54 University Avenue

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54 University Avenue
Burmese: ၅၄၊ တက္ကသိုလ်ရိပ်သာလမ်း
Press conference with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi (6646227147).jpg
Press conference on north lawn of the house in 2012
54 University Avenue
General information
Address54, University Avenue Road, Bahan Township
Town or city Yangon
Country Myanmar
Coordinates 16°49′32.88″N96°9′1.8″E / 16.8258000°N 96.150500°E / 16.8258000; 96.150500
Current tenants Aung San Suu Kyi
(State Counsellor of Myanmar)
Completedbefore 1948

54 University Avenue is a house in Bahan Township, Yangon. It is the residence of Aung San Suu Kyi, a Burmese politician and former State Counsellor of Myanmar. The house is situated on the University Avenue Road, adjacent to Inya Lake.

Contents

History

Aung San Suu Kyi welcomes Barack Obama.jpg
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi (6646227151).jpg
Aung San Suu Kyi welcoming U.S. President Barack Obama (left) and British Foreign Secretary William Hague (right) to 54 University Avenue.

In 1953, following the death of her elder brother, Aung San Suu Kyi, her mother Khin Kyi and her eldest brother Aung San Oo moved from their house on Tower Lane, near Kandawgyi Lake, to this colonial-era villa facing Inya Lake, on University Avenue Road. [1]

Political significance

A meeting in the dining room (Clicking on a person will take you to their article.) Secretary Clinton Meets with Aung San Suu Kyi (6441354045).jpgDerek Mitchell
A meeting in the dining room (Clicking on a person will take you to their article.)
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Aung San Suu Kyi on the east lawn in 2011 Secretary Clinton Visits with Aung San Suu Kyi (6441361229).jpg
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Aung San Suu Kyi on the east lawn in 2011

Aung San Suu Kyi met people of various backgrounds, political views and religions in the house during 1988 uprisings. She remained under house arrest for almost 15 of the 21 years from 1989 to 2010 in the house.

On 22 September 2007, although still under house arrest, Aung San Suu Kyi made a brief public appearance at the gate of the house to accept the blessings of Buddhist monks during the Saffron revolution. [2]

On 2 May 2008, after the Cyclone Nargis, the roof of the house was damaged and Aung San Suu Kyi lived in virtual darkness after losing electricity. She used candles at night as she was not provided any generator set. The house was renovated in August 2009. [3]

On 4 May 2009, an American citizen John Yettaw trespassed the house two weeks before her scheduled release from house arrest on 27 May. [4] [5] [6] It is illegal in Myanmar to have a guest stay overnight at one's home without notifying the authorities first. [7] This illegal visit prompted Aung San Suu Kyi's arrest on 13 May 2009 and sentenced to eighteen months of house arrest, which effectively meant that she was unable to participate in the 2010 elections.

On 13 November 2010, she waved from behind the gate of the house to her supporters who rushed to the house when nearby barricades were removed by the security forces, celebrating the end of her house arrest. [8]

Ownership lawsuit

In 2000, Aung San Oo brought legal action against Aung San Suu Kyi in the Yangon High Court demanding a half-share of the house. There was widespread speculation among observers at the time that Aung San Oo would then sell his half-share to the ruling State Peace and Development Council junta, but the High Court ruled against him, much to the surprise of the same observers, who had assumed that it would bring down whatever verdict was preferred by the junta. [9] Time magazine reported that, according to Burmese exiles and observers in Yangon, the junta used the alleged surrogacy of Aung San Oo and his lawsuit as an act of spite against her. [9] [10]

In 2016, the Western Yangon District Court ordered the property to be equally divided between Aung San Oo and Aung San Suu Kyi. However, the former considered the decision unfair and appealed unsuccessfully multiple times to have the property auctioned off and the proceeds split between him and Suu Kyi. Following the military coup that ousted the government of Aung San Suu Kyi in 2021, the Supreme Court of Myanmar heard a special appeal from Aung San Oo and decided in 2022 to have the property auctioned off, which was confirmed by a district court in Yangon to begin on 20 March 2024. A legal official said that the property is valued at around 315 billion kyats ($90 million). [11]

In response to these threats, Duwa Lashi La, the acting president of the rival National Unity Government of Myanmar, designated the property as a cultural heritage site in 2022 and prohibited its sale or destruction, under threat of eventual legal punishment. [11]

The auction of the house proceeded on 20 March 2024 in front of its gates, but ended without any bids. [12] A second auction on 15 August also ended without any bids despite the minimum sale price being reduced to 300 billion kyats. [13]

Portrayal in film

The house was featured in Luc Besson's 2011 film The Lady . Under director Luc Besson's helm, his crew also pursued accuracy. Even the cardinal directions were respected when the house was rebuilt, so that the audience would see the sunrise in the same way, based on satellite images and about 200 family photographs, they constructed a precise 1:1 scale model of this house. [14]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aung San Suu Kyi</span> Burmese politician (born 1945)

