Myanmar protesters on August 8 marked the anniversary of a 1988 pro-democracy uprising that brought Aung San Suu Kyi to prominence, with flash mobs and marches of defiance against the ruling junta.

The country has been in turmoil since the generals launched their February putsch and subsequent crackdown on dissent that has killed more than 900 people, according to a local monitoring group.

But protesters remain undeterred, taking to the streets daily in lightning-quick rallies to demand the end to the State Administration Council – as the junta's so-called "caretaker" government has dubbed itself.

The military violently quelled the 1988 uprising – a massive pro-democracy movement –by opening fire on protesters and jailing thousands.

The uprising heralded the rise of Suu Kyi, who had returned to Myanmar just before protests kicked off to care for her ailing mother.

Thanks to her stature as the daughter of General Aung San, who fought for independence against the British, and her rousing speeches, Suu Kyi emerged as a pro-democracy icon, later receiving the Nobel Peace Prize.

A shadow "National Unity Government" – formed largely of parliamentarians from her ousted party – vowed in a statement on August 8 to continue the fight for democracy.