A Write-Up on Aung San Sui Kyi, a Nobel Peace Prize Laureate.

Myanmar’s celebrated democracy campaigner, Aung San Sui Kyi, is the only Nobel peace prize laureate to languish in detention for over 14 years.

Prologue

Burma officially the Union of Myanmar, is the largest country by geographical area in mainland Southeast Asia or Indochina. India is on the northwest of Myanmar with the Andaman Sea defining Myanmar’s southern periphery.

Aung San Sui Kyi was born on June 19, 1945 at Rangoon, while Burma was under British rule. Her father General Aung San was responsible for the creation of Burma Independence Army and her mother Ma Khin Kyi was the Ambassador of Burma in India. Her father was killed on July 19, 1947 only a few months before Independence of Burma on January 4, 1948. Burma functioned as a democratic republic from 1948 to 1962. As a child Sui Kyi studied in India from 1960 and went on to Oxford for her further studies. After her marriage with Dr.Michael Aris, she helped Aris in Himalayan studies and she also worked in UN as a specialist in South Asian relations.

Unfortunate End of Democracy

In 1962, there was a military coup in which General Ne Win became the military commander and military regime was set in place. Sui Kyi continued to live in London till her mother fell ill in Rangoon in 1988. The military regime also continued till 1988 and there was a proposal to hold elections in 1988 after General Ne Win resigned. By then, Kyi was 43 years old. Kyi used this opportunity to bring the people of Burma together to ensure freedom from military regime. She formed a party named ‘National League for Democracy’ (NLD). She held a public rally in favour of NLD, which was attended by about 5 lac people. The military leaders felt threatened and at the first opportunity put her under arrest.

Despite being in arrest, Dr.Aung San Sui Kyi, won 82% of the popular vote in 1990, but she has never been allowed to hold office. Instead, since the election, she has been under intermittent arrest, house arrest, surveillance, and is prohibited from taking part in political activities. Because she chose not to abandon her countrymen and women, exile was not an option. The Government on several occasions advised her to go to any other country, so that, she may live free. But she refused to leave her people.

Nobel Laureate

In 1991, she won the Nobel Peace Prize "for her non-violent struggle for democracy and human rights.". She believed in the ‘Policy of non-violence and civil disobedience’ to get freedom for her countrymen. .

Nobel prize was given to her for her efforts to get freedom for her country from her own fellow citizens who are military rulers. She continues her fight against oppression. She always believed that "It is not power that corrupts but fear. Fear of losing power corrupts those who wield it and fear of the scourge of power corrupts those who are subject to it." Fearlessness is the best response to governmental violence. A part of the money she received as award in Nobel Peace Prize helps fund London-based charity Prospect Burma, who provide higher education grants to Burmese students.

At the Nobel Prize awards ceremony for Aung San Sui Kyi in December 1991, she was still being held in detention by the military dictatorship in Myanmar and could only be represented by her two sons, her husband and her picture facing the audience.

Current Status.

Living under a brutally repressive regime, the people of Burma, for years, have been crying out for democracy. Yet, other than lip service found on the U.S. State Department's web site and some nearly meaningless economic pressure, the U.S. Administration has largely ignored Burma. Why? Perhaps, because, unlike Iraq, Burma is not a major exporter of oil.

She could have led a life of academic research and comfort in Oxford, England, but left her family and returned to Burma to lead a pro-democracy movement, courageously enduring the barbaric military rule of her native land. Inspired by Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Aung San Sui Kyi is a non-violent liberator in a nation run by a junta that kills dissenters at will. She seeks no materialistic rewards, just freedom for her people. Hence she is languishing in detention.

She is still under detention, separated from her family, despite efforts of many governments and the United Nations to secure her liberation. A group of Nobel peace laureates only got as far as Thailand in an attempt to bring their petition to the military dictators who hold her. In 1994, however, a U.S. congressman was permitted to see her, and, as a result of mediation by a Buddhist monk, she had a conference with members of the government.

Conclusion

Sui Kyi unites deep commitment and tenacity with a vision in which the end and the means form a single unit. The most important elements of her policy are: democracy, respect for human rights, reconciliation between groups, non-violence, and personal and collective discipline.

As per Hindu e-Newspaper dated 13-12-2009, Myanmar’s military Government is considering her ‘appeal for release’. Aung San Sui Kyi has something to teach all of us about the importance of fighting for democracy and the sacrifices we all must take to insure its survival.

As for Dr. Aung San Suu Kyi, she is fighting to free her country and not languishing.

Caste System In India

Introduction:


Caste is divided on the basis of occupation of people. This word prevails from the time emperors’ rule. Let us now see how castes were divided and how the lower section citizens were treated in India.

During The Time of Kshatriyas (Kings):

The Kshatriyas were the upper class of the society. The subjects had to obey the rules and regulations of the emperor. The nobles and ministers in the court were given equal power by the king. The religious priests were also given equal status in the society. The common folks were ill – treated and were not given any opportunity in social life.

Present Status Of Caste in India:

Caste plays a vital role in India even now. Dalits the lower section of the society are not provided with basic rights . Dalits are being treated in inhuman way. Politicians are the main culprits for this racial discrimination. Census is being taken on basis of caste system. Nitish Kumar, chief minister of Bihar supports this act. Though these lower section people were denied of many rights and opportunities earlier now things are changing. Government encourages low caste people to become educated by providing lot of opportunities.

