Aung San Suu Kyi: Inspirational Opposition Leader Still Detained
"Fearlessness may be a gift but perhaps more precious is the courage acquired through endeavour, courage that comes from cultivating the habit of refusing to let fear dictate one's actions, courage that could be described as 'grace under pressure' - grace which is renewed repeatedly in the face of harsh, unremitting pressure." Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's "Freedom From Fear" speech given in 1990.
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is the leader of the National League for Democracy (NLD) that won the majority of votes in the 1990 elections in Myanmar. The authorities, however, refused to relinquish power. Hundreds of opposition party members, including members of the NLD and student activists, have been detained by the ruling State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) since these elections.
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has been under house arrest for 13 of the last 19 years. She has been denied visitors (except from her physician, Dr. Tin Myo Win), and prevent from communicating with anyone. Her latest six-year detention order, imposed in May 2003, expired on 27 May, 2009. In March, the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention said that her house arrest violated both international law AND Myanmar's domestic legislation. On 26 May, the Myanmar authorities ended her detention order, due to expire the next day.
In May, just before the detention order was about to expire, Aung San Suu Kyi, together with her two female companions, Khin Khin Win and daughter Win Ma Ma, were arrested. They were tried in a special court inside the Insein Prison. Suu Kyi was charged with breaking her detention order after an American national in early May allegedly swam across the lake in front of her house and stayed for two days. The trial was closed to the public for all but a few days. Then, some 30-50 foreign diplomats and a few Myanmar journalists were allowed to attend. Her family doctor, Dr Tin Myo Win, was also detained but later released.
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, who turned 64 on 19 June 2009, was found guilty and sentenced to 3 years' imprisonment with hard labour, which was reduced to 18 months' house arrest. UN Chief Ban Ki-moon and many world leaders have called for the immediate and unconditional release of Aung San Suu Kyi.
ADD YOUR VOICE NOW!
To General Than Shwe, Chairman, State Peace and Development Council, Union of Myanmar
I urgently call upon the Myanmar government to release Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and her two female companions immediately and unconditionally, and to ensure that they receive all necessary medical attention.
I call upon the Myanmar government also to live up to its responsibilities under the UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners to provide appropriate medical care to all political prisoners, many of whom suffer from serious medical conditions. I ask particularly about the following Prisoners of Conscience suffering from chronic and various medical conditions: Htay Kywe, Hla Myo Naung, Ko Ko Gyi, Min Ko Naing, Myo Yan Naung Thein, Su Su Nway, Kay Thi Aung, Zarganar, U Khun Htun Oo and U Win Htein.
ADDITIONAL BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Amnesty International has been working on the case of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi since her first house arrest in 1989, as well as on the cases of the hundreds of other political prisoners and prisoners of conscience in Myanmar.
More about Aung San Suu Kyi
Born in 1945, Daw Aung San Suu is the leader of the National League for Democracy (NLD), an opposition party in Myanmar. Her father Aung San negotiated Burma's independence from the United Kingdom in 1947. She is a Buddhist advocate of non-violent resistance and a mother of two.
After marrying and living abroad, Aung San Suu Kyi returned to Burma in 1988. Following mass demonstrations for democracy in March 1988, Aung San Suu Kyi founded the National League for Democracy (NLD). She campaigned for a democratically elected government, respect for human rights and peaceful settlement of conflicts. She was put under house arrest in 1989 by the military who had overthrown the government. Despite this, the NLD won the national election, with approximately 60% of the vote and 81% of the seats. However, the ruling military government ignored the election results and have since remained in power.
Aung San Suu Kyi has remained in Myanmar, despite threats to her safety and despite being repeatedly placed under house arrest for her unwillingness to remain silent.
Her own health in recent months has been cause for much concern although in her court appearance the British Ambassador found her "composed, upright, crackling with energy...very much in charge of her defence team." Since the 2007 protests by thousands of people in Myanmar and around the world, the pressure is on to ensure that Aung San Suu Kyi and other prisoners of conscience, who are among the 2,155 political prisoners detained in Myanmar, are released without delay.
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PHOTO CREDIT: An image of Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi is displayed on the European Parliament's building at Place du Luxembourg on June 18, 2009 in Brussels in support of the EP's campaign for her release before her trial resumes on 26 June. AFP PHOTO / DOMINIQUE FAGET DOMINIQUE FAGET/AFP/Getty Images