Obama speech aung san suu kyi biography

Amnesty International [ 64 ] [ 65 ]. Aung San Suu Kyi was placed under house arrest for a total of 15 years over a year period, on numerous occasions, since she began her political career, [ 66 ] during which time she was prevented from meeting her party supporters and international visitors. In an interview, she said that while under house arrest she spent her time reading philosophy , politics and biographies that her husband had sent her.

Although under house arrest, Aung San Suu Kyi was granted permission to leave Burma under the condition that she never return, which she refused: "As a mother, the greater sacrifice was giving up my sons, but I was always aware of the fact that others had given up more than me. I never forget that my colleagues who are in prison suffer not only physically, but mentally for their families who have no security outside—in the larger prison of Burma under authoritarian rule.

The media were also prevented from visiting Aung San Suu Kyi, as occurred in when journalist Maurizio Giuliano , after photographing her, was stopped by customs officials who then confiscated all his films, tapes and some notes. The Burmese government detained and kept Aung San Suu Kyi imprisoned because it viewed her as someone "likely to undermine the community peace and stability" of the country, and used both Article 10 a and 10 b of the State Protection Act granting the government the power to imprison people for up to five years without a trial , [ 72 ] and Section 22 of the "Law to Safeguard the State Against the Dangers of Those Desiring to Cause Subversive Acts" as legal tools against her.

Aung San Suu Kyi proclaimed "a new dawn for the country". However, on 30 May in an incident similar to the attack on her, a government-sponsored mob attacked her caravan in the northern village of Depayin , murdering and wounding many of her supporters. The government imprisoned her at Insein Prison in Rangoon. After she underwent a hysterectomy in September , the government again placed her under house arrest in Rangoon.

Ismail resigned from his post the following year, partly because he was denied re-entry to Burma on several occasions. This was Aung San Suu Kyi's first appearance in state media in the four years since her current detention began. The United Nations Working Group for Arbitrary Detention published an Opinion that Aung San Suu Kyi's deprivation of liberty was arbitrary and in contravention of Article 9 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights , and requested that the authorities in Burma set her free, but the authorities ignored the request at that time.

The accusation followed the defeat of a US-sponsored United Nations Security Council resolution condemning Burma as a threat to international security; the resolution was defeated because of strong opposition from China , which has strong ties with the military junta China later voted against the resolution, along with Russia and South Africa. In November , it was reported that Aung San Suu Kyi would meet her political allies National League for Democracy along with a government minister.

The ruling junta made the official announcement on state TV and radio just hours after UN special envoy Ibrahim Gambari ended his second visit to Burma. However, on departing from Burma, Ban Ki-moon said he was "disappointed" with the visit after junta leader Than Shwe refused permission for him to visit Aung San Suu Kyi, citing her ongoing trial.

Ban said he was "deeply disappointed that they have missed a very important opportunity". Protests led by Buddhist monks during Saffron Revolution began on 19 August following steep fuel price increases, and continued each day, despite the threat of a crackdown by the military. On 22 September , although still under house arrest , Aung San Suu Kyi made a brief public appearance at the gate of her residence in Yangon to accept the blessings of Buddhist monks who were marching in support of human rights.

On 3 May , an American man, identified as John Yettaw , swam across Inya Lake to her house uninvited and was arrested when he made his return trip three days later. Aung San Suu Kyi was later taken to Insein Prison , where she could have faced up to five years' confinement for the intrusion. The defence was allowed to call only one witness out of four , while the prosecution was permitted to call 14 witnesses.

On 11 August , the trial concluded with Aung San Suu Kyi being sentenced to imprisonment for three years with hard labour. This sentence was commuted by the military rulers to further house arrest of 18 months. During the visit, Webb negotiated Yettaw's release and deportation from Burma. However, her appeal against the August sentence was rejected by a Burmese court on 2 October Although the court accepted the argument that the constitution, under which she had been charged, was null and void, it also said the provisions of the security law, under which she has been kept under house arrest, remained in force.

The verdict effectively meant that she would be unable to participate in the elections scheduled to take place in —the first in Burma in two decades. Her lawyer stated that her legal team would pursue a new appeal within 60 days. The United Nations has urged the country to move towards inclusive national reconciliation , the restoration of democracy , and full respect for human rights.

In contrast with other ASEAN member states, Dung said Vietnam has always supported Myanmar and hopes it will continue to implement the " roadmap to democracy " outlined by its government. It was announced prior to the Burmese general election that Aung San Suu Kyi may be released "so she can organize her party", [ ] However, Aung San Suu Kyi was not allowed to run.

