Flying out of republic

LAST Friday, we escaped republic for family holiday outing toward KL. It was uncertain until very last minute due to our visiting little daughter's sudden high fever. Fortunately, her temperature lower down just few hours before departure time. I plan to fly KL on going and returning by coach so that we all could enjoy different experience in traveling. It was 5:55am flight to depart from Changi and we are suppose to arrive 2 hours earlier than departure time. It make me call taxi service 3:45am sharp to pick up. Due to late arrangement and improper sleep, we all only woke up only when taxi operator gives me auto call. We are only able to wash our faces and rush to taxi so that we ensure catch the flight.

This is second time for me to fly air-asia while it is first timer for my family. It's pretty smooth procedure to check in at Changi Airport. We are early birds as there was less fellow passengers when we get boarding gate. The shops are still closing as it is so early. The human traffic is less crowd as it's about 5:00am only. But there are some travelers as budget careers are operating such early hours. I could see some budget careers such as tiger airway, firefly, air-asia, etc. As usual, Singapore immigration was easy to pass by so long as we have necessary documents. The different for this time is Malaysia immigration. They have improved with handling passengers. We needed to fill up immigration form when we last went in Malaysia. So we thought this time also will have to apply the same. However, we are told by officer that just proceed with your passport at counter by pointing where several counters exist.

The air-asia flight departed about 5 min earlier and landed KL about 20 min earlier than schedule time which is 6:55am. It was low cost terminal so called LCCT. We could see so many planes in line just like bus terminal. My sister & daughter enjoy to see so many plane at one place. The came from rural area of Myanmar & never seen such view before. Even myself surprise to learn so many air-asia plane in person despite I have been living abroad for more than 7 years in row. As it is budget terminal, we had to walk un-airconditioned passage for about a kilometer in distance. There are so many messy we could experience. The people, cars, bus, service men all are not systematic. They go and stop where they want rather than in line. The drivers are not polite in dealing pedestrian. Anyway it's worth for money to fly with Air-Asia plane. It was smooth ride and safe journey. The improved service of Malaysia immigration was additional bonus to us who has pleased with budget career's service. The plane was only half-full but depart on time.

Hope we could have a chance to fly with air-asia plane in near future.

Mid 30s

TODAY is my official birthday. Sound a bit strange? Yes it is. I was really born on late November. As a result, when the school open for registration, my actual age is younger than school joining age which is 5 years old in my country. Thus, my elder sister changed my DOB which is 6 months older than actual so that she can enroll me to the school. Anyway, this school recorded date has been my official one and has been permanent. I may need to change it only when I approach astrologer to focus on my future.

I didn't notice how old I am exactly despite I roughly know over 30. I might have thought it is early 30s now. So, I am surprising to know the figure when I calculate my age by differing current year less year of born. Wow, it is exactly mid 30s now. It say I have been staying in this world for more than half. In fact, I am not sure if I could able to still until 70. Assuming it's realistic figure for a person with good lifestyle habit, I am going to pass half line of my life now. Ask myself what I had possess during my past 35 years as well as what I have contributed to my community or country. 

For sure is, I am married with one child now. Able to stay and work in foreign land. Could afford to live comfortably with the earning. Could help support both families of mine and my wife. Could donate once a month. Have owned some properties back home to live in after returning home country. Have been local graduate and foreign based specialist diploma for professional job. Have a sympathetic wife which is more important than everything else in life for a man, I think. As my wife and I are not bad family member in our family, we sincerely hope our only one child won't go wild. My Birthday's wish?

May we able to live together with our little daughter soonest possible. Nothing more.

Problematic travel plan 2

YESTERDAY, I gave green light to buy return bus tickets for five persons as well as paying deposit for a family room of a hotel in KL central. At evening, my PR friend called me to inform my sister's in-law's application for re-entry visa had been rejected. The things doesn't seem to stop bring us bad news. My little sister suddenly fall in high fever. My sister gave her some medicine she brings along from Myanmar. Once I get back home, my daughter was a little bit relax following taking some medicine which make me some relax. As the departure day is one day away, my wife and I were distraught on what to do.

