The former leader of Myanmar, Aung San Suu Kyi, has released a statement asking all of Myanmar’s citizens to unite. Daughter of the independence hero of Myanmar, Suu Kyi has been involved in the democratization of her country and has since won a Nobel Peace Prize for her efforts. However, she was arrested in February 2021 as the military seized power in a coup d’état, despite her party winning the general election in 2020. The international political community has condemned the military leaders who have taken control of the country, and there have been severe protests in cities around the country, who have asked for the release of Aung San Suu Kyi, and put her back in power.

Aung San Suu Kyi became involved in Burmese politics in 1988 after living in the U.K. She participated in the ‘8888’ protests on August 8^th, 1988, where protestors triumphed democracy amid the long-time military leader’s resignation. Since this protest, Suu Kyi has continued to call for democratization in her country, has continuously participated in protests, and has helped with turning Myanmar into a democracy. She cited her major influence as Mahatma Gandhi, the Indian leader for independence from the British, as they both have pursued peaceful means of democratization.

Her efforts led to the 1990 election, in which her party did receive a majority of the votes, but the military junta refused to give up its power. She was therefore placed on house arrest, as the military leaders did not want her to be able to organize demonstrations against their administration. She was awarded the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize but decided to use the funds to give the Burmese people more opportunities in education and a better healthcare system. Her efforts to reform Myanmar have not gone unnoticed, as the number of her supporters has been increasing over the past years.

Over the past two decades, Suu Kyi has been placed under house arrest multiple times, but the military has been criticized every time; this was the case with international governments and even the United Nations. In 2021, she was again arrested by the military leaders, which also led to public outcry and demonstrations. Democracy in Myanmar is at risk because a legitimately elected leader has been jailed and prevented from exercising her political rights. The military must give up its power and authority in order for democracy to be restored.