The US Government hoped that successful general elections would be an optimistic indicator of the Burmese government's sincerity towards eventual democracy. In a personal letter to Aung San Suu Kyi, UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown cautioned the Burmese government of the potential consequences of rigging elections as "condemning Burma to more years of diplomatic isolation and economic stagnation".

She appeared in front of a crowd of her supporters, who rushed to her house in Rangoon when nearby barricades were removed by the security forces. Aung San Suu Kyi had been detained for 15 of the past 21 years. Discussions were held between Aung San Suu Kyi and the Burmese government during , which led to a number of official gestures to meet her demands.

In October, around a tenth of Burma's political prisoners were freed in an amnesty and trade unions were legalised. In November , following a meeting of its leaders, the NLD announced its intention to re-register as a political party to contend 48 by-elections necessitated by the promotion of parliamentarians to ministerial rank. In December , there was speculation that Aung San Suu Kyi would run in the national by-elections to fill vacant seats.

On 3 March , at a large campaign rally in Mandalay , Aung San Suu Kyi unexpectedly left after 15 minutes, because of exhaustion and airsickness. In an official campaign speech broadcast on Burmese state television's MRTV on 14 March , Aung San Suu Kyi publicly campaigned for reform of the Constitution , removal of restrictive laws, more adequate protections for people's democratic rights, and establishment of an independent judiciary.

Aung San Suu Kyi also called for international media to monitor the by-elections, while publicly pointing out irregularities in official voter lists, which include deceased individuals and exclude other eligible voters in the contested constituencies. When asked whether she would assume a ministerial post if given the opportunity, she said the following: [ ].

I can tell you one thing—that under the present constitution, if you become a member of the government you have to vacate your seat in the national assembly. And I am not working so hard to get into parliament simply to vacate my seat. On 26 March , Aung San Suu Kyi suspended her nationwide campaign tour early, after a campaign rally in Myeik Mergui , a coastal town in the south, citing health problems due to exhaustion and hot weather.

Although she and other MP-elects were expected to take office on 23 April when the Hluttaws resumed session, National League for Democracy MP-elects, including Aung San Suu Kyi, said they might not take their oaths because of its wording; in its present form, parliamentarians must vow to "safeguard" the constitution. Changing that wording in the oath is also in conformity with the Constitution.

I don't expect there will be any difficulty in doing it. Although she was awarded this medal in , at the time she was under house arrest, and was unable to receive the medal. Aung San Suu Kyi was greeted with bipartisan support at Congress, as part of a coast-to-coast tour in the United States. The experience was described by Aung San Suu Kyi as "one of the most moving days of my life".

The NLD won a sweeping victory in those elections, winning at least seats in the House of Representatives and seats in the House of Nationalities. Under the constitution , the NLD needed to win at least a two-thirds majority in both houses to ensure that its candidate would become president. Before the elections, Aung San Suu Kyi announced that even though she is constitutionally barred from the presidency, she would hold the real power in any NLD -led government.

The next day, her role as State Counsellor was established. Initially, upon accepting the State Counsellor position, she granted amnesty to the students who were arrested for opposing the National Education Bill , and announced the creation of the commission on Rakhine State , which had a long record of persecution of the Muslim Rohingya minority.

However, soon Aung San Suu Kyi's government did not manage with the ethnic conflicts in Shan and Kachin states , where thousands of refugees fled to China , and by the persecution of the Rohingya by the government forces escalated to the point that it is not uncommonly called a genocide. Aung San Suu Kyi, when interviewed, has denied the allegations of ethnic cleansing.

Her tenure as State Counsellor of Myanmar has drawn international criticism for her failure to address her country's economic and ethnic problems, particularly the plight of the Rohingya following the 25 August ARSA attacks described as "certainly one of the biggest refugee crises and cases of ethnic cleansing since the Second World War " , for the weakening of freedom of the press and for her style of leadership, described as imperious and "distracted and out of touch".

In , critics called for Aung San Suu Kyi's Nobel prize to be revoked, citing her silence over the genocide of Rohingya people in Myanmar. She did condemn "hate of any kind" in the interview. However, she said that she wanted to work towards reconciliation and she cannot take sides as violence has been committed by both sides. However, she has spoken out "against a ban on Rohingya families near the Bangladeshi border having more than two children".

In a BBC News article, reporter Jonah Fisher suggested that Aung San Suu Kyi's silence over the Rohingya issue is due to a need to obtain support from the majority Bamar ethnicity as she is in "the middle of a general election campaign". Her regime excludes—and in some cases seeks to silence—the very activists who helped to ensure her own rights were recognised.

