MONDAY, MAY 06, 2002
Major events in Myanmar's democracy struggle
AFP
YANGON:The Myanmar junta announced Monday that democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi has been freed after 19 months under house arrest.
Following are major events in the history of Myanmar's pro-democracy movement since the military crackdown of 1988.
1988
Aug 8: Demonstrations demanding an end to the military dictatorship in place since 1962 are staged across Myanmar after months of turmoil. Troops open fire, leaving hundreds or thousands dead according to different estimates.
Aug 12: Confronted by the mounting chaos, General Sein Lwin quits the leadership after just 18 days in his post, to be replaced by lawyer and writer Maung Maung.
Sept 18: Military takes charge and forms the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC), which authorises the creation of opposition parties after 26 years of monopoly rule by the Burma Socialist Programme party.
Sept 30: National League for Democracy, led by Aung San Suu Kyi, daughter of independence hero Aung San, is formed.
1989
July 20: Aung San Suu Kyi is placed under house arrest.
1990
May 27: NLD bags 392 out of 485 seats in parliamentary elections. Junta refuses to recognise the results.
1991
Sept 15: Government in exile formed at Mannerplaw on the Thai border.
Oct 14: Aung San Suu Kyi wins Nobel Peace Prize.
1992
April 23: General Saw Maung resigns as head of SLORC and is replaced by General Than Shwe. In succeeding months, the junta frees some 500 political prisoners.
Aug 24: Universities closed as protests reopen.
Sept 26: Martial law in force since 1988 is lifted.
1993
Jan 9: National convention for drafting a new constitution opens.
1994
Sept/Oct: Talks held between Aung San Suu Kyi and junta number one and three, Senior General Than Shwe and Lieutenant General Khin Nyunt.
1995
July 10: Aung San Suu Kyi is released after six years under house arrest.
Nov 28: The NLD refuses to take part in a new session of the national convention.
1996
May 25: Some 10,000 supporters of Aung San Suu Kyi march in Yangon in the biggest demonstration since 1990.
June 7: Junta declares opposition rallies "illegal."
Dec 9: Student demonstrators demand setting up of unions and freeing of detainees.
1997
April 22: The United States bans all new investment in Myanmar. On April 29, The European Union extends sanctions.
May 27: Hundreds of police prevent the holding of an NLD congress at Aung San Suu Kyi's home.
July 23: Myanmar joins the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
Nov 15: SLORC is replaced by the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC).
1998
June 24: Aung San Suu Kyi issues ultimatum to the junta demanding that the parliament elected in 1990 -- which has never met -- be convened by Aug 21.
July 24-30: Aung San Suu Kyi prevented from visiting NLD members. Her car is blocked 26 kilometres (nine miles) from Yangon.
Aug 8: Anniversary of the 1988 unrest passes without incident. The following day, 18 foreigners are arrested in Yangon for distributing pro-democracy pamphlets and later deported.
Sept 16: NLD sets up the Committee Representing Peoples Parliament, resulting in a renewed crackdown.
1999
Sept 9: Efforts by exiled dissidents to spark another uprising, dubbed the "Four Nines Movement," after the day, month and year, meet with little success.
Oct 1: Dissident gunmen take over Myanmar embassy in Bangkok, taking nearly 40 hostages. The crisis ends 24 hours later, after Thai authorities bow to demands for a helicopter to the Thai-Myanmar border.
2000:
April: Malaysian diplomat Razali Ismail named new UN envoy to Myanmar, charged with boosting efforts to achieve reconciliation.
Aug 24: Aung San Suu Kyi sparks a stand-off with the junta by leaving Yangon for a party meeting in the outlying town of Kawhmu, defying an order confining her to Yangon.
Sept 2: Junta says Aung San Suu Kyi has been "escorted" home and raids the NLD headquarters, placing senior members under house arrest.
Sept 22: Aung San Suu Kyi is placed under house arrest again after attempting to travel to the northern city of Mandalay.
October: Secret talks, brokered by UN envoy Razali Ismail and aimed at national reconciliation, begin between Aung San Suu Kyi and the junta.
2001
May 6: Concern grows as Razali has been denied permission to visit since January.
June 2: The UN envoy is allowed back to Myanmar and meets Aung San Suu Kyi and top members of the junta.
July 27: The European Union says its sanctions against Myanmar's regime will stay until "definite and positive" progress towards democracy is made.
Aug 27: The junta lifts restrictions on the president and vice president of the NLD, Aung Shwe and Tin Oo, who had been under virtual house arrest since September 2001.
Nov 11: The junta sacks seven ministers. The shake-up is seen to be aimed at centralising power and strengthening the top three generals.
Dec 2: UN envoy Razali Ismail, in his sixth visit to Myanmar, holds his longest meeting to date with Aung San Suu Kyi.
2002:
February: Political prisoners begin being released in small batches.
March 7: Four relatives of former dictator Ne Win, his son-in-law and three grandsons, are arrested for attempting to overthrow the regime.
March 12: The junta says the four, and Ne Win's daughter Sandar Win, are to be charged with high treason.
April 11: The US says it has grown "impatient" over the pace of talks between the junta and Aung San Suu Kyi.
April 24: UN envoy Razali Ismail meets Aung San Suu Kyi. Meanwhile, the currency crashes to a new all-time low.
April 30: Razali hints in Kuala Lumpur that Aung San Suu Kyi's release is imminent.
May 6: The junta announces that after 19 months, the house arrest restrictions have been lifted and she is free to carry out political activities.
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