Last night, my daughter didn't sleep as she might feel something uncomfortable due to high fever. Just before sleeping, we measured her with mercury-stick that show her body temperature at 104'C which is not good sign. As my sister continue to give her take medicine, we were reluctant to go see doctor. It's been our mistake not to meet doctor to consult with the hope of her recovery with home medicine. As she couldn't sleep, all family members also standby and awaken. This morning, she speaks like normal but body temperature remained. We discuss whether to see doctor or continue to give her anti-biotic medicine until she complete the course. It's not easy to decide. We worried by experience that Singapore doctors usually gave strong medicine to patient. So we don't want her feel tired by those medicines.

As the time running out, our dream to go out family holiday is likely to evaporate. This morning, my friend in KL called me to confirm my journey and told me what he had done for us. I am feeling sad to reply him properly. I don't want to cancel our holiday plan. But my daughter's health is first priority than pleasure trip. Eventually, our trip will definitely depend on how our daughter will response to the medicine and speedy recovery. May our daughter get well soonest possible. The departure time is 5:55am tomorrow and we are suppose to leave home about 4:00am. The clock is ticking and my thought are blur. Only God will know if we could able to go or not.

(To be continue)

Problematic travel plan

MY daughter and eldest sister is in town for visit. My sister in-law is also here to get headhunted. So my wife and I plan to go out of lion city to Kuala Lumpur for family outing holiday after couple weeks my daughter landed here. The problem started from beginning. Being Myanmar national, we need visa to enter Malaysia despite we are ASEAN member state. For my sister in-law, she needs to apply re-entry visa to Singapore immigration as her e-visa has been expired now. I couldn't apply Malaysia visa as soon as my daughter arrive here as my passport was maintained by agent for extension of my work permit. Hence, I needed to wait until I get back my passport to apply visa.

Since Malaysia embassy in Singapore doesn't entertain to individual walk-in application, we need to apply through authorized agent. It make me approach one Myanmar traveling agent which is station at peninsula plaza. Applied on Friday (20/4) and got approved visa on following week Tuesday (24/4). As my family members are not sure to get Malaysia visa, I needed to wait until Tuesday to buy air-ticket. Within few days time, the air ticket price become more expensive for S$7.00 each per ticket. I didn't think that my sister in-law will need re-entry visa until one of my friend reminds me. It make me feel some worrisome that she may not be allowed to enter Singapore again upon return to republic. Thus, we applied re-entry visa for her with the help of one PR friend. Like air-ticket, hotel accommodation rate also going up by time. The closer time we book, the more expensive. This trend make me force to book before my sister in-law's application for re-entry result yet to know.

(To be continue)

We & YUFC

IT was like a stadium transform to a club by YUFC's supporter. It look like home soil rather than away for Yangon United Football Club. The non-stop cheering of supporters make YUFC players get additional strength. When our team scored ahead in first half, we all supporters were too happy and jumping together. Those happiness, however, lasted for first half only. In second half, Home United come back stronger in search of goals. Our players are physically smaller than Home's adopted foreign players. I see most of them are from Singapore national senior team. Anyway, the supporters are determined to see YUFC beat Home United and make the surrounding as noisy as possible. Our sound and unrival support draw some attention of match official, security officers and players. Soon after going into second half, our players seem tired and cannot play as good as first half. The home team took advantage of it by scoring three in a small time frame. The home team definitely got a favorable decision from match referee. Very often, visitor team's coach had to complain or protest to referee for his unjust decision. YUFC players seem too easy to get yellow cards while Home United enjoy easy form balls by referee. We all see the fair play flag before the football match. But we will never see it speaking in real playing regardless of places in this world.