Why Discrimination Among People:

People were discriminated on caste based for their own benefits. The upper castes citizens are provided with maximum benefits in all fields . The politicians discriminated the people so that they can bring a growth in their community and earn fame and name .

Stop Casteism!!

We must not discriminate people as rich & down trodden . All must be treated equally on the basis of their skill and knowledge. The government must take initiatives to stop discrimination.

Study Of History

                                                          Herodotus - Father of History
                                                               
Introduction : 

 I, being a history student I would like to give some basic facts about the subject.

 Many students in the recent times feel history is out trended subject.

 So all the younger generation in the present scenario feel science and technology is important   and  they  prefer other science based courses.

 In my opine, history is as important as any other subject.

 It gives a detailed information about the past in chronological order.

Facts of History:

 The meaning of history – His story.

 Herodotus is considered to be the father of history.

 History lends us the information on great warriors like Hitler, Napoleon & many great emperors.

 The subject gives information about revolution and wars.

 Many historians were against Herodotus.


Importance of History:

 Without history it is impossible for a human to live.


 Even if we visit a doctor, he should know our medical history.

 Everything existing in this earth has its own history.

 Records of the past help us to know the history of each living being.


Conclusion:

 In my view history as a subject is very vital.

 Hence learn history with interest and acquire knowledge about various things linked to your own life.

 Though it is difficult to remember the years in chronological order, the facts and process towards great happenings make us take up the task with challenge.

Global Warming

Introduction :

• Global warming is an increase in the average temperature of the earth's atmosphere due to the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation. If we ignore the facts now the results could be catastrophic.

• Many things have happened as a result. Since the beginning of the 20th century the average surface temperature has increased by 1.1 degrees.

• Just in the past 40 years it has risen by a half of a degree. This doesn't sound like much right away but any change in temperature causes melting to the polar ice caps. If they continue to melt the sea level could start to rise dramatically. As of now the global sea level is raising 3 times faster in the last hundred years when compared to the last 3000 years.

• Mountain glaciers have been receding. The arctic ice pack has lost about 40% of it's thickness in the last 40 years. Even plants and animals are showing a wide range of effects in recent studies.

Effects :

• Global warming is affecting everyone. You can find changes in your own backyard. The extremely noticeable changes are found when studying habitats of plants and animals. Other habitats are having a change in the timing of their life cycles.

• In the Polar Regions a big problem is arising. Once frozen solid land is now turning into swamp. This will eventua1ly lead to a time when the Arctic Ocean will be ice-free in the summer months.

• Most animals' native to this area like "polar bears, ice-dwelling seals and some sea birds" will be pushed "to the brink of extinction. The earth's atmosphere has mix of nitrogen, oxygen, and carbon dioxide. This mixture is a delicate balance that makes the temperature on earth proper for plant and animal life.

• The problem that no one seems to realize is that by burning fossil fuels we are putting carbon into the air. Carbon absorbs heat. So when it goes into the atmosphere we get more heat. Carbon is also released very rapidly during deforestation from the burning of trees. Instead of the plants filtering our air of carbon dioxide they release carbon into the air forming carbon dioxide. It's a double negative which is greatly affecting our temperature.

• The releasing of aerosols has almost the same effect as carbon dioxide on the atmosphere. They both end up causing the same problem. Incoming light from the sun goes through the atmosphere and the greenhouse gasses and gets absorbed by these greenhouse gasses. But now that we are adding to the amount off gas we are getting more heat absorption.

Result :

• These gasses are adding up every day. In 1987 the "carbon dioxide reached 340 parts per million" and "in 1999 360ppm".

• It is estimated that "in 2050 the carbon dioxide count will be 600ppm". This is at the point in which the global temperature would be "higher than it has ever been and will cause serious problems" unlike the warning sign we are experiencing currently.

• It is a fact that the average rise in temperature globally is 1.1 degrees. The startling fact is that parts of Alaska, Canada, and Northern Russia they have experienced a rise in temperature by 5 degree Fahrenheit. This is because they are in the Northern Hemisphere where there is less water.

• In the last 16 years "the front of the Columbia Glacier has retreated more than eight miles" And Montana's Glacier National Park will have no glaciers within a couple of decades. The Aletsch Glacier in Switzerland lost more than 300ft. of its thickness.

• In 1995 more than 500 people died in Chicago alone. This was because the heat waves at night time left "no relief from day time heat stress" "

• Some people think that the warming up of the planet would be a good thing. And yes, some things would flourish. They include pests, livestock, diseasesed mosquitoes, and parasites. Clearly you can see that global warming will definitely not help improve the world in the years to come.

Conclusion :

• To slow down global warming drastically we need to look at the main sources of carbon dioxide which are coal, petroleum, and natural gas. The problem is that this would basically shut down, "the coal and oil industries, oil-exporting nations, the automobile industry, and many manufacturers" .

• So because these powerful companies don't want to lose money they hire "shanky" scientists to deny that there is a global warming problem.

• Hybrid cars have been out on the market for a couple of years now. They use a small gasoline engine and high powered electric motor to drive the car. These vehicles get exceptional gas mileage and pollute considerably less than the conventional automobile. Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles are almost ready for production. The next step to have hydrogen refilling stations around the world.

My view on the issue of Global Warming :

• Until we find a solution for global warming we need to make widespread knowledge that this is not a joke. It will not go away if people believe that it doesn't exist. We are the cause of global warming so we must take action against it. If it is ignored than the effects could be horrifying.