- Title: Profile of Myanmar's leader Aung San Suu Kyi
- Date: 28th March 2017
- Summary: YANGON, MYANMAR (FILE - NOVEMBER 13, 2010) (REUTERS) ***WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** SUPPORTERS AND JOURNALISTS RUSHING TOWARDS SUU KYI'S HOUSE SUU KYI WALKING TOWARDS GATE TO GREET HER SUPPORTERS SUPPORTERS CHEERING SUU KYI WAVING TO SUPPORTERS Suu Kyi was finally freed on November 13, 2010 to rapturous cheers from thousands of supporters. MANDALAY, MYANMAR (FILE - MARCH 3, 2012) (REUTERS) CROWD SURROUNDING SUU KYI'S CONVOY DURING BY-ELECTION CAMPAIGN VARIOUS OF SUU KYI STANDING UP IN VEHICLE'S OPEN SUN-ROOF WAVING TO CROWD CROWD CLAPPING AND CHEERING MYANMAR PRO-DEMOCRACY LEADER, AUNG SAN SUU KYI, SAYING (Burmese): "It is difficult to achieve democracy. And after we achieve democracy, it is hard to maintain. We have to do a lot of work, and we have to take things slowly." CROWD CLAPPING AND CHEERING YANGON, MYANMAR (FILE - APRIL 1, 2012) (REUTERS) INTERIOR OF POLLING STATION VARIOUS OF PEOPLE VOTING IN BY-ELECTION NAYPYITAW, MYANMAR (FILE - MAY 2, 2012) (REUTERS) INTERIOR OF PARLIAMENT, PARLIAMENTARIANS SEATED FOR SWEARING-IN OF NEW MEMBERS SUU KYI WALKING FROM HER SEAT TO TAKE PART IN SWEARING-IN VARIOUS OF SUU KYI AND NEW NLD MEMBERS (DRESSED IN ORANGE) BEING SWORN IN The rapid pace of change in Myanmar under the nominally civilian government convinced Suu Kyi to compromise with the apparently reform-minded ex-generals now in charge. In April, she and the NLD took part in by-elections and won a landslide victory, gaining 43 of the 45 seats. In May 2012 she took her place in Myanmar's parliament, ushering in an historic new political era after nearly a quarter-century struggle against military dictatorship. BANGKOK, THAILAND (FILE - JUNE 1, 2012) (REUTERS) AUDIENCE SEATED FOR SUU KYI'S ADDRESS TO THE WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM (WEF) FOR EAST ASIA SUU KYI, SAYING (English): "We want investment to mean, quite simply, jobs. As many jobs as possible. It's as simple as that." AUDIENCE APPLAUDING, SUU KYI SHAKING HANDS WITH WEF EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN KLAUS SCHWAB Now a parliamentarian, Suu Kyi spoke of development, gender equality and the future of Myanmar's constitution during her historic visit to the World Economic Forum in Thailand. The pro-democracy leader said one of her main goals is to attract investment that would boost job creation in her impoverished nation. Suu Kyi admitted that her pro-democracy party faced an uphill battle to institute changes as well as reform the country's constitution, which requires more than 75 percent support in parliament. MAE LA, THAILAND (FILE - JUNE 2, 2012) (REUTERS) SUU KYI'S CONVOY DRIVING PAST MYANMAR REFUGEES LINING STREET IN REFUGEE CAMP MYANMAR REFUGEES CHEERING SUU KYI WAVING FROM CAR Suu Kyi visited the Mae La refugee camp where tens of thousands of her compatriots live, near Mae Sot at the Thailand-Myanmar border. Suu Kyi's visit to Thailand, which received widespread media coverage, was her first trip outside Myanmar in 24 years, 15 of which were spent in detention under the junta. OSLO, NORWAY (FILE - JUNE 16, 2012) (REUTERS) SUU KYI ARRIVING AT NOBEL INSTITUTE AND BEING GREETED BY DIRECTOR OF NOBEL INSTITUTE GEIR LUNDESTAD
- Embargoed: 11th April 2017 04:09
- Keywords: Aung San Suu Kyi profile file Myanmar military democracy National League for Democracy NLD government one year
- Location: YANGON, MANDALAY, NAYPYITAW, TOUNGUP TOWNSHIP, RAKHINE, MYANMAR / BANGKOK, MAE LA, THAILAND / OSLO, NORWAY / BEIJING, CHINA / WASHINGTON, D.C., NEW YORK, UNITED STATES
- City: YANGON, MANDALAY, NAYPYITAW, TOUNGUP TOWNSHIP, RAKHINE, MYANMAR / BANGKOK, MAE LA, THAILAND / OSLO, NORWAY / BEIJING, CHINA / WASHINGTON, D.C., NEW YORK, UNITED STATES
- Country: Burma (Myanmar)
- Topics: Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA00269VI6H1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: THIS EDIT CONTAINS MATERIAL THAT WAS ORIGINALLY 4:3
It is almost one year since Myanmar's pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi and her National League for Democracy (NLD) party came to power after decades of military rule.
The Nobel laureate was hailed as an icon of resistance to oppression, who gave up her home and family life in England to become one of the world's most famous political prisoners.
"The Lady", as Suu Kyi was affectionately known by millions of her compatriots, showed steely determination in standing up to the generals who ruled the former Burma with an iron fist following a 1962 coup.
Her continued struggle to lead her country down a democratic path at great personal cost drew comparisons to South Africa's Nelson Mandela and India's Mahatma Gandhi.
But one year after her party was sworn into office, initial enthusiasm after a landslide election win for her NLD and a smooth transfer of power would appear to have squandered.
Suu Kyi now faces a raft of problems, the most prominent of which centres around United Nations allegations that Myanmar soldiers, under the watch of Suu Kyi, have committed crimes against humanity.
Around 75,000 members of the stateless Rohingya Muslim minority have fled to Bangladesh to escape what the UN experts described as an indiscriminate campaign of violence by Myanmar troops and police.
Suu Kyi's support for the operation and her rejection of most allegations have strained Myanmar's relations with the West.
Mired in complex peace talks, Suu Kyi has taken her eye off the economy, investors say, meaning a sluggish pace of reforms, slower growth and a sharp drop in foreign direct investment.
Several fresh conflicts have also erupted since Suu Kyi took power, displacing about 160,000 more people, according to UN data.
Suu Kyi was born in Yangon, then called Rangoon, on June 19, 1945. Her father, national hero General Aung San, who led Myanmar to the brink of independence from British rule, was assassinated by rivals when she was just two-years-old.
She lived much of her life abroad before returning to the family home on Yangon's Inya Lake in April 1988 to care for her ailing mother. - Copyright Holder: FILE REUTERS (CAN SELL)
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