When YUFC conceded goals by home team, our supporters become frustrated and started to shout at players by rude words which is not recommended. At first half, we all sings together to make environment pleasant enough for our players. But, home team's easy goals make us relatively quiet for some time. We never failed to support despite the result is not encouraged for supporters. Some supporter are playing some Myanmar musical instrument while others are singing Thingyan songs. One begin, the rest follow to make it louder. Sometime, we are singing our famous sport song. Sometime we were singing our national anthem. Sometime, some bad-temper supporters are blaming players for their falsify movement and performance. People become impatient as time approach to end. Some people even unable to watch until 90 minutes as the goal-score board showing 3:1 in favor of Home United. We all know that the result is not likely to overturn by YUFC given performance.

Our motivation were broken by the result in return home. The motivation and eagerness are placed at highest level before the game start and first half. The security officers are apparently not expecting to see big crowd for the match. Their management on big crowd is poor and it show they are not well prepared for the match. Perhaps inexperience match official are assigned to handle the low key match. There are so many people in queue when the match begins. The official open only one gate and check all supporter one by one to ensure safety is not compromised. Our water bottle and umbrella are not allowed to bring in the stadium. We have to leave them at the gate if we want to go forward. No choice but leave all them. Lion City Cup is on the corner and Myanmar's FA Cup Champion Kambawza FC is being invited to participate the competition. I just afraid YUFC's defeat will make our supporters to stay away from Myanmar match in near future. Hopefully, football supporter's virus will come back again when the time come to play for. Anyway, yesterday we all Myanmar citizen including women have shown our spirit toward football match to Singapore which very often self-claimed that they are football mad nation. Definitely, our supporter has outnumbered to Singapore's supporters.

May our MNL clubs able to improve quickly by learning the mistakes they learn from international matches for the sake of supporter's happiness. We'll always behind our teams regardless of the result in future.

Let's show our spirit

IT is not easy to steal family time for watching football. Today evening, there is Asian Cup group stage football match between Yangon United and Singapore's Home United. When I found an ticket selling counter at Peninsular Plaza couple weeks ago, I was hesitating to decide because the play time is falling the time during my daughter's visit to Singapore. After struggling a few minute to buy or not to buy ticket, I hardly bought it as the ticket come S$7.00 including one free T-shirt present which is out of stock by the time I purchase a ticket. It's my secret desire to watch live football match after I missed last year RHB invitation cup match, in which Myanmar's Okkthar United was participating. I later found the match photos online and dearly miss the match. So, I decided to watch if I got a chance to support Myanmar team regardless of national or club level.

Last week, Yangon united hosted Home united on the home soil at Yangon and drew. As the group stage approached to end, the winning points become more crucial to escape from the exit of group stage. The first lap match draw make this match more competitive and I am sure we're going to watch a good match this evening. The local news said Yangon united had managed to sell all allocated tickets to fellow citizen here. Total tickets being given to Yangon united are only 1300 which is, I believe, much lesser than demand as there are big Myanmar community here. Besides, Myanmar people are crazy at football especially when it play oversea. I got one experience watching live football match oversea. It was happening in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia when I was working there. It was final match between host team and defending champion Myanmar team. The match was far excited and a lot Myanmar fans are attending to support our team. I hope, there is no less eager for Singapore Myanmar community fans than Malaysia fellow citizen counterparts.

These days, Singapore is much look like in the rainy season. The whole day, most of time raining. I just want to be optimistic with the weather as our footballers are used to play under rain. They seem better play when they play in the muddy pitch under heavy rain. They have played under rain since childhood. Those circumstance will favor Yangon united football team to win today match, I believe. The most exciting moment I expect from match is singing national anthem at the beginning of the match. Singing national anthem on foreign soil together with fellow citizen make us feel proud and memorable. For this proud moment alone, my hard-earn money S$7.00 ticket price is worth return. It'ld be additional bonus for us if Yangon united beat home united this evening. No feeling is better than cheering your favorite team scoring goals in front of you. Isn't it?

