Contents
Aung San Suu Kyi
Leading Myanmar’s democracy movement and later its civilian government.
Nobel Peace Prize · Election victory
- Born
- 19 June 1945
- Birthplace
- Yangon, Myanmar
More people
Nelson MandelaHelping end apartheid and becoming South Africa’s first Black president.
Winston ChurchillBeing a racist bigot and responsible for the orders that led to the Bengal famine of 1943, in which an estimated three million people died.
Franklin D. RooseveltLeading the United States through the Great Depression and most of the Second World War.Aung San Suu Kyi
Aung San Suu Kyi is a Myanmar politician and Nobel Peace Prize laureate. Her reputation changed sharply after she defended Myanmar against genocide allegations concerning the Rohingya; the military removed her government in 2021.
Early life
Political family
Her father, independence leader Aung San, was assassinated when she was a child.
Study abroad
Studied in India and at Oxford before working at the United Nations.
Career
- 1988–2010
Opposition and detention
Helped found the National League for Democracy and spent long periods under house arrest.
- 2016–2021
Civilian leadership
Served as state counsellor under a constitution that preserved extensive military power.
- 2021
Military coup
Was detained when the military overthrew the elected government.
Public record
Nobel Peace Prize
Received recognition for her non-violent struggle for democracy and human rights.
Election victory
Her party won a decisive general-election victory.
International Court of Justice
Represented Myanmar in proceedings over alleged genocide against the Rohingya.
Beyond work
Family
Married scholar Michael Aris and had two sons; political detention separated her from family life.
Rohingya record
Her defence of Myanmar and response to atrocities drew major international criticism. The ICJ proceedings concern the state’s responsibility, rather than a personal criminal trial.
Sources & photo credit
Life, career and references ↗Institutional source ↗Photo: Cabinet Public Relations Office of the Cabinet Secretariat. CC BY 4.0 · Original image. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.
.jpg){kind=link}