Causecast

by JONATHAN HARRIS, Managing Editor

UPDATE: The movement to free Aung San Suu Kyi is growing. Shepard Fairey’s Freedom To Lead poster is showing up around the world and, most importantly, in international news coverage.

RECENT NEWS::
•Recap: Flash Mob for Burma at Abbot Kinney in Venice, CA (9/27)
•See Shepard Fairey’s Poster in Action (9/27)
•The Freedom To Lead Campaign Gains Momentum (9/25)
•How To Use Social Media For Aung San Suu Kyi (9/25)
•Monks Protest For Burma At G20 Summit (9/24)
•Join Causecast For A Flash Mob For Burma (9/22)

If you already know all about Aung San Suu Kyi and are ready to get involved, go to our Action page and get started! If not, read on.

Take Action Now!

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Aung San Suu Kyi‘s life is close to reaching legendary status. She has millions of supporters worldwide, most of whom she has never met and whom she can’t communicate with. She has organizations like Human Rights Action Center and U.S. Campaign for Burma devoting a large majority of their resources to attempt to procure her release. A new image by Shepard Fairey is connecting the worldwide movement to bring democracy to Burma. She is the voice for freedom in democracy in southeast Asia. But, how did she become this icon?

Let’s break down the story.

The History
Aung San Suu Kyi’s family was already politically active at the time of her birth in 1945.

Her father was an influential freedom fighter. He helped earn Burma’s independence from the United Kingdom in 1947 and established the Tatmadaw, the Burmese army. He was assassinated on July 19 of that year, when Aung San Suu Kyi was only two years old.

After her father’s assassination, her mother continued to be active and was the Burmese ambassador to India and Nepal in the 1960s. Suu Kyi excelled in private English speaking schools and traveled to England and New York City to continue her studies.

She was living abroad throughout much of the Tatmadaw’s rule, but was in Burma to care for her mother during the democratic protests of August 8, 1988. This event was violently suppressed by the Burmese government, and a new junta was established to further solidify military rule. This move influenced Suu Kyi’s co-founding of the National League for Democracy, a group immediately seen as a threat by the junta, and Suu Kyi’s house arrest began in July of 1989.

Despite being imprisoned, the NLD won the general election of 1990. Those results were quickly thrown out by the junta, which is where the modern Suu Kyi era begins. Though the government of the now renamed Myanmar offered her freedom if she would leave the country, Suu Kyi refused, beginning a long and dedicated stalemate that has lasted almost 20 years.

The Place
As one can tell from reading through Suu Kyi’s story, Burma has had a tense and violent history, especially over the last 60 years. To get better acquainted with the living conditions and history of the people, read 10 Things You Should Know About Burma.

The Trial
In May 2009, an American named John Yettaw made his way to Aung San Suu Kyi’s home in Yangon, where she was serving her house arrest. Suu Kyi was subsequently arrested and tried for violating the terms of her arrest. The international community widely criticized this trial, calling it a farce and an attempt to prevent Suu Kyi from taking part in the highly anticipated 2010 Burmese elections.

Ultimate, Suu Kyi was found guilty by a junta-controlled Myanmar court and sentenced to a further 18 months of house arrest, which she is currently serving. This action has been condemned by human rights groups worldwide, with the Human Rights Action Center, U.S. Campaign For Burma, the U.S. and the U.N. all calling for her release.

So, now you know the story. What can you do?

Act
Causecast wants you to know that you can take action to help Aung San Suu Kyi.

Write to your representative, President Obama, and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. Urge them to do everything in their power to bring freedom and democracy to Burma.

Send Shepard Fairey’s iconic image to everyone you know. This beautiful picture can be the inspiring image we need to represent worldwide freedom.

You can also update your social media profiles to reflect Aung San Suu Kyi’s struggle and the cause in Burma.

Watch
Seeing is believing. Once you’ve seen Aung San Suu Kyi on video and heard her tell her story, you’ll know for certain that she deserves to be released and that this oppressive government should not be in power any longer.

Watch video of Aung San Suu Kyi and see testimonies from notable figures on what freedom in Burma means to them.