My Ball Girl

FEW days after my daughter arriving here, my wife and I could able to understand what kind of foods she likes and what she don't like. We carefully bought several foods to convince her and make her trip a success. From my guardian sister, we knew that she doesn't like toys to be played around. It's a bit strange to learn a child doesn't interest in toys. However, amazingly she do like all sort of balls. Wherever she see balls, she would never hesitate to point them by flagging us. Every where she live in, there are some ball around for her to play. Perhaps she heritage it from me. I like to watch football match as an entertainment. There are less things in life that I like. Among few things, football is privileged for me. I don't play football but like to watch it. Of course, we have bought 3 balls here within couple days of her landing.

When we walk around malls, she would point at ball if she see them. She would cry if we refuse to buy it. Without delaying, we would agree with her as her enjoyment is first priority in her visit. We don't want her disappointing us by doing things against her. It is our mission to befriend her during 30 days as much as possible. Luckily, she could able to point correctly when she is asked who is Dad & Mum. That make our heart melt and make us ready to do anything she demand us. Burmese have a saying that "first ever child is always crazy". In fact it's better meant to parent than child. Because child aware nothing at that age and only parent fall into mad by unrivaled pleasure of having heir.

Talkative Dad 2

LIFE is struggling for some while a haven for others. I think it all depend on how we think of life. It's more likely to depress if we are greedy on somethings in life. Some people can happy without money in their pocket. How do they make themselves happy in the situation in which they don't have foods/meal/money for next time? We all thought that our life would be far complete if we can able to work oversea before we came here. After few years abroad, we gradually understand what real meaning of life away from home. Home is still in poverty and struggling. Due to greener pasture alone, we are giving almost everything of our life, family, culture, festivals, seasons, foods, relatives, etc. Are we really worth to surrender all above for money alone? Answer would be a little bit yes and no. Still distraught whenever think of returning home. When pressure mounted, wanna go back straight away. Once seeing chaos in domestic, refrain ourselves.

Being married person, there have been more things to be thought before making decision than single counterparts. Because the consequent of our decision will affect on all dependents like spouse and children. For that reason, we become less determined people. I am impressed when I hear the news of return home by friends. I am impressed to see friend couple are able to find solution here to live together with family. At the end of the day, we all eat thrice a day. What else can we able to do more? In fact, being poor is not recommended by all famous people including our lord of Buddha. Even the monks are recognized to live their life around rich area so that they can't worry about food and able to concentrate on their work. Without rich, we will be look like disable people. Again, for this reason alone, we're trying to convince ourselves to live and work away from home. Some residents might have worried with the influx of foreign workers. It's understandable as their land is limited and so does their growth. For me, I'll try to seek opportunity to go back and work on mother land and more importantly for our country.

May the right time able to come soonest possible.

Myanmar EX-PM claims he saved suu kyi's life

Myanmar's former prime minister Khin Nyunt, who was freed from house arrest in January, says he personally intervened to save the life of democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi nine years ago.

In one of his first interviews in over seven years, the former spy chief said he saved Mrs Suu Kyi's convoy from a pro-junta mob on the outskirts of Depayin Township in Sagaing Division on May 30, 2003.

The death toll from the Depayin Massacre has never been confirmed, but the Myanmar opposition claims up to 50 people died in the attack.

"I sent my men to snatch her from the mob that night and they brought her to safety to a nearby army cantonment," he said in an interview with the Bangkok Post Sunday.

Khin Nyunt said he regarded Mrs Suu Kyi as his younger sister and had "brotherly admiration" for her resoluteness.

Source: Bangkokpost Local News as at 08/04/2012 (2:05 AM)

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/287924/myanmar-ex-pm-claims-he-saved-suu-kyi-s-life

A rushing day

MY little daughter arrived lion city on good Friday. It was raining day that make us rush to Changi Airport to fetch my sister and our daughter. As the flight departs Yangon on 8:00am local time, we estimated the arrival time at Singapore 12:30pm & clear immigration & custom earliest at 1:00pm. Beside that, we estimated traveling time from our home to Changi Airport as 1:00 hour by train. Also we were expecting that Myanmar Airway flight to delay as it was rainy day. Everything we guess gone wrong and we were upsetting with that. Nobody to blame but ourselves. As usual, we were leaving home just in time rather than going earlier. When things go against our plan, we're easily frustrating. We had to make 4 time transit from home to airport. All trains we take departed just before arrive. We miss them at all transit by a second. Train are crawling as it was rainy. Trains are less frequent as it was public holiday. Trains are at some points stopping to pave ways for other train. The train driver is announcing for inconvenience. We are rushing and experiencing such things definitely make us frustrating.

