Sweaters Knitted By Aung San Suu Kyi Sell At Auction, Raise $123,000

Sweaters knitted by Aung San Suu Kyi, an icon of Burmese democracy, sold for just over $123,000 at a two day Myanmar fundraising auction last week.

Myanmar’s opposition party may be hoping to boost their funds with the auction of their leader’s personal items.

Aung San Suu Kyi is a Burmese opposition politician as well as chairperson of the National League for Democracy. Both of the sweaters auctioned were reported to be hand knitted by Suu Kyi when she was residing in England approximately 25 years ago.

The Associated Press reports that both sweaters brought in significant bids. The portion of the auction held on December 27 saw a Myanmar-based radio station in a bidding war for a multicolored v-neck sweater which they won with a bid of $49,000.

A floral patterned sweater of green and white went to an anonymous bidder during the next evening’s auction. The final bid for that piece was slightly over $74,000.

Although Suu Kyi has not spoken publicly about the results of the auction, her close aide Ko Ni expressed that she was pleased:

“Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is satisfied with the auction and the donations received. She needs a lot of cash to carry out projects for the welfare of the people.”

Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy party organized the event to help fund health projects in Myanmar and improve education for impoverished children. Phyo Min Thein, a politician for the party, said the following:

“We will use the money to help troubled Burmese migrants in other countries, poor schools and those who live in areas where it is difficult to access the education.”

Australia’s ABC writes that for nearly two decades during her democracy struggle Aung San Suu Kyi was kept under house arrest. Released after seven years, she now works as a politician having contested elections overseen by reformist leader Thein Sein in Burma.

What do you think of Myanmar’s opposition party selling sweaters knitted by Aung San Suu Kyi at auction?