Aung san’s own daughter at the hour of their greatest need, while
opposition activists began to see in Aung san suu Kyi the perfect figurehead for their
aspirations – the daughter of the country’s greatest national hero, and someone entirely
untainted by former political or military connections.

Than Shwe
In April 1992 SLORC leader General Saw Maung “resigned” for health reasons
– although rumours suggest he was effectively deposed by rival generals worried by
his apparent willingness to hand over power to the NLD – and was succeeded by
the second of Myanmar’s two infamous military despots, Than Shwe. Than Shwe
proved an apt successor to Ne Win – similarly ruthless and repressive, and totally
lacking in personal charisma. A reclusive leader, he rarely made public appearances
or spoke to the press and was believed to take many major decisions based on the
advice of his astrologers (see box, p.372). He also enjoyed the trappings of wealth
– a leaked video of his daughter Thandar Shwe’s wedding in 2006 caused
widespread outrage due to its ostentatious extravagance, with Thandar Shwe herself
wearing diamonds worth millions of dollars at a time when most Burmese were
living in abject poverty.

1962 1962 onwards
Ne Win leads a military coup and seizes Myanmar becomes increasingly impoverished and isolated
power, announcing a new policy dubbed the under Ne Win’s leadership
“Burmese Way to Socialism”

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