One call coming in when we are waiting for shuttle train service at Tenah Merah interchange station. Amazingly, it was my sister who made a call to me through the help of fellow citizen who are also arriving airport to fetch their relatives. Of course, we are visibly frustrating for making unsuccessful welcome to our little daughter. Rain is stall falling thin and our thought are keep running what if we see our daughter first time in Singapore. We were running to mitigate waiting time at all step. But it's unfortunately same to miss inter-train as well. Despite we have come the same terminal just one month ago to fetch our sister who came to lion city to seek a job opportunity, we still wrongly find the belt at departure hall initially. Perhaps we are too excited to meet our little angel. Soon after, I realized that we have been in the wrong hall and went down to the arrival hall. It was belt-no 20-23 from which my sister and daughter come out. We rush to the right belt entrance, but we didn't see them. A bit worry for a short moment if not for long. Just a short moment after, I heard a calling sound from my sister from somewhere else and we finally meet each other. We were able to relax after seeing them in person. My wife is busying on the spot by convincing her daughter by feeding them foods and chocolate that she likes.

It will be remembered as an exciting day during our stay in lion city. We'ld be facing some complains if our daughter is able to speak enough. Luckily, she still 20 months old and enjoy surrounding facilities as she came from a village. She may be curious with the people and facilities she is seeing suddenly. My sister was painful at her arm as she has to cradle my daughter for the whole journey which take about 3 hours. She said, our daughter slept the whole journey from beginning to end. Only she woke up once the cabin crew announced that the plane is going to land lion city. Thus, my sister even didn't have the lunch the flight attendants offer. Anyway, we are happy to know they have been safe and enjoyable trip to Singapore. We hope that we'll not upset them during their first ever foreign trip by trying our best effort. May we have a nice family bonding holiday this month.

Talkative Dad

MY dear little princess, you are going to land SE Asia's most developed country on tomorrow. It's obvious that you're going to witness the different between your Myanmar's remote hometown and metropolitan city state. You know, Singapore is as small as our commercial city, Yangon. It's population 5 millions is even less than 7 millions of Yangon residents. Despite you are living in the Myanmar's self-claim 3rd biggest city, there are still vast different in development between your hometown and Yangon. You may be amazed once you first see Myanmar's biggest city. Yangon seems mega city for a person from upper Burmese region.

In term of development, Singapore easily can look down our commercial city as a village. Singapore has been given for nothing in grant while our Yangon has almost everything she needs. Then, you would like to ask me why our Yangon is far behind Singapore. The different is only the wisdom of leadership, my dear. I'll try to draw a simple example for you to understand. Our country has been transformed to republic for one and half year now. Singapore is already republic country for so many years now despite it is ranked by critics as semi-democratic. Regardless of quality in democracy, now we both have the same condition in which each state has parliament that make laws/policies. Here, I found two significant facts between us. Singapore's parliament has two groups of MPs (Member of Parliament) in general. One is Harvard Club and another is Cambridge Club. Just like them, our own parliament also has two type of MP. They are one from DSA (Defense Service Academy) graduates and another is from OTS (Military Officer Training School) graduate.

You are as young as 20 months old now. But you may even understand what had made us huge different by learning my highlighting above. It's just simple one only, my dear. Besides, we got independence on 1948 and Singapore got on 1965. Meaning we are 17 years ahead of of lion city. I learned from Singapore's founding father LKY's memoir book that he pledges his people to follow up the standard of Myanmar within 20 years time during his campaign to become Singapore's first Prime Minister. Now, as you see here, we are more than 20 years behind them. What a bitter history to learn that hard true history? But history is history. We cannot change that. Let it be. Our country has been isolated by world's community for half century now and newly elected civilian government is trying to escape from international sanction by keep changing democratic reform. In the wake of most recent Sunday by-election, world's attention has been on us. International investors are eager to come our country this time and waiting for prevailing sanction to be lifted.

