It is expected that after the trip to Oslo Aung San Suu Kyi will visit the city of Bergen on 17 June, where she will meet the Rafto Foundation, the Burmese community, and experience an outdoor ceremony in the centre of Bergen. 

Burmese community in Bergen

“I have dreamed about Aung San Suu Kyi’s visit to Bergen since I came here as a refugee in 2005”, said Cho Tun from the Burmese community. “She has often said that the Rafto Prize was the first recognition she got, and when she will be able to travel, she will go to Norway and Bergen. The Burmese community is grateful to have a chance to meet Aung San Suu Kyi in Bergen. This is a fantastic opportunity for Burmese people living in exile”, expressed Cho Tun.

Suu Kyi’s birthday 19 June 

Burma has been one of the follow up countries for the Rafto Foundation since Aung San Suu Kyi was awarded the Rafto Prize in 1990. Every year on Aung San Suu Kyi’s birthday, 19 June, there have been events in Bergen related to the situation in Burma. When monk-led anti-government protests took place in autumn 2007, the Rafto Foundation along with the Burmese community in Bergen organised solidarity marches and raised awareness about the situation in Burma. In July 2011, representatives from the Rafto Foundation visited Aung San Suu Kyi in Rangoon. “Aung San Suu Kyi’s visit to Norway is important for the future of Burma”, stressed Cho Tun. “Norway is a developed country and I believe there are possibilities for Norway to help Burma with development programs within educational exchange and the energy field”, said Cho Tun.

Long-time political prisoner 

During the student uprising of 1988 Aung San Suu Kyi became involved in political protests and assisted in founding the National League for Democracy (NLD). The NLD won elections in 1990, but was never allowed to take power. The elections were not recognised by the military government of Burma. NLD leader Aung San Suu Kyi became an icon for political liberation and democracy in Burma. She spent 15 of the past 21 years in some form of detention before her release on 13 November 2010.

Changes in Burma 

Aung San Suu Kyi’s release did not mark the end of military rule. She was excluded from taking part in the elections of 7 November 2010, but was released from house arrest just six days later. Elections in Burma held in November 2010 were neither free nor fair. According to Burma Campaign UK, there were over 2 000 political prisoners who remained in detention in Burma as of autumn 2010. Aung San Suu Kyi remained in Rangoon until the beginning of July 2011. When she was able to travel again, Suu Kyi started meeting the Burmese people outside of Rangoon. On 13 January 2012, Burma’s government released a number of prominent political dissidents from its jails. As BBC news reported on this occasion, no official tally of the number of political prisoners is available and some have been freed in amnesties in the past year.  Before the 13 January 2012 releases opposition groups estimated between 600 and 1 000 were in custody. After the military regime that had ruled Burma for nearly half a century began devolving power to a semi-civilian government, Suu Kyi and the NLD rejoined the political process. Aung San Suu Kyi stood for parliament in a by-election on 1 April 2012, arguing it was what her supporters wanted even if the country’s reforms were “not irreversible”. The NLD won 43 of 45 seats and Suu Kyi became a member of the Burmese parliament, a move unimaginable before the 2010 polls. 

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