Aung San Suu Kyi

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Burmese politician and Nobel laureate

Aung San Suu Kyi (born 19 June 1945) is a Burmese politician, diplomat, author, and a 1991 Nobel Peace Prize laureate. She is the daughter of Aung San, the founder of modern Myanmar, and Khin Kyi. Aung San Suu Kyi played a vital role in Myanmar's transition from military junta to partial democracy in the 2010s.

Early Life and Education

Aung San Suu Kyi was born in Rangoon, British Burma, on 19 June 1945. Her father, Aung San, was instrumental in securing Burma's independence from the British Empire in 1947. Her mother, Khin Kyi, was a prominent diplomat and served as Burma's ambassador to India and Nepal.

Aung San Suu Kyi was educated in Burma until she was 15 years old. She then moved to India with her mother and attended high school in New Delhi. She later studied at the University of Delhi and graduated with a degree in politics. She continued her education at St Hugh's College, Oxford, where she earned a B.A. in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics.

Political Career

Aung San Suu Kyi returned to Burma in 1988 amidst widespread pro-democracy protests against the military regime. She co-founded the National League for Democracy (NLD) and became its General Secretary. In the 1990 general election, the NLD won a landslide victory, but the military junta refused to hand over power.

Aung San Suu Kyi spent much of the next 15 years under house arrest. Her detention drew international attention and condemnation, and she became one of the world's most prominent political prisoners.

Nobel Peace Prize

In 1991, Aung San Suu Kyi was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her non-violent struggle for democracy and human rights. The Nobel Committee described her as "an outstanding example of the power of the powerless."

Release and Political Ascendancy

Aung San Suu Kyi was released from house arrest in November 2010. In the 2012 by-elections, she won a seat in the Pyithu Hluttaw, the lower house of Myanmar's parliament. In the 2015 general election, the NLD won a majority of seats, and Aung San Suu Kyi became the State Counsellor of Myanmar, a position akin to a prime minister.

Controversies

Aung San Suu Kyi's tenure as State Counsellor has been marred by international criticism over her handling of the Rohingya crisis. The military's actions against the Rohingya people have been described as ethnic cleansing and genocide by various international bodies, and Aung San Suu Kyi has been criticized for her perceived inaction and defense of the military.

Personal Life

Aung San Suu Kyi married Michael Aris, a British academic, in 1972. They had two sons, Alexander Aris and Kim Aris. Michael Aris passed away in 1999.

Related Pages

• Aung San
• National League for Democracy
• Rohingya crisis
• Nobel Peace Prize
• Myanmar