Good news for our country is that our people's leader ASSK has been given access to our parliament by Sunday by-election. Our people's hope has been as high as never ever before now. She will become the figure of public and we all trust in her ability in persuading military hardliners within parliament to move right direction. Meantime, we hope that our lady will pay extra attention on our deteriorated education and public healthcare to be improved with the help of western developed countries. We do believe that we cannot change anything without her magic as all western communities are following her will. More importantly, as a parent of you, we do hope that our education system will get a bit boost within 5 years time when you reach school-going age. For the time being, we are trying to seek a right time to return our country so that we could able to enjoy family life. We wish you may have a great holiday trip here starting from tomorrow onwards for a month.

Welcome to lion city

ONLY two days left for my daughter to land lion city visiting us. In fact, Singapore is not strange to her. She came to our life in lion city and stay in womb here until her mum went back home to deliver. Since then, she has been living in my home town. This is her first ever trip out of Myanmar to meet parent in person. My wife and I have been busying with the preparation of her visit from accommodation to visa application and air-ticket arrangement. My eldest sister will accompany with our little princess in the long journey. So I needed to arrange for one adult and one child in every process of preparing.

Surprisingly, every step we execute, we encountered that our daughter's one has been inconvenience. When apply visa, my sister's one got earlier than her that made us excited. When air-ticket purchasing, adult has no problem while infant ticket is out. Thus, my sister needed to go ticket office twice to collect infant one. When apply D-form, her approval letter got wrong spelling in name which make my sister a bit headache. As a parent, we notice the inconvenience trend in the process. Just few days to off, she is again sick in home town and my sister needs to bring her clinic to see physician. We are praying so that their trip is smooth and safe when they come to lion city on coming Friday. At the moment, we start counting to meet our little princess again in couple days time. Hopefully, she can enjoy her first ever foreign visit in Singapore.

