Worldchanger of the Week: Aung San Suu Kyi

Aung San Suu Kyi is a well known political activist and symbol of human rights for the people of Burma.  Born in Myanmar, she left her home country to study at the University of Oxford in England. When she returned, she was appalled by the violence and revolts that citizens led against their dictator U Ne Win.

U Ne Win seized control in 1962, when he established a coup d’état, imprisoning other political leaders so he would have complete control of the government. Within his reign, he managed to turn Burma into one of the poorest countries in the world by cutting off complete contact with the outside world. The people were in an oppressive society, impoverished and hungry. Their natural response was to create a violent revolution to overthrow the manipulative government regime.

Aung San Suu Kyi knew that violence was not the proper way to make change. If they overthrew him by violence, it would create a cycle of oppressive government, violence, and tyranny.  Suu Kyi spoke out against him, and created a nonviolent uprising. Even though she was placed on house arrest in 1981- 2010 for her efforts, she never gave up on her goals towards human rights. She was given the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991.
 

Aung San Suu Kyi represents peace created by nonviolent efforts. While violence promotes an easy way to change, peacefulness proves itself the only way to make a lasting effort to better the world.