Aung San Suu Kyi is a Burmese opposition leader and chairperson of the National League for Democracy (NLD) in Burma. In the 1990 general election, the NLD won 59% of the national votes and 81% (392 of 485) of the seats in Parliament. She had, however, already been detained under house arrest before the elections. She remained under house arrest in Burma for almost 15 of the 21 years from 20 July 1989 until her most recent release on 13 November 2010. Suu Kyi was one of the world’s most prominent political prisoners.
Today Aung San Suu Kyi received the Congressional Gold Medal.
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell gave a wonderful speech in her honor today.
Myanmar democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, center, receives the Congressional Gold Medal from Speaker of the House John Boehner, at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2012, as Rep. Joseph Crowley, D-N.Y., former first lady Laura Bush, back left, House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, watch (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
