Thousands of supporters of Myanmar's jailed former leader Aung San Suu Kyi celebrated her 80th birthday on Thursday by launching an initiative to set a world record for the most birthday greeting videos. This event was accompanied by street demonstrations against the military government that overthrew her in February 2021.
Organizers, including Kalo Say Htoo, initially aimed to collect 80,000 greeting videos to commemorate Suu Kyi and achieve a recognized record by Guinness World Records. However, the campaign exceeded expectations, accumulating over 103,000 greeting videos, thus tripling the previous record of 32,207 set in 2017, according to the involved parties.
Aung San Suu Kyi was apprehended when the military seized control from her democratically elected government. She has since been convicted on numerous charges, many of which supporters claim were fabricated to remove her from the political arena. Despite her 27-year prison sentence, she continues to be regarded as Myanmar's legitimate leader by many citizens.
In a statement released on Facebook, Kim Aris, Suu Kyi's son residing in London, expressed how the campaign serves as a powerful indicator of his mother's global support. "It's my hope this achievement brings urgent attention to her plight and that of the people of Burma," he stated. Aris also planned to run 80 kilometers (49.7 miles) in honor of his mother’s birthday, encouraging others to participate in similar themed actions, such as walking for 80 minutes or cooking 80 recipes.
In addition to the video campaign, more than 6,800 civilians have reportedly been killed by security forces amidst the widespread armed conflict against military rule that escalated after the coup against Suu Kyi’s government. This alarming toll has been documented by various non-governmental organizations.
Pro-democracy protests were held in various regions not under military control, including northern Kachin state, central regions like Mandalay, Sagaing, and Magway, as well as in southern Tanintharyi. Photos circulating on social media depicted demonstrators bearing flowers, birthday cakes, and posters of Suu Kyi, with banners proclaiming "Happy Birthday" and calls for "the liberation of the entire nation, including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi."
The military government’s supporters responded by calling for the arrest of the protesters. Meanwhile, several Western embassies shared images of red roses on social media, with some expressing statements demanding the release of Suu Kyi and other political prisoners in Myanmar.
Additionally, a joint statement from the Suu Foundation, a nonprofit humanitarian organization, and the law firm Zimeray & Finelle revealed that Suu Kyi is believed to have sustained an injury to her left arm during the 7.7 magnitude earthquake that struck the country in March. The ongoing situation reflects the continued challenges facing both Aung San Suu Kyi and the broader struggle for democracy in Myanmar.
