Aung San Suu Kyi, the leader of Myanmar's democracy movement, got a taste of freedom Saturday. She spent the last seven years imprisoned in her own home by the military rulers of the country formerly known as Burma. NPR's Anthony Kuhn talks with host Guy Raz about the significance of her release and what it means for the democracy movement in that country.
GUY RAZ, host: We're back with ALL THINGS CONSIDERED from NPR News. I'm Guy Raz.</s>GUY RAZ, host: That's the sound of a jubilant crowd today in Myanmar cheering the release of pro-democracy opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi. The Nobel Peace Prize winner has been under house arrest for 15 of the past 21 years. Her release came just a week after a national election marred by charges of vote rigging.</s>GUY RAZ, host: NPR's Southeast Asia correspondent Anthony Kuhn is with us from Bangkok, right next door to Myanmar.</s>GUY RAZ, host: Anthony, why do you think she was released now?</s>ANTHONY KUHN: Well, essentially, her term of house arrest was up. This latest term of house arrest was seven-and-a-half years. Her sentence was extended in a bizarre incidence when an American swam across the lake and into her house, which is by the lake there in Rangoon.</s>ANTHONY KUHN: So her release was expected. Of course, she was barred from participating in the elections, so the timing of that is not too surprising. But, you know, people were very excited and anticipating her release. And hundreds of supporters were waiting for the police to be moved back. The official order was given for her release. They have moved the barricades and the riot police, and the supporters surged towards her gate and gave her a very enthusiastic welcome.</s>GUY RAZ, host: Anthony, she is sort of the face of the pro-democracy opposition movement in Myanmar. But I understand that the conditions of her release include a sort of a prohibition on participating in politics, right? Or even leaving the country.</s>ANTHONY KUHN: Well, we haven't heard that from her directly yet. It's not clear what the terms of her release are. But she said to her supporters today that she would be meeting with members of her party, the National League for Democracy, she would be giving another speech tomorrow, and she's going to be getting involved in looking into these charges of irregularities and vote rigging in the past elections.</s>ANTHONY KUHN: So it looks like she's actually jumping right into politics, and I'm sure that Myanmar's military rulers will be questioning their own decision to release her. I'm sure it was something that they, you know, were not too happy about doing in the first place but felt necessary for the sake of public opinion.</s>ANTHONY KUHN: In the past, you know, we have to say, she has never accepted any limitations on her freedom and it's doubtful that she would this time either.</s>GUY RAZ, host: But in the past when that's happened, they put her right back under house arrest. So you have to wonder whether that may be the case again.</s>ANTHONY KUHN: Well, but they've made horrible miscalculations, including, you know, the last general elections in 1990. They thought they could control it. The junta lost the elections and they had to annul the results. So, you know, it may backfire on them again.</s>GUY RAZ, host: Anthony, what's your sense? I mean, do you think this is a crack in the armor of the military regime in Myanmar or is that reading too deeply into this?</s>ANTHONY KUHN: Well, you know, it's really hard to underestimate the importance of Aung San Suu Kyi to the democracy movement. People within the movement had been split about participating in the elections, for example.</s>ANTHONY KUHN: Her NLD Party fractured and splintered groups went to contest the elections. And now, those people are saying that they want to meet with her now that she's free. So she has this sort of charisma and this ability to rally disparate forces. Her symbolic role in politics really sort of transcends a lot of other people's roles. And it could be very difficult for them to control when she gets involved in politics again.</s>GUY RAZ, host: That's NPR's Anthony Kuhn in Bangkok on the release of Burmese pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi.</s>GUY RAZ, host: Anthony, thank you so much.</s>ANTHONY KUHN: Thank you, Guy.