A Burmese woman won 2012 International Women of Courage Award

The US secretary of State, First Lady and 2012 International Women of Courage Award Winners(source:state.gov)

Zin Mar Aung, a Burmese activist for women’s rights, received the International Women of Courage Award from U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in Washington, D.C on March 08,2012.


During the ceremony for the award, Mrs.Clinton states:


Eleven years in a Burmese prison could not silence Zin Mar Aung.  Her life’s work has been promoting democracy, women’s rights, and conflict resolution in Burma.  Today, she leads a self-help association for female ex-political prisoners as well as a school of political science.  Her efforts have allowed former prisoners to take advantage of rebuilding their lives, even when her activism jeopardized her own freedom.  She continues to raise awareness of issues affecting ethnic minorities in this evolving environment for civil society and democracy activists.

Burma's Steel Lady meets with her supporters during her election campaigns

Burmese's democracy leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, is currently visiting the second largest city of Burma (Mandalay) and meeting with her supporters. More than 100,000 supporters including monks,nuns and people of different ages showed up to support her. 


According to my friend who accompanies Suu Kyi to all her trips: from humid regions to cold regions, the 66-year-old Nobel Peace Prize Laureate appeared tired especially when she is alone. "It is not easy to travel to different places and meeting with thousands and thousands of supporters. Every day, she is dealing with people from different background. She seems tired when she is alone but as soon as she meets her supporters, she becomes so fresh with a bright smile on her face and she is ready to deliver her speech," my friend said.  Suu Kyi has been campaigning around the country for months, in an attempt to win some seats in special election coming in April 2012. Majority of seats in Burma's parliament have been taken by government back-up party and only 48 seats are available at this time. 


Suu Kyi strongly believes that working in the Parliament is an important step for her to initiate Burma's reform.


"Our future road will be really tough and difficult. Democracy is not easy to get and also not easy to strengthen straight away,'' Suu Kyi says.

Aung San Suu Kyi meeting with her supporters in Mandalay, Burma