Myanmar Spring Chronicle – June 19 View
(MoeMaKa, June 20, 2025):
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s Birthday and the State of Myanmar Politics
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s birthday, observed annually on June 19, is more than just a personal milestone of Myanmar’s most popular political leader. It is a politically symbolic day that invites public reflection on how various political forces, ethnic armed organizations, and even the National League for Democracy (NLD) and National Unity Government (NUG) position themselves in relation to her legacy. It is also a moment to assess the general political engagement of the public, as well as international perspectives on Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.
This year, on her 80th birthday, one of the few public birthday messages from an ethnic armed group came from General Tar Aik Bong, a senior commander of the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA). In a short video clip, he said:
“Happy Birthday Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. May you be released soon. May you soon lead Myanmar again.”
Though TNLA as an organization did not issue an official statement, this personal message from its top military leader suggests a desire for closer ties with the NLD and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.
As of this writing, no other ethnic armed organization has publicly released birthday messages—either institutionally or individually.
Apart from armed groups, some foreign embassies and governments issued public statements wishing her freedom and commemorating her birthday. Notably, the Indian Embassy in Yangon placed a birthday flower offering at the NLD headquarters near the Shwedagon Pagoda—a gesture that stands out considering India’s ongoing diplomatic ties with the junta. While maintaining formal relations with the junta, India also seems to be acknowledging its historical personal connection to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, whose mother once served as Myanmar’s ambassador to India.
Other countries that issued official birthday statements or called for her release include the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, and Denmark. These Western countries, although previously critical of her handling of the Rohingya crisis and her defense of the military at the International Court of Justice in 2019, have since reaffirmed their support for her freedom following her detention in the 2021 military coup.
Calls for the release of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and all political prisoners have been renewed globally. However, Southeast Asian governments and ASEAN have largely remained silent regarding her birthday or continued detention.
Among the general public in Myanmar, many offered birthday wishes through social media, with a flood of photos, graphics, and tribute videos. Underground student groups and activists in cities like Mandalay and Yangon hung birthday banners and staged quick flash-mob protests.
Unlike previous years, the traditional “flower strike”—placing flowers at pagodas and offering them in prayer for her release—was less visible this year. There were also fewer reports of arrests, which had been common in past years during such activities.
One notable campaign this year involved a digital Guinness World Record attempt, encouraging people to submit birthday wish videos online. The campaign reportedly succeeded, with over 100,000 video clips collected by June 19.
Taken together, these developments suggest that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi remains a deeply respected and widely supported figure in Myanmar politics. As she turns 80, questions naturally arise: How much longer will she remain imprisoned? Will she be able to lead again amid the political transition? How many years of vitality and leadership remain? These are crucial questions that loom large over Myanmar’s future.