Aung San Suu Kyi is the daughter of Aung San, who helped Myanmar gain independence from Britain. She emerged as a leader for democracy in 1988 during protests against military rule. The military junta held elections in 1990, which Suu Kyi's party won, but the junta refused to hand over power and placed her under house arrest for six years to prevent her from becoming prime minister. She remains a symbol of democracy and human rights in Myanmar.