Aung San Suu Kyi

A pro-democracy campaigner in Myanmar.  She leads the opposition party, National League for Democracy (NLD).  She was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991 for her efforts to bring democracy to Myanmar.

For 11 out of the last 18 years she has been held under detention by the ruling Myanmar junta.  In 1989, she was placed under house arrest when martial law was declared by Myanmar’s leaders.  She was released in 1995, but her movements were restricted.  Then in 2000 she was detained again, and put under house arrest for two years.  In May 2003, after a conflict between government forces and the NLD, she was arrested and detained until September when the junta let her be under house arrest for medical reasons.  During the recent periods of detention, she has been allowed to meet with NLD officials and visiting diplomats.

The junta allowed for national elections in 1990, but when the NLD won the junta refused to acknowledge the results and has remained in power since.

For more information, please see:

BBC News - Profile: Aung San Suu Kyi - 22 September 2007

Nobelprize.org - Aung San Suu Kyi- Biography - 1991