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Essay: Aung San Suu Kyi: The Civil Rights Leader Who Spent Years in House Arrest

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  • Subject area(s): Sample essays
  • Reading time: 4 minutes
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  • Published: 1 April 2019*
  • Last Modified: 23 July 2024
  • File format: Text
  • Words: 897 (approx)
  • Number of pages: 4 (approx)

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Aung  San  Suu  Kyi  was  my  Civil  Rights  leader.  She  was  born  on  June  19,  1945 in  Rangoon  (Yangon),  Burma. She  was  married  to Michael  Arias  and  has  two  sons  Htein  (Kim)  Lin  and  Myint  (Alexander)  San  Aung.  Today  she  is 72 years old.

Aung  San  Suu  Kyi  attended  several  schools  growing  up  like;  SOAS  University  of   London  1985-1987 ,  University  of  Oxford  1968 ,  St.  Hugh’s  College  (Oxford)  1967  , University  of  Delhi  in  1964,  and Lady  Shri  Ram  College in 1964.

Aung  San  Suu  kyi  better  known  as  Daw  San  Suu  Kyi  is  a  politician  leader. Aung San  stood  for  peace  and  nonviolent attempt  for  human  rights  and  democracy. She  won  a(n)  award  for  this  cause  in  1991.  In  the  year  2000  Bill  Clinton  awards  Aung San  the  Presidential  Medal  of  Freedom  in Absentia.  Then  again  in  2008  president  George  W.  Bush  signed  a  legislature  awarding  a  congress  Gold  Medal  again  in  Absentia.  In  the year 2012  President  Barack  Obama  awards  Aung  San now third  Congress  Gold  Medal.  

Even though Aung San  has  won  several  peace  awards,  she  has  been  in  and  out  of  house  arrest  for  several  years. She  has  spent  15 out of  21  years in  house  arrest,  and  5  of  those years  in  prison for  violating  house  arrest  rules. She  was  originally  first  placed  under  house  arrest  for  charges  of  attempting  to  divide  the  military,  which  she  denies  in  1989. In  1995  she  was  released  from  house  arrest,  but  her  political  activities  were  restricted.  In  the  year  2000  was  again placed  under  house  arrest,  two  years  later  released.  On   May  2003  Aung San  was  attacked  by  a  pro-government  mob, and  held  by  the  military  and later  again  placed  under  house  arrest.

Aung  San’s  husband  Michael  Aris (married, 1972 – 1999, his death).  Michael Arias  began  his  film  career  in  1987.  He  began  his  big debut  at  “Dream  Quest  Images”.  Michael  has  lived  in  Tokyo,   Japan  since  he  was  23 years  old  and  speaks   and  writes  japanese  fluently. He  and  Aung  San  Suu Kyi  had  2  boys  Htein  Lin  (kim)  and  Myint San Aung  (Alexander).

Aung  San  may have  spent  many  years  in  house  arrest  she  had  two sons. Born in 1977  Kim (Burmese  name: Htein  Lin) and  in 1973 Alexander  (Burmese  name:  Myint  San  Aung). Htein  (Kim) was born  in  Mezaligon, Sagaing in Burma. He  studied  for  his  bachelor  of  Law  (LLB)  in 1985 at  the  Yangon  University.  Along  with  others  Htein  in 1988  he  was  expelled  for  protesting  in the  lack  of  interest in the  death of  another  student.  Instead   of  pursuing  his  profession  in  law  he  became  drawn  to  the   artistic  profession  and  even  starred   in  Htein Htein.  Myint  San  Aung  (Alexander) was  born in London, United Kingdom.  Myint  was  educated  at  two  independent  schools,  Dragon  School  and  Magdalen  College  School.

Aung  San  had  3  sibling;  Aung  San  Oo,  Aung  San  Lin and  Aung  San Chit.   Aung  San  Oo  is  the  is  the eldest of  Aung  San’s children. He is  engineer  and  since  2005  has  been  constructing  a  large  Mansion  in  Bagan.  Aung  San  Oo and  Aung  San  Suu  Kyi  are  the  last  two  remaining  descendants  still  alive of Aung  San’s  children. Aung  San Li  died  at  age  8  by  drowning.  Aung  San  Chit died  after delivery.

Aung  San Suu  Kyi’s  father,  Aung  San  was  commander  of the  Burma Independence  Army.  He helped  negotiate Burma’s  independence  from  Britain. He  was  known  as  the  founder  of  Tatmadaw. He  was  married  to Khin  Kyi (married:  1942- 1947 cause:  assassination) Aung  San  had 4  children;  Aung  San  Oo,  Aung  San  Lin,  Aung   San  Suu Kyi  and   Aung  San  Chit.   Sadly  in  July 1947  he  was  assassinated.

Aung  San’s mother,  Ma  khin  kyi, was  a  diplomat. She  attended  the  American  Baptist  Mission-run  Kemmendine  Girls  School  in  Rangoon. She  and  Aung  San  had  4  children; Aung  San  Oo,  Aung  San  Lin,  Aung   San  Suu Kyi  and   Aung  San  Chit.   She  died  on  December  27,  1988 in cause  of  a  stroke. She  was  married  to  Aung  San  from  (1942-1947).  

 Aung  San  Suu  Kyi  growing-up lived  Inya  Lake  where she  met  people of  different  backgrounds. Aung San Suu Kyi  had  a  talent  of  of  learning  new  languages  very  quickly,  she  can  speak  fluently; Burmese,  English,  French,  and  Japanese.

During  her  time  in  house  arrest  she  spent  her  time  playing   the  piano  and  reading  numerous  books  her  husband  had  sent  her  and  was  occasionally allowed  visits  from  diplomats.  She  was offered  to  be  released  but  on  one  condition  in  never  returning  to  Burma,  if she  agreed  she  would  be giving  up  not  only  her  children  but  her  people  so  she  denied  the  opportunity  and  served  her  full  sentence  of house  arrest.

In  May  2003  a  man  named  John  Yettaw   swam  the  Inya  lake  to  reach  Aung San  Suu  Kyi’s  residence. Uninvited  he  hid  in  Aung  San’s  residence  for  three  days.  The  most  astonishing  part  was  that  he  had  attempted  to  do  the  same  thing  2 years  earlier.  Upon  his  return   Aung  San  Suu  was arrested  for  violating  house  arrest  terms.  Aung  San  Suu  Kyi  was  originally  sentenced  to  5  years  behind  bars  but  resulted  in  18  months  of  solitary  confinement.  

A  few  of  Aung  San  Suu   Kyi’s  most  famous  quotes  are; “It  is  not  power  that  corrupts  but  fear. Fear  of  losing  power  corrupts  those  who  wield  it  and  fear  of  the  scourge  of  power  corrupts  those  who  are  subject  to  it.” &  “Peace  as  a goal  is  an  ideal  which  will  not  be  contested  by  any  government  or  nation,  not  even  the  most  belligerent.” Quoted  directly  from  Aung   San  Suu  Kyi.  

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