I guess that a lot of Brits, like Dickiebo, are heartily sick of the Human Rights Act, introduced by Strasbourg, courtesy of NuLabour. Tell the truth, I do agree on a Human Rights Act, but not what we have been unwittingly saddled with. Who the hell is to blame? The Europeans? Our politicians? Or our Judiciary, who seem to think that any person’s rights take precedence over the rights of indigenous Brits, who wish to lead a peaceful life? When the world’s worst, most atrocious, terrorists, who openly state an absolute hatred of the UK, are allowed to remain in this country, as to deport them whence they came, would breach their ‘human rights’, then I think it is high time that we either got rid of this Inhuman Rights Act, or our sick politicos, and even the accursed Judges, living in their ivory towers. Rant over!
Today, Bloggers are uniting to publicise Human Rights (genuine ones!!!), and Dickiebo is choosing to once more highlight the plight of;
AUNG SAN SUI KYI
Aung’s father, was Aung San, Commander of the Burmese Independence Army, and her mum was Ma Khin KYI, a senior nurse at Rangoon Hospital. Aung was born on 19th June 1945, at Rangoon. 2 years later, on July 19th, General Aung San was assasinated.
In 1960, Aung’s mum was appointed as Burmese Ambassador to India, and Aung accompanied her.
1964 - 1967, Aung attended Oxford University, where she obtained a BA Degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics. 1969 - 1971 Aung studied in the USA and obtained work at the UN, where the Secretary-General at that time was (can you remember?) - yes, U Thant, from Burma.
January 1st, 1972, Aung married Michael ARIS, a scholar of Tibetan studies, who she had met in England. Aung had many appointments and wrote several books, whilst also doing much research on, mainly, Nepal, Bhutan, and similar places.
March 31st, 1988 was the day when Aung had to return to Rangoon on hearing that her mother had been taken very ill. On July 23rd, the military ruler since 1962 died, throwing the country into some turmoil. There were mass uprisings which were brutally suppressed by the military, killing many thousands.
August 15. Suu Kyi, in first political action, sends open letter to government, asking for formation of independent consultative committee to prepare multi-party elections. August 26. In first public speech, she addresses several hundred thousand people outside Shwedagon Pagoda, calling for democratic government. Michael and her two sons are there.
September 24. National League for Democracy (NLD) formed, with Suu Kyi general-secretary. Policy of non-violence and civil disobedience.
October-December. Defying ban, Suu Kyi makes speech-making tour throughout country to large audiences.
December 27th, her mum dies and Suu Kyi vows that as her father and mother had served the people of Burma, so too would she, even unto death.
January-July. Suu Kyi continues campaign despite harassment, arrests and killings by soldiers.
February 17. Suu Kyi prohibited from standing for election.
April 5. Incident in Irawaddy Delta when Suu Kyi courageously walks toward rifles soldiers are aiming at her.
July 20. Suu Kyi placed under house arrest, without charge or trial. Sons already with her. Michael flies to Rangoon, finds her on third day of hunger strike, asking to be sent to prison to join students arrested at her home. Ends strike when good treatment of students is promised.
| 1990: | May 27. Despite detention of Suu Kyi, NLD wins election with 82% of parliamentary seats. SLORC refuses to recognise results. |
On December 10th 1991, Aung was offered the opportunity to leave for Oslo to accept the Nobel Peace prize, if she would agree to leave Burma, and give up all politics. She declined. She announced that she would spend the $1.3million on setting up a health and education trust for the Burmese people.
In 1995, after 6 years in detention, Aung was released from detention, but with severe restrictions imposed upon her. On March 27th, 1999, her husband died in England, after having been repeatedly denied the chance to visit Aung one last time, as he was dying from cancer. Aung accepted this as part of the price she must pay for her trying to help her people.
[I am most grateful to Nobel Lectures for permission to use the above information, which is quoted from that source.]
Periods under detention
- Arrested, July 20, 1989, Placed her under house arrest in Rangoon under martial law that allows for detention without charge or trial for three years
- Released, July 10, 1995, Released from house arrest.
- Arrested, September 23rd 2000, Aung San Suu Kyi is placed under house arrest.
- Released, May 6, 2002, Freed after 19 months of house arrest.
- Arrested. May 30, 2003, Following the Depayin massacre she was held in secret detention for over 3 months before being returned to house arrest.
- May 25, 2007, house arrest extended by one year.
- October 24, 2007, reaches 12 years under house arrest, solidarity protests held at 12 cities around the world Burma Campaign UK.
AUNG SAN SUI KYI - “an outstanding example of the power of the powerless”.
Posted in Aung, Uncategorized