Aung San Su Kyi - Biography

1942:	September 6. Marriage of Aung San, commander of the Burma Independence Army, and Ma Khin Kyi (becoming Daw Khin Kyi), senior nurse of Rangoon General Hospital, where he had recovered from the rigours of the march into Burma.
1945:	June 19. Aung San Suu Kyi born in Rangoon, third child in family. "Aung San" for father, "Kyi" for mother, "Suu" for grandmother, also day of week of birth. Favourite brother is to drown tragically at an early age. The older brother, will settle in San Diego, California, becoming United States citizen.
1947:	July 19. General Aung San assassinated. Suu Kyi is two years old. Daw Khin Kyi becomes a prominent public figure, heading social planning and social policy bodies.
1948:	January 4. The Independent Union of Burma is established.
1960:	Daw Khin Kyi appointed Burma's ambassador to India. Suu Kyi accompanies mother to New Delhi.
1960-64:	Suu Kyi at high school and Lady Shri Ram College in New Delhi.
1964-67:	Oxford University, B.A. in philosophy, politics and economics at St. Hugh's College (elected Honorary Fellow, 1990). British "parents" are Lord Gore-Booth, former British ambassador to Burma and High Commissioner in India, and his wife, at whose home Suu Kyi meets Michael Aris, student of Tibetan civilisation.
1969-71:	She goes to New York for graduate study, staying with family friend Ma Than E, staff member at the United Nations, where U. Thant of Burma is Secretary-General. Postponing studies, Suu Kyi joins U.N. secretariat as Assistant Secretary, Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions. Evenings and weekends volunteers at hospital, helping indigent patients in programs of reading and companionship.
1972:	January 1. Marries Michael Aris, joins him in Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan, where he tutors royal family and heads Translation Department. She becomes Research Officer in the Royal Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
1973:	They return to England for birth of Alexander in London.
1974:	Michael assumes appointment in Tibetan and Himalayan studies at Oxford University.
1977:	Birth of second son, Kim at Oxford. While raising her children, Suu Kyi begins writing, researches for biography of father, and assists Michael in Himalayan studies.
1984:	Publishes Aung San in Leaders of Asia series of University of Queensland Press. (See Freedom from Fear, pp. 3-38.)
1985:	For juvenile readers publishes Let's Visit Burma (see Freedom from Fear, pp. 39-81), also books on Nepal and Bhutan in same series for Burke Publishing Company, London.
1985-86:	Visiting Scholar, Center of Southeast Asian Studies, Kyoto University, researching father's time in Japan. Kim with her, Alexander with Michael, who has fellowship at Indian Institute of Advanced Studies at Simla in northern India.
1986:	On annual visit to grandmother in Rangoon, Alexander and Kim take part in traditional Buddhist ceremony of initiation into monkhood.
1987:	With fellowship at Indian Institute Suu Kyi, with Kim, joins Michael and Alexander in Simla. Travels to London when mother is there for cataract surgery. Publishes "Socio-Political Currents in Burmese Literature, 1910-1940" in journal of Tokyo University. (See Freedom from Fear, pp. 140-164.) September. Family returns to Oxford. Suu Kyi enrolls at London School of Oriental and African Studies to work on advanced degree.
1988:	March 31. Informed by telephone of mother's severe stroke, she takes plane next day to Rangoon to help care for Daw Khin Kyi at hospital, then moves her to family home on University Avenue next to Inya Lake in Rangoon. July 23. Resignation of General Ne Win, since 1962 military dictator of Burma. Popular demonstrations of protest continuing. August 8. Mass uprising throughout country. Violent suppression by military kills thousands. August 15. Suu Kyi, in first political action, sends open letter to government, asking for formation of independent consultative committee to prepare multi-party elections. August 26. In first public speech, she addresses several hundred thousand people outside Shwedagon Pagoda, calling for democratic government. Michael and her two sons are there. September 18. Military establishes State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC). Political gatherings of more than four persons banned. Arrests and sentencing without trial reaffirmed. Parliamentary elections to be held, but in expectation that multiplicity of parties will prevent clear result. September 24. National League for Democracy (NLD) formed, with Suu Kyi general-secretary. Policy of non-violence and civil disobedience. October-December. Defying ban, Suu Kyi makes speech-making tour throughout country to large audiences. December 27. Daw Khin Kyi dies at age of seventy-six.
1989:	January 2. Funeral of Daw Khin Kyi. Huge funeral procession. Suu Kyi vows that as her father and mother had served the people of Burma, so too would she, even unto death. January-July. Suu Kyi continues campaign despite harassment, arrests and killings by soldiers. February 17. Suu Kyi prohibited from standing for election. April 5. Incident in Irawaddy Delta when Suu Kyi courageously walks toward rifles soldiers are aiming at her. July 20. Suu Kyi placed under house arrest, without charge or trial. Sons already with her. Michael flies to Rangoon, finds her on third day of hunger strike, asking to be sent to prison to join students arrested at her home. Ends strike when good treatment of students is promised.
1990:	May 27. Despite detention of Suu Kyi, NLD wins election with 82% of parliamentary seats. SLORC refuses to recognise results. October 12. Suu Kyi granted 1990 Rafto Human Rights Prize.
1991:	July 10. European Parliament awards Suu Kyi Sakharov human rights prize. October 14. Norwegian Nobel Committee announces Suu Kyi is winner of 1991 Peace Prize.
1991:	December. Freedom from Fear published by Penguin in New York, England, Canada, Australia, New Zealand. Also in Norwegian, French, Spanish translations. December 10. Alexander and Kim accept prize for mother in Oslo ceremony. Suu Kyi remains in detention, having rejected offer to free her if she will leave Burma and withdraw from politics. Worldwide appeal growing for her release.
1992:	Suu Kyi announces that she will use $1.3 million prize money to establish health and education trust for Burmese people.
1993:	Group of Nobel Peace Laureates, denied entry to Burma, visit Burmese refugees on Thailand border, call for Suu Kyi's release, Their appeal later repeated at UN Commission for Human Rights in Geneva.
1994:	February. First non-family visitors to Suu Kyi: UN representative, U.S. congressman, New York Times reporter. September-October. SLORC leaders meet with Suu Kyi, who still asks for a public dialogue.
1995:	July 10. SLORC releases Suu Kyi from house arrest after six years of detention.