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, sometimes abbreviated to Suu Kyi, is a Burmese politician, diplomat, author, and pro-democracy activist who served as State Counsellor of Myanmar and Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2016 to 2021. She has served as the general secretary of the National League for Democracy (NLD) since the party's founding in 1988 and was registered as its chairperson while it was a legal party from 2011 to 2023. She played a vital role in Myanmar's transition from military junta to partial democracy in the 2010s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Khin Nyunt</span> Prime Minister of Myanmar from 2003 to 2004

Khin Nyunt is a retired Burmese army general widely recognized for his influential role in shaping Myanmar's political dynamics. Serving as the Chief of Intelligence and Prime Minister of Myanmar from 25 August 2003 to 18 October 2004, he played a crucial part in the nation's history. During his tenure, Khin Nyunt oversaw significant developments in Myanmar's intelligence and apparatus and government policies. He was instrumental in implementing reforms aimed at modernizing intelligence operations and promoting national security interests. However his leadership faced challenges, and he was eventually removed from power in 2004 amid political reshuffles within the ruling military junta. Despite his removal from office, Khin Nyunt's legacy continued to be debated, with some viewing him as a reformist figure and others critiquing his approach to governance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National League for Democracy</span> Political party in Myanmar

The National League for Democracy is a deregistered liberal democratic political party in Myanmar. It became the country's ruling party after a landslide victory in the 2015 general election but was overthrown in a coup d'état in February 2021 following another landslide election victory in 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">8888 Uprising</span> 1988 protests in Burma (Myanmar)

The 8888 Uprising, also known as the People Power Uprising and the 1988 Uprising, was a series of nationwide protests, marches, and riots in Burma that peaked in August 1988. Key events occurred on 8 August 1988 and therefore it is commonly known as the "8888 Uprising". The protests began as a student movement and were organised largely by university students at the Rangoon Arts and Sciences University and the Rangoon Institute of Technology.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Min Ko Naing</span> Burmese activist

Paw Oo Tun, better known by his alias Min Ko Naing, is a leading democracy activist and dissident from Myanmar. He has spent most of the years since 1988 imprisoned by the state for his opposition activities. The New York Times has described him as Burma's "most influential opposition figure after Daw Aung San Suu Kyi".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Inya Lake</span> Reservoir in Yangon

Inya Lake is the largest lake in Yangon, Burma (Myanmar), a popular recreational area for Yangonites, and a famous location for romance in popular culture. Located 6 miles (10 km) north of downtown Yangon, Inya Lake is bounded by Parami Road on the north, Pyay Road on the west, Inya Road on the southwest, University Avenue on the south, and Kaba Aye Pagoda Road on the east.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tin Oo</span> Burmese general and politician (1927–2024)

Tin Oo, often referred to as U Tin Oo, was a Burmese politician, activist, and general in the Armed Forces who was one of the founders of the National League for Democracy (NLD) in Myanmar, the country's largest pro-democracy political party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saffron Revolution</span> Series of protests in Myanmar in 2007

The Saffron Revolution was a series of economic and political protests and demonstrations that took place during August, September, and October 2007 in Myanmar. The protests were triggered by the decision of the national military government to remove subsidies on the sales prices of fuel. The national government is the only supplier of fuels and the removal of the price subsidy immediately caused diesel and petrol prices to increase by 66–100% and the price of compressed natural gas for buses to increase 500% in less than a week.

Aung San Oo is a Burmese engineer who is the elder brother of politician and Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi; the two are the only surviving children of Burmese independence leader Aung San.

This article details the chronology of events in the 2007 Burmese anti-government protests.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aung San Suu Kyi trespasser incidents</span>

On May 4, 2009, American John Yettaw trespassed upon the residence of Myanmar political prisoner Aung San Suu Kyi, two weeks before her scheduled release from house arrest on May 27. This illegal visit prompted Suu Kyi's arrest on May 13, 2009. Yettaw himself was arrested by Myanmar authorities on May 6. He was charged on May 14 with illegally entering a restricted zone, illegal swimming, and breaking immigration laws. It is illegal in Myanmar to have a guest stay overnight at one's home without notifying the authorities first.

Kawmhu Township is a township of Yangon Region, Myanmar. It is located in the southwestern section of the Region. Kawhmu was one of the townships in Yangon Region most affected by Cyclone Nargis.

