Aung San Suu Kyi's Betrayal to Independent Press
Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi was regarded as the democratic peacekeeper of Myanmar. Though, with the current ethnic cleansing crisis of minorities in the Southeast Asian nation, the Burmese State Counselor is under heavy criticism for her negligence and betrayal to her original humanitarian values.
As the daughter born to an influential political family, Aung San Suu Kyi knew at a young age that she would delve into politics and create a new era in Myanmar. With many young female activists inspired by her qualities as a true civilian leader,including myself, Aung San Suu Kyi has been able to preserve order and harmony in her country. Her advocacy for human rights and democratic values allowed her to create a name for herself not only in her country, but also in Western nations and democracies. In fact, President Obama applauded her everlasting devotion to the weak and powerless in her country. Everything from her bold and empowering actions to her imprisonment by Burmese military leaders as they feared her growing power signified hope and potential prosperity for the nation of Myanmar. Now all that has changed. Aung San Suu Kyi has been extremely silent and negligent towards the horrible crimes and murders of thousands of innocent Burmese Muslims. The acts of ethnic cleansing and genocide clash against Aung San Suu Kyi’s supposed platforms and campaigns of peace and inclusivity.
Aung San Suu Kyi made matters worse when she allowed two Reuters journalists to be imprisoned for their “annoying” investigations on the atrocities committed by Burmese military forces in the Rakhine State of Myanmar. The journalists, unable to have a fair and reasonable trial, were sent straight to jail. She had once been a fierce advocate and supporter of independent press. Now, she considers investigative journalists and the press a complete nuisance. Due to her betrayal to her humble beginnings and motivations, many international communities and independent press outlets have labeled Aung San Suu Kyi as a hypocrite and an authoritarian, major insults towards a once inspirational figure.
What happened to the Aung San Suu Kyi that the world had once known and revered?