In the last four years her movements have still been restricted. While she has had some opportunities to telephone her family in England, she is regularly denounced in the government-controlled media, and there is concern for her personal safety. Efforts to revive any NLD party activities have been balked, and its members have been jailed and physically attacked. In the first months after detention was ended, she was able to speak to large gatherings of supporters outside her home, but this was stopped. Yet her popularity in the country has not diminished.

Internationally her voice has been heard not infrequently. Reporters with cameras and videotape have been able to interview her in person, and telephone interviews with the media outside Burma have also been published. Using video cassettes she has sent out statements, including the keynote address to the NGO Forum at the U.N. International Women's Conference in Beijing in August 1995.

There have been a number of visitors from abroad, including a member of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, whom she told that Norway will be the first country she will visit when free to travel. SLORC has changed its name to the State Peace and Development Council, but its repressive policies and violation of human rights continue unabated.

Suu Kyi discourages tourists from visiting Burma and businessmen from investing in the country until it is free. She finds hearing for such pleas among western nations, and the United States has applied economic sanctions against Burma, but Burma's neighbours follow their policy of not intervening in the internal affairs of other sovereign states, and Burma has been admitted into the Association of South Eastern Asian Nations.

On March 27, 1999, Michael Aris died of prostate cancer in London. He had petitioned the Burmese authorities to allow him to visit Suu Kyi one last time, but they had rejected his request. He had not seen her since a Christmas visit in 1995. The government always urged her to join her family abroad, but she knew that she would not be allowed to return. This separation she regarded as one of the sacrifices she had had to make in order to work for a free Burma.

Source: Yahoo Singapore

http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/1991/kyi-bio.html

One Step Closer to return home

FIRST ever time for good news about my country has been seeing on the world's media since last Sunday. We had arguably free and fair by-election conducted in more than 3 decades time since independence. There were international election observers to make sure last by-election was conducted free and fair basis which is repeatedly granted by civilian government. How did it goes and what the world has seen Sunday by-election was overwhelming. I closely follow the instant news updated by local media as well as international exile media to know what has happened during Sunday. We were excited by election irregularities such as apply wax over check box meant for NLD which is the part of Aung San Su Kyi. We all knew that NLD will will if the by-election is free and fair. We were of course worried when we read news of irregularities and unfair movement by ruling party and election control committee.

What make real different to this time by-election was, I think, due to effective media coverage who has used advanced communication such as mobile phone, social media websites. Those electronic gadgets make us know what is happening inside Burma instantly. I believe it make authority have little room to make wrongdoing. For instance, this time, we all know the voting results of all constituency soon after closing voting station via online communication. The authority needed to take extra day to formally announce the result. In last year general election, opposition parties know that they are winning at the end of polling day. But after the authority taking advanced vote into account, UNDP which is ruling party right now become winner that make all participating parties shocked. However, this time, people and our media got some experience and took maximum advantage of improved communication.

People are so happy to learn NLD is winning by landslide. This time their desire had been entertained by authority. More importantly, their beloving figure, Aung San Su Kyi had been sent to parliament by people power. As the lady reiterate that her party pleasure is not as much as people as real winner from this by-election are people. The people have been super-active to vote this time as NLD is participating. As they have expected, the result come out and NLD went well as per plan. The international media are taking too much time for Burma's news this time and most of them are optimistic. Yesterday, our central bank has allowed our currency to float which is bold item for economic reform and welcomed by all potential investors. The dawn has come to the sky of Burma and being immigrant worker myself, it is one step closer for us to return home.