'True' Burmese Leader Suu Kyi Fights for Democracy

Sept. 30, 2007 — -- Turmoil and protests in Myanmar, formerly Burma, have dominated international headlines. At the center of the unrest is the question of who is the country's true leader.

Many believe Aung San Suu Kyi is the rightful leader. In 1990, she won an election, but has never been allowed to govern.

In fact, Suu Kyi now ordinarily is unable to leave her house -- though she was allowed today to meet today with a visiting U.N. envoy. She has been in and out of jail and house arrest for the past 18 years as the military dictatorship running the country will not honor her election win.

Still, Suu Kyi remains a beacon of hope for many Burmese, who believe she is their rightful leader.

It's not just the Burmese who support her. The quiet but modern icon has gathered a following around the world for her steadfast courage and unshakeable faith in democracy in the face of extreme oppression.

"She has somehow struck [the] imagination of the planet, and I think that's because she represents the best that humanity has to offer," said Sam Zarifi, of Human Rights Watch. "She's a rock star."

Famous faces like musician Bono, who wrote the song "Walk On" for Suu Kyi, and actor Jim Carrey, who posted a video about her on YouTube, have supported Suu Kyi's cause.

But before famous people started taking up Suu Kyi's political cause, she was a born into a political legacy. She is the daughter of Aung San, the general who helped negotiate Burma's independence from the United Kingdom.

In 1988, Suu Kyi formed her own political party, the National League for Democracy.The year proved to be turbulent one, as it was also the same time thousands were killed during pro-democracy demonstrations when the military junta, which rules today, came to power.

The change would mean difficult times for Suu Kyi. Only two years later, she beat the military junta in a landslide and was elected prime minister. But, the regime, which was threatened by her popularity, arrested her.