<i>The Lady</i> (2011 film) 2011 film by Luc Besson

The Lady is a 2011 British biographical film directed by Luc Besson, starring Michelle Yeoh as Aung San Suu Kyi and David Thewlis as her late husband Michael Aris. Yeoh called the film "a labour of love" but also confessed it had felt intimidating for her to play the Nobel laureate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2011–2015 Myanmar political reforms</span> Liberal reforms by the military-backed government

The 2011–2015 Myanmar political reforms were a series of political, economic and administrative reforms in Myanmar undertaken by the military-backed government. These reforms include the release of pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi from house arrest and subsequent dialogues with her, establishment of the National Human Rights Commission, general amnesties of more than 200 political prisoners, institution of new labour laws that allow labour unions and strikes, relaxation of press censorship, and regulations of currency practices. As a consequence of the reforms, ASEAN has approved Myanmar's bid for the chairmanship in 2014. United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton visited Myanmar on 1 December 2011, to encourage further progress; it was the first visit by a Secretary of State in more than fifty years. United States President Barack Obama visited one year later, becoming the first US president to visit the country.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Khin Kyi</span> Burmese politician and diplomat

Maha Thiri Thudhamma Khin Kyi was a Burmese politician and diplomat, best known for her marriage to the country's leader, Aung San, with whom she had four children, including Aung San Suu Kyi. She served as the Minister of Social Welfare and MP of the Pyithu Hluttaw for Lanmadaw Township.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Daw Khin Kyi Foundation</span> National level Burmese charitable foundation founded in 2012 by Aung San Suu Kyi

Daw Khin Kyi Foundation is a major Burmese charitable foundation. It was set up by Aung San Suu Kyi in 2012, and is named for her mother, Khin Kyi. It works to improve the education, health and welfare of the people of Myanmar. Htin Kyaw was a leader of the foundation before his election as President of Myanmar.

Nay Shwe Thway Aung, also known as Phoe La Pyae, is a Burmese public figure, business tycoon and musician. He is the grandson of Senior General Than Shwe, a retired senior army general and former Prime Minister of Myanmar. He has gained prominence for his involvement in various Business Ventures and has been associated with providing support to Myanmar's ruling regime and military government.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Next Myanmar general election</span> Upcoming national election

Myanmar's military government plans to hold a general election for elected seats in the Amyotha Hluttaw and the Pyithu Hluttaw of the Assembly of the Union, currently dissolved, at an unspecified time in the future. The planned election would be the first after the 2021 military coup d'état. Though military ruler Min Aung Hlaing initially promised to hold the election by August 2023, the military has since indefinitely delayed the election in the face of increasing violence.

Htay Aung is a Burmese businessman and politician who owns a number of hotels including Orchid Hotel. In the 2020 Myanmar general election, he contested as an independent candidate for the House of Representatives seat from the Kawhmu Township constituency against the State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi but lost.

Events in the year 2022 in Myanmar.

References

  1. Wintle, Justin (2007). Perfect Hostage . Skyhorse Publishing. p. 9781602392663. ISBN   9781602392663.
  2. Democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi greets Myanmar monks [ dead link ]. AFP. 22 September 2007
  3. "Official: UN plane lands in Myanmar with aid after cyclone". Associated Press. 5 May 2008. Archived from the original on 6 March 2016. Retrieved 1 December 2012.
  4. "Lawyer: Myanmar possibly rushing Suu Kyi's trial". Associated Press. 19 May 2009. Archived from the original on 20 May 2009. Retrieved 19 May 2009.
  5. Mydans, Seth (19 May 2009). "Myanmar Presses Case Against Pro-Democracy Leader". The New York Times.
  6. Sudekum Fisher, Maria (14 May 2009), "Motives of American who swam to Suu Kyi a mystery", Associated Press
  7. Zaw, Aung (13 May 2009), "Suu Kyi's Stalker Swimmer", Irrawaddy, archived from the original on 2009-05-23, retrieved 2016-05-09
  8. "Aung San Suu Kyi's house gate auctioned for $200,000". BBC News. 30 January 2015.
  9. 1 2 TIME magazine, "Burmese Democracy Leader Faces New Threat", November 28, 2000 quote: "Talk about spite. First, Burma's military government told pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi that she couldn't leave Rangoon. Then they told her that she couldn't leave her house. Now, they want the house." and: "Late last year, former Japanese Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto visited Burma and met with the generals. Burma's military is anxious for Japan to resume aid to their country, which it cut off when soldiers gunned down thousands of democracy demonstrators in 1988. Hashimoto gave the generals this advice when it came to dealing with Suu Kyi and her followers: Don't back her into a corner. The generals, it appears, aren't listening."
  10. NCGUB Archived March 4, 2012, at the Wayback Machine quote: "If he wins the case, U Aung San Oo is expected to turn his share of the house over to the government, a result which would put Daw Aung San Suu Kyi in an extremely precarious position."
  11. 1 2 Grant Peck (25 January 2024). "After family feud, Myanmar court orders auction of home where Suu Kyi spent 15 years' house arrest". Associated Press.
  12. Grant Peck (20 March 2024). "No bidders in court-ordered auction of house where Myanmar's Aung San Suu Kyi was detained for years". Associated Press.
  13. "With asking price of $142 million, no bidders for home of ousted Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi". Associated Press. 15 August 2024.
  14. "The Lady: Aung San Suu Kyi's Fight for Freedom". Time. 27 December 2010. Archived from the original on December 20, 2010. Retrieved 20 December 2011.