It is incongruous for a symbol of righteousness to lead such a country. In October , Oxford City Council announced that, following a unanimous cross-party vote, [ ] the honour of Freedom of the City , granted in in recognition of her "long struggle for democracy", was to be withdrawn following evidence emerging from the United Nations which meant that she was "no longer worthy of the honour".

Calling Aung San Suu Kyi a "handmaiden to genocide", [ ] Geldof added that he would take pride in his award being restored if it is first stripped from her. In August , it was revealed that Aung San Suu Kyi would be stripped of her Freedom of Edinburgh award over her refusal to speak out against the crimes committed against the Rohingya. She had received the award in for promoting peace and democracy in Burma.

This decision was caused by the Government of Canada 's determination that the treatment of the Rohingya by Myanmar's government amounts to genocide. On 11 November , Amnesty International announced it was revoking her Ambassador of Conscience award. In January , the International Court of Justice decided that there was a "real and imminent risk of irreparable prejudice to the rights" of the Rohingya.

The court also took the view that the Burmese government's efforts to remedy the situation "do not appear sufficient" to protect the Rohingya. Therefore, the court ordered the Burmese government to take "all measures within its power" to protect the Rohingya from genocidal actions. The court also instructed the Burmese government to preserve evidence and report back to the court at timely intervals about the situation.

She also challenged critics to "point out where there has been a miscarriage of justice", and told the two Reuters journalists that they could appeal their case to a higher court. In September , the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights issued a report that since Aung San Suu Kyi's party, the NLD, came to power, the arrests and criminal prosecutions of journalists in Myanmar by the government and military, under laws which are too vague and broad, have "made it impossible for journalists to do their job without fear or favour.

Aung San Suu Kyi was transferred to house arrest on the same evening, and on 3 February was formally charged with illegally importing ten or more walkie-talkies. She faces up to three years in prison for the charges. According to The New York Times , the charge "echoed previous accusations of esoteric legal crimes and arcane offenses" used by the military against critics and rivals.

US President Joe Biden raised the threat of new sanctions as a result of the Myanmar's military coup. On 1 April , Aung San Suu Kyi was charged with the fifth offence in relation to violating the official secrets act. According to her lawyer, it is the most serious charge brought against her after the coup and could carry a sentence of up to 14 years in prison if convicted.

According to her lawyer, it is her sixth indictment. She appeared in court via video link and now faces five charges in the capital Naypyidaw and one in Yangon. On 28 April , the National Unity Government NUG , in which Aung San Suu Kyi symbolically retained her position, anticipated that there would be no talks with the junta until all political prisoners, including her, are set free.

This move by her supporters come after an ASEAN -supported consensus with the junta leadership in the past days. She had been previously only allowed to do so remotely from her home. On 24 May , Aung San Suu Kyi appeared in person in court for the first time since the coup to face the "incitement to sedition" charge against her. She was also quoted on the possibility of her party's forced dissolution as "Our party grew out of the people so it will exist as long as people support it.

On 2 June , it was reported that the military had moved her as well as Win Myint from their homes to an unknown location. On 10 June , Aung San Suu Kyi was charged with corruption , the most serious charge brought against her, which carries a maximum penalty of 15 years' imprisonment. Aung San Suu Kyi's lawyers say the charges are made to keep her out of the public eye.

Any conviction would prevent her from running for office again. On 13 September , court proceedings were to resume against her, but it was postponed due to Aung San Suu Kyi presenting "minor health issues" that impeded her from attending the court in person. On 4 October , Aung San Suu Kyi asked the judge to reduce her times of court appearances because of her fragile health.

Aung San Suu Kyi described her health as "strained". In November, the Myanmar courts deferred the first verdicts in the trial without further explanation or giving dates. On 6 December , Suu Kyi was sentenced to 4 years in jail. Following a partial pardon by the chief of the military government, Aung San Suu Kyi's four-year sentence was reduced to two years' imprisonment.

On 10 January , the military court in Myanmar sentenced Suu Kyi to an additional four years in prison on a number of charges including "importing and owning walkie-talkies" and "breaking coronavirus rules". The trials, which are closed to the public, the media, and any observers, were described as a "courtroom circus of secret proceedings on bogus charges" by the deputy director for Asia of Human Rights Watch.

On 22 June , junta authorities ordered that all further legal proceedings against Suu Kyi will take place in prison venues, instead of a courtroom. No explanation of the decision was given. This is the same prison in which Win Myint had similarly been placed in solitary confinement. The military confirmed that Suu Kyi had been moved to prison.

