The biography of San Suu Kyi narrates the outstanding story of a courageous woman. As the author describes, Suu’s determination is a source of inspiration to many people in Burma.
In the biography, Peter Popham treats Aung San as a non-violent politician whose efforts and courage transformed the history of Burma. In the fifth chapter, the author explains how the Army Generals of Burma considered Suu as an alien.
The country’s politicians believed she represented the ideas of the West. According to Popham (2012), Suu valued human progress and prosperity. Suu believed that education was the key towards improved standards of living.
This was needed to deal with the abuses, exploitation, and disappointments that were common in the country from 1995 to 2002 (Popham, 2012).
In the book, the author explains how Suu returned to Burma from Britain to take care of her sick mother. Within a short period, Suu had become the leader of the largest revolt in the country.
She earned herself a house arrest because of her involvements in the political affairs of Burma. She co-founded a strong party that won in the country’s first elections. This was after three decades of turmoil and political instability.
During the period, Suu gained much support from different people such as Michael. These followers did many things to support the revolt movement.
The book shows how other people such as Lucinda, one of Suu’s sisters, worked hard towards the realization of the targeted goals (Popham, 2012).
In 2002, the government granted Suu the right to leave home. With her liberty of movement, Suu promoted her ideas towards democracy. However, this was not without numerous obstacles and challenges. She visited different individuals and states to attract more followers.
She was able to present her ideas to the people (Popham, 2012). There were different attempts to assassinate Aung Suu. For instance, Than Shwe said that he wanted to see Suu dead. However, the nightmares and attempts to stop Suu failed.
Many people in Burma embraced the new approach towards a new life. The revolution was essential because it guided the country towards a new path to democracy. Suu consulted with the government thus presenting new policies that would change the political arena of the region.
Before that time, most of the political meetings were in secret. This made it impossible for the citizens to know what was taking place (Popham, 2012). After many years of tireless efforts and dedication, Suu was able to influence many people and leaders in the region.
From this book by Peter Popham, the reader observes that Burma had remained a hopeless country for over two decades. However, Suu presented a new sense of hope for the country.
She motivated the people, held discussions with different leaders, and gathered global support to secure a better future for Burma. Suu was able to set the right example for the people of Burma. She was successful in transforming the country politically and ethically (Popham, 2012).
Suu portrayed a new kind of courage despite the fact that she was under house arrest for many years. Her political rivals also wanted to kill her for her roles and ideas. However, she was committed to her political agenda than ever before.
She initiated and led a peaceful revolution despite that it seemed to threaten her life. In conclusion, it is agreeable that the book offers the best picture of a great woman who changed the political landscape and future of Burma.
Reference
Popham, P. (2012). The Lady and The Peacock: The Life of Aung San Suu Kyi of Burma. London: Ebury Press.