Aung San Suu Kyi Turns 80: A Life of Struggle, Leadership, and Detention

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The Irrawaddy

 

 

As Daw Aung San Suu Kyi marks her 80th birthday on June 19, the Nobel Peace Prize laureate and former de facto leader of Myanmar remains imprisoned for the fifth consecutive year under the military junta that seized power in 2021.

 

Despite her detention, global supporters are honoring her legacy through the Suu 80 Birthday Wishes campaign, led by her son Kim Aris. The initiative aims to collect 80,000 video messages worldwide, and has already surpassed 53,000 submissions.

 

Communities across the globe are celebrating with events, speeches, and tributes, reaffirming her enduring influence on Myanmar’s democratic movement. The Irrawaddy marked the occasion by publishing a detailed timeline of her life—from her birth in 1945 as the daughter of independence hero Aung San, to her years of house arrest, her rise to leadership, and her current incarceration.

 

Suu Kyi entered politics during Myanmar’s 1988 pro-democracy uprising and led the National League for Democracy (NLD) to victory in 1990, 2015, and 2020 elections. However, military rulers refused to honor the early results and later detained her again following the 2021 coup.

 

While her international reputation has been tarnished by her defense of Myanmar against genocide charges over the Rohingya crisis, millions in Myanmar still revere her as a symbol of resistance and national dignity.

 

Her birthday is not just a personal milestone—it is a poignant reminder of the country’s unfinished struggle for democracy.

 

-2025-06-18