On 15 August , sources following Aung San Suu Kyi's court proceedings said that she was sentenced to an additional six years' imprisonment after being found guilty on four corruption charges, bringing her overall sentences to 17 years in prison. Aung San Suu Kyi's final sentence is of 33 years in prison. However, it was reported that since the beginning of September , she is back in prison.

The exact time when she was sent back to prison is unknown. To this date, the requests are repeatedly denied. On 16 April , the military announced that Aung San Suu Kyi had been transferred to house arrest due to a heat wave. 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.

Asked what democratic models Myanmar could look to, she said: "We have many, many lessons to learn from various places, not just the Asian countries like South Korea , Taiwan , Mongolia , and Indonesia. And we cannot of course forget South Africa , because although it wasn't a military regime, it was certainly an authoritarian regime.

In a nod to the deep US political divide between Republicans led by Mitt Romney and the Democrats by Barack Obama —then battling to win the presidential election —she stressed, "Those of you who are familiar with American politics I'm sure understand the need for negotiated compromise. Lead singer Bono is wearing a t-shirt with her image and name on the front in their official video of the song.

After being arrested and detained on 1 February , there were concerns that Aung San Suu Kyi's health was deteriorating. Although a junta spokesperson claimed that she is in good health, since being sent back to prison in September , it is reported that her health condition is worsening and she is "suffering of toothache and unable to eat".

Her request to see a dentist had been denied. Her son is urging the junta to allow Aung San Suu Kyi to receive medical assistance. Contents move to sidebar hide. Article Talk. Read Edit View history. Tools Tools. Download as PDF Printable version. In other projects. Wikimedia Commons Wikinews Wikiquote Wikidata item. This is the latest accepted revision , reviewed on 22 January Burmese politician born There is no family name.

Htin Kyaw Win Myint. Ministerial offices — Khin Maung Soe Zeya Aung. Aung San father Khin Kyi mother. Aung San Suu Kyi's voice. This article is part of a series about. This article contains Burmese script. Without proper rendering support , you may see question marks, boxes, or other symbols instead of Burmese script. Name [ edit ].

Personal life [ edit ]. Political career [ edit ]. Political beginning [ edit ]. House arrest [ edit ]. United Nations involvement [ edit ]. Periods under detention [ edit ]. Main article: Burmese anti-government protests. Main article: Suu Kyi trespasser incidents. Late s: International support for release [ edit ]. State counsellor and foreign minister — [ edit ].

Response to the genocide of Rohingya Muslims and refugees [ edit ]. Arrests and prosecution of journalists [ edit ]. Political beliefs [ edit ]. Related organisations [ edit ]. In popular culture [ edit ]. Health problems [ edit ]. Books [ edit ]. Honours [ edit ]. See also [ edit ]. Notes [ edit ]. References [ edit ]. Complete University Guide.

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Obama speech aung san suu kyi biography

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May [ Jeffrey Hays, last updated May ]. What we need is a healthy balance between optimism and pessimism. We need to view the -- the situation for what it was. So we accept responsibility for the fate of our country, but at the same time we welcome the support and the help of our friends. And we always appreciate them very greatly. Barack Obama: Well, good afternoon, everybody.

It is wonderful to be back in Rangoon and to once more have the opportunity to spend time with Aung San Suu Kyi. As we know, it was in this house that she endured years of confinement -- never giving up hope, never wavering in her determination to build a free and democratic Burma. Daw Suu, you helped set this country on a better path. When I made my first historic visit to Burma, this country was just taking preliminary steps towards democracy.

And in the past two years, important changes have been made. The economy has begun to grow. Political prisoners have been set free. There are more newspapers and media outlets. Children have been released from the military. And these are all important changes that have opened up greater opportunity for the people of Burma. The process for reform is by no means complete or irreversible.

For many, progress has not come fast enough or spread far enough. People need to feel safe in their homes and not be subject to arbitrary harassment by authorities or individuals acting with impunity. People need to be empowered to pursue their dreams. As a member of parliament and the head of the rule of law committee, Aung San Suu Kyi is working hard to make government more transparent, more accountable, to protect the rights of all the Burmese people, to promote reforms that would expand the political space for more people to contribute their voices.

But implementing the major political and economic reforms that are necessary to keep Burma advancing toward democracy is going to take a great deal of political will and no small amount of determination. And we, as friends of the Burmese people, are clear-eyed about the scale of the challenges that remain, and recognize that we cannot remain complacent.

We talked about the need for stronger rule of law, for elections that are free, fair and inclusive, and for continued constitutional changes that will move Burma more fully towards a civilian government. Specifically, I stressed the need to find durable and effective solutions for the terrible violence in Rakhine state -- solutions that end discrimination, provide greater security and economic opportunities, protect all citizens, and promote greater tolerance and understanding.

