| Biography
19 June 1945
Born in Rangoon (Capital of Burma). She is the daughter of
national leader General Aung San (assassinated on 19 July
1947) and Daw Khin Kyi. Educated in Rangoon until 15 years
old.
1960
Daw Khin Kyi was appointed Burma's ambassador to India. She
accompanied Daw Khin Kyi (mother) to Delhi on her appointment.
1964-1967
BA in philosophy, politics and economics, St. Hugh's College,
Oxford University (elected Honorary Fellow in 1990).
1969-1971
Assistant Secretary, Advisory Committee on Administrative
and Budgetary Questions, United Nations Secretariat, New York.
1972
Research Officer, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Bhutan; married
Dr. Michael Aris, a British scholar.
1973-1977
Birth of sons Alexander in London (1973) and Kim (1977) in
Oxford.
1985-1986
Visiting Scholar, Centre of Southeast Asian Studies, Kyoto
University.
1987
Fellow, Indian Institute of Advanced Studies, Simla.
March 1988
Aung San Suu Kyi goes back to Burma to attend her ailing mother
while student protests breaks out in Rangoon.
23 July 1988
Gen. Ne Win steps down as Chairman of the Burma Socialist
Programme Party (BSPP) after 26 years, triggering pro-democracy
movement.
8 August 1988
The famous 8-8-88 mass uprising starts in Rangoon and spreads
to the entire country, drawing millions of people to protest
against the BSPP government. The following military crackdown
killed thousands.
15 August 1988
Proposed the formation of a People's Consultative Committee
during the democratic uprising in Burma.
26 August 1988
Aung San Suu Kyi addresses half-million mass rally in front
of the famous Shwedagon Pagoda in Rangoon and calls for a
democratic government.
18 September 1988
The military re-establishes its power and the State Law and
Order Restoration Council is formed. The military again crushes
the pro-democracy movement with force killing hundreds more.
24 September 1988
The National League for Democracy (NLD) is formed, with Aung
San Suu Kyi as general secretary.
27 December 1988
Daw Khin Kyi, mother of Aung San Suu Kyi dies. The funeral
procession draws a huge crowd of supporters, which turns into
a peaceful protest against military rule.
July 1988 to October 1989
As leader of the NLD, delivered over a hundred public addresses
during extensive campaign tours in Rangoon, Pegu, Magwe, Sagaing,
Mandalay, Moulmein, Tavoy, Mergui, Pakkoku, Taunggyi, Kyaukpadaung,
Monywa, Myinmu, Myitkyina, etc.
5 April 1989
Aung San Suu Kyi confronts an army unit ordered to aim their
rifles at her while campaigning in the Irrawaddy Delta. An
army major finally intervenes, countermands the order and
prevents her assassination.
21 June 1989
Aung San Suu Kyi attends memorial service for the dissidents
killed earlier in 1988 uprisings. The military detains several
students.
19 July 1989
To avoid confrontations with several thousand additional troops
deployed by SPDC (State Peace and Development Council), the
NLD leadership calls off the mass rally planned at the annual
Martyr's Day ceremonies.
20 July 1989
The military regime that seized power from the people on September
18, 1988, placed her under house arrest in Rangoon under martial
law that allows for detention without charge or trial for
three years; went on hunger strike to protect the students
taken from her house to the Military Intelligence Interrogation
Centre; recognised as a prisoner of conscience by Amnesty
International.
27 May 1990
Despite her continuing detention, the National League for
Democracy won a landslide victory in the general elections
by securing 82 percent of the seats; the military junta refuses
to recognise the results of the election.
12 October 1990
Awarded, in absentia, the 1990 Rafto Human Rights Prize.
19 December 1990
In response to a call by UN Secretary General Perez de Cuellar
for her release, the SPDC (State Peace and Development Council)
issued a statement that "should she wish to stay together
with her husband and children, she would be allowed to leave
Burma on humanitarian grounds."
10 July 1991
Awarded, in absentia, the 1990 Sakharov Prize (human rights
prize of the European Parliament).
10 August 1991
The military regime retroactively amends the law under which
Aung San Suu Kyi is held to allow for detention for up to
five years without charge or trial.
14 October 1991
Awarded the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize.
10 December 1991
Aung San Suu Kyi's 'Freedom From Fear' and other writings
published in London.
1992
The Nobel Committee revealed that Aung San Suu Kyi has established
a health and education trust in support of the Burmese people
to use the $1.3 million prize money.
1993
Seven fellow Nobel Laureates flew into Thailand having been
denied entry into Burma. From there, they called for the release
of Aung San Suu Kyi, visited refugee camps and offered support
to the democratic and ethnic opposition of Burma. They travelled
on to Geneva to repeat their appeal at the UN Commission for
Human Rights.
21 January 1994
The military junta used another excuse to continue the detention
of Aung San Suu Kyi. It says she can be detained for up to
six years under their law. Whilst the regime as a whole can
choose to detain a person for five years, the regime said
an extra year can be added by the decision of a three-member
committee comprising the Ministers of Foreign Affairs Home
Affairs and Defence.
14 February 1994
UNDP Resident Representative Jehan Raheem, US Congressman
Bill Richardson and New York Times reporter Philip Shenon
visit Aung San Suu Kyi for the first time from outside her
family. Aung San Suu Kyi calls for a dialogue with SPDC (State
Peace and Development Council).
20 September 1994
Gen. Than Shwe and Gen. Khin Nyunt of SPDC (State Peace and
Development Council) meet Aung San Suu Kyi for the first time
since the house arrest.
28 October 1994
A second meeting takes place at the State Guest House between
Gen. Khin Nyunt and Aung San Suu Kyi.
10 July 1995
Released from house arrest.
March 18 2000
Awarded Freewoman of Dublin.
September 2000
Again placed under house arrest; SPDC and Aung San Suu Kyi
begin ‘secret talks’.
6 May 2002
Released from house arrest after 19 months.
30 May 2003
Rearrested following murderous ‘Black Friday’
attack on her vehicle convoy in Depayin, Northern Burma. Taken
into ‘protective custody’ to an undisclosed military
detention centre; from there to hospital and since September
2003 under house arrest in Rangoon. The regime invoke article
10a of the 1975 State Protection Act, which permits the authorities
to detain anyone considered a threat to state security for
up to five years without charge or trial.
27 November 2004
Informed that she is to be detained for a further year.
2004
Awarded Honorary Doctorate, Rangsit University, Thailand (democracy
& human rights)
October 2005
A total of 10 years in detention for Aung San Suu Kyi. BAI
held a candle-light vigil in Dublin to mark the date.
November 2005
House arrest extended
January 2006
Awarded Olaf Palme prize (Denmark)
Awarded Doctor Honoris Causa, Vrije University, Brussels,
Belgium
March 2006
Freedom of the City of Sheffield (UK)
May 2006
Ibrahim Gambari, Undersecretary General for Political Affairs
at the UN permitted to see Daw Aung San Suu Kyi for one hour
in Rangoon on 20th May.
House arrest extended a further year on 28th May
November 2006
Second visit by UN Political Under-Secretary, Ibrahim Gambari.
Mr Gambari was permitted to see Aung San Suu Kyi for an hour,
but again he achieved nothing from the junta.
26th April 2008
The US Senate voted unanimously on 26th April 2008
to confirm the award of their highest honour to Aung San Suu
Kyi, the Congressional Gold Medal.
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