Repression and Abuse in Myanmar: Aung San Suu Kyi

In Myanmar—a country that currently holds over 2,000 political prisoners captive—Aung San Suu Kyi needs the help of the international community.

Aung San Suu Kyi comes from a family well-versed in Burmese politics. She is well educated and has received degrees from esteemed universities including the University of London, University of Oxford, and the University of Delhi. Her international experience has allowed her to bring the insights of freedom and democracy to Myanmar. She received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991, in addition to other international awards for her positive contributions to the Burmese community. Her Buddhist religious beliefs have allowed the concepts of freedom and nonviolence to permeate almost everything she does in both her political and personal life.

 

Suu Kyi has spent seventy percent of the last twenty years under house arrest.

 

To put this into perspective, think of everything that an individual can do in twenty years in a country such as the United States—learn to walk and talk, attend elementary school, high school, college, and start a career, in addition to the thousands of small events that take place every day, week, or month.

 

Suu Kyi’s Arrest

Like the thousands of political prisoners currently being held in Myanmar, Suu Kyi is being held captive for peaceful, nonviolent activities that the country’s military regime sees as threatening to its power.

 

Suu Kyi co-founded the National League for Democracy, which the human rights organization Amnesty International describes as “a pro-democracy political party that sought to counter the military junta that reigned over Myanmar” from 1962 to 1990. The party won elections in 1990 and Suu Kyi was denied appointment as Prime Minister by the military junta, which refused to hand over power. She and hundreds of other political activists were sentenced to unofficial detention, house arrest, and hard labor.

 

Since 1989 Suu Kyi has been arrested, placed under house arrest, and released numerous times. On occasion, she has been held in secret detention without trial. In 2008, Suu Kyi’s detention was extended due to alleged violations of her detention. This extension has been described by the United Nations as illegal and even against the country’s own laws.

 

The State Peace and Development Council

Since 1988 Burma has been under the control of a military junta known as the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC). The term ‘junta’ refers to a government controlled by military leaders. Other juntas in the international community today include Fiji, Guinea, and Libya.

 

The country is referred to as both Burma, the country’s former name that is not officially recognized by countries such as the U.S. and the U.K., and Myanmar, the name currently recognized by the United Nations. The Central Intelligence Agency of the United States claims that “since 1989 the military authorities in Burma have promoted the name Myanmar as a conventional name for their state [although] this decision was not approved by any sitting legislature in Burma.” The names are often used interchangeably by modern media outlets.  

 

In its 2010 World Report, Human Rights Watch has stated that “the ruling State Peace and Development Council systematically denies citizens basic freedoms including freedom of expression, association, and assembly.” This is clearly illustrated by the detention of Suu Kyi and thousands like her.

 

International Campaigns

Human rights organizations such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have spent years urging Myanmar’s military junta to release Suu Kyi and other political prisoners. World leaders have also spoken out against human rights abuses in Myanmar.

 

Many individuals may not recognize the importance of ensuring human rights in a country like Myanmar, but the country has close ties with other major international players including China and Thailand. Last year, the Chinese government and the SPDC agreed to the creation of a natural gas pipeline in the region. Human Rights Watch has described that this “will generate considerable additional profits for the junta.”

 

Human Rights Watch has also stated that some members of the international community have called for investigations into crimes against humanity in Myanmar in addition to a possible UN arms embargo. No further actions have been taken. Major international players including China, Russia, and North Korea provide arms and ammunition openly to the junta in Myanmar. The United States has criticized Burma’s human rights abuses including the detention of Suu Kyi but has maintained steady trade and investment with the country. Continued support of the military junta does not illustrate a clear dedication to relations with countries with respected human rights records. Why criticize if no action will take place?

 

Amnesty International recently applauded Senior General Than Shwe for the release of Tin Oo from house arrest in Myanmar. Oo spent approximately seven years in detention for his activities relating to the National League for Democracy. The director of the human rights group Burma Campaign UK stated that “Burmese democracy activists are regularly released when the generals want to score points with the international community, and are then arrested again later,” as cited by the British media outlet The Guardian. The coming months will reveal if Oo’s release will be permanent or if it was, in fact, a strategic move to prepare for the UN envoy that has arrived in Myanmar.

 

Despite the recent release of Tin Oo, the Associated Press announced this morning that four females were recently sentenced to two years imprisonment and hard labor for their involvement with minority activist groups. International leaders and human rights organizations are calling for improved human rights in Myanmar, and have urged the junta to release the country’s political prisoners immediately.

 

Take Action to Free Political Prisoners

The SPDC needs to know that the international community will not support human rights abuses or the detention of nonviolent political activists.Releasing political prisoners in spurts whenever the government needs to be seen in a positive light by the international community is not what the government of Myanmar should be doing as a modern contributor to the international community. If you would like to action, please write to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, U Nyan Win, and the Senior General Than Shwe, Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council and respectfully ask for the release of Aung San Suu Kyi and the thousands of political prisoners in Myanmar. Their contact information appears below, and postage is approximately one U.S. dollar.

 

U Nyan Win

Minister of Foreign Affairs

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Bldg. (19), Naypitaw

Union of Myanmar

 

[When writing, use salutation ‘Dear Minister’]

 

Senior General Than Shwe

Chairman State Peace and Development Council

c/o Ministry of Defense

Naypitaw

Union of Myanmar

 

[When writing, use salutation ‘Dear Senior General Than Shwe’]