Aung San Suu Kyi, Democratic leader of Burma, political prisoner & 1991 Nobel Peace Prize recipient, Yangon, Burma/Myanmar 1996.
Although the politics of Burma have stabilized somewhat in recent years, the Burmese military refused to recognize the elections won by Aung San Suu Kyi and her National League for Democracy (NLD) in 1990, instead seizing all power and placing her under house arrest for 15 years. While still imprisoned, she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991 and was...
more »Aung San Suu Kyi, Democratic leader of Burma, political prisoner & 1991 Nobel Peace Prize recipient, Yangon, Burma/Myanmar 1996.
Although the politics of Burma have stabilized somewhat in recent years, the Burmese military refused to recognize the elections won by Aung San Suu Kyi and her National League for Democracy (NLD) in 1990, instead seizing all power and placing her under house arrest for 15 years. While still imprisoned, she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991 and was cited by the Nobel Committee as one of the most extraordinary examples of civil courage in Asia in recent decades.
I was able to meet Aung San Suu Kyi shortly after she was initially freed from house arrest for a short period and was deeply impressed by her dignity and inner strength during her ongoing struggle for democracy. This day was the first time in six years she had been able to leave her house for the New Year and the NLD members swarmed her front lawn in joyous celebration.
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