I think these new voices are going to be critical to making sure that reforms are sustainable and meaningful to people across the country and across the region. So, Daw Suu, thank you again for welcoming us here today. We continue to look to you for inspiration as well as resolve, and I know that you will continue to be a fierce advocate on behalf of the people of Burma, a future of democracy, and I know that you will be a strong partner with the United States.

Thank you. Christi Parsons. Q: You have been traveling in countries with long histories of repressing freedom of expression and censorship. And it was interesting yesterday that President Xi seemed to be saying that reporters who have problems have themselves to blame. And so I wonder to what extent you feel the need to contend with these ideas with leaders in this region as you travel.

And what do you say to them? And by way of example, I might ask you -- Attorney General Eric Holder says no journalist will go to prison for doing his or her job, on his watch. And so I ask about the case of James Risen, the journalist who is facing this prosecution for not revealing his source in a leak prosecution. And if I may, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, ask you -- how concerned are you about the violence against ethnic minorities in your country, and specifically the Rohingya people?

And what do you believe is your responsibility to speak out about it? Thank you very much. Barack Obama: The issue of press freedom is a constant concern in my interactions with the Chinese government. That is part of our tradition. We believe in the primacy individuals being able to pursue their dreams, endowed with certain inalienable rights.

And we believe that when governments censor or control information, that ultimately that undermines not only the society, but it leads to eventual encroachments on individual rights as well. I can't comment, Christi, on any particular pending case, as you know -- that's sort of an iron-clad rule -- or any particular prosecution.

I can read back to you what Attorney General Holder has said, which is no journalist is going to go to jail for doing their job. And I don't think you're suggesting that there's -- that the two cases are comparable. But I recognize that in our own society we have to constantly balance the need for certain national security issues to remain secret with journalists pursuing leads wherever they can.

And the good news is, is that we've got courts and we've got a First Amendment. And we got a whole bunch of tools to ensure that that balance is properly debated and adjudicated. But I think that when I am traveling, it is important as the President of the United States to not just talk about our interests, but also to talk about our values. Sometimes it has an impact; sometimes it doesn't.

It might not have been the one he was expecting, but he did end up taking the question. So you just keep on chipping away and seeing if we can make progress. Q: [Off-mic inaudible]. Barack Obama: Hold on a second, Christi. Don't try to segue into a second question. Barack Obama: There you go. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi: The National League for Democracy always has been against violence of any kind, either on racial grounds, or religious grounds, or ideological grounds.

We do not believe that violence really resolves anything at all. Our struggle for democracy has been carried out with a strong grasp on the principle of nonviolence. And also, we believe in the rule of law. So if you ask how do we propose to resolve all of these problems of violence between communities, between different ethnic groups, we've got to start with rule of law.

People have to feel secure before they can start talking to one another. We cannot achieve harmony without security. People who feel threatened are not going to sit down and sort out their problems. So I would like to recommend, as the chair of the Rule of Law and Tranquility Committee -- don't forget that tranquility is also included -- that the government should look to rule of law.

It is the duty of the government to make all our people feel secure, and it is the duty of our people to learn to live in harmony with one another. If we want democracy, we have to be prepared to live by the principles of democracy. We have to dare to live according to the principles of democracy. I think we'll get there, but it will take us some time.

But we will remain fully committed to the principle of nonviolence. Q: [inaudible] Mr. President, I'd like to know about the Myanmar reforms. You've been talking with the President and parliament speakers, and also you're going to talk with the civil societies group, and then youth. So my direct question to you is that: Have you got any specific agreement with the Myanmar government or President Thein Sein about Myanmar reforms such as constitutional change, and peace negotiation, peace process, and also general election?

So if you didn't make amendment, or you didn't change constitution, the NLD and you, yourself, is going to be very difficult after elections. So have you talked about those issues with the President? Or the President talk to you about U. He acknowledged her role as a moral leader for the world, even while isolated and silenced by the military regime.

Suu Kyi's courage and determination became a symbol of hope and resistance. Suu Kyi's visit to Europe was her first in two decades. Despite her frail health, she embarked on a grueling schedule that included public appearances, meetings with world leaders, and a concert in her honor. Her arrival in Norway was greeted with a reception typically reserved for rock stars, underscoring her popularity and the immense impact she had made on the international stage.

In her Nobel Peace Prize speech, Suu Kyi stressed the importance of striving for peace, even if the goal seems unattainable. She emphasized the transformative power of kindness and urged individuals to work together to create a more just and compassionate society.