The popular uprising of 1988 was also begun by students. Initially, their objective was to establish a student union, but as this was impossible to achieve whilst living under military repression, their objectives were broadened to include democracy, freedom and an end to military rule. They were joined by various pro-democracy groups and the majority of the Burmese people in their demands. The military acted quickly to crush the democracy movement. In the years that followed, activists were surveiled, arrested, tortured and killed.
Demonstrators are trouble makers.
They were forced to keep on the move as their settlements were repeatedly attacked and burnt down, causing them to move deeper into the jungle where they face starvation, subsisting on rice and jungle vegetables. After nine years of fighting only two thousand fighters and their families remain. Again their numbers swelled to include the public and other pro-democracy groups. The democratically elected head of Burma, leader of the NLD and of the pro-democracy movement, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. , was placed under house arrest and her followers jailed and persecuted. As in 1988, universities were closed down indefinitely.