My Heroes: (7) Aung San Suu Kyi

Aung San Suu Kyi. Born June, 1945

In 1967 Ms Kyi gained a degree from Oxford University in politics, philosophy and economics and lived in Britain as she was married to an Oxford professor untill, in 1988, she returned to her counrty of birth, Myanmar (Burma) to look after her dying mother. While there she was appalled at the poverty, corruption and lack of democrocy under the repressive military junta. She decided to enter politics under the strong influence of the non-violent philosophy of Mahatma Ghandi and when her party won 82% of the vote in the 1990 election the results were annulled and she was placed under house arrest. She was offered the chance to be set free if she would leave the country. She declined that offer and has spent about 10 of the last 16 years languishing under house arrest, but she is still defiant, refusing to step down from her comdemnation of the regime.
The government has stated as recently as July this year that “her days are numbered” and that she is “heading for a tragic end”. She was awarded the Nobel Peace prize in 1991 "for her non-violent struggle for democracy and human rights". It strikes me as ironic that the regime in Rangoon remains in power while the world’s flimsy efforts to free her permanently are thwarted by her own non-violent protests. Is the conclusion to be that only violence would bring down this dictatorial regime?