[2] After pro-democracy, anti-government protests toppled Ne Win's military dictatorship in 1988,[3] Khun Tun Oo stood for the 1990 parliamentary elections at the head of the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD) party.
[2] However, the military government annulled the results, the parliament never convened, and the generals continued to rule the country as the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC).
[7] Khun Htun Oo and the other Shan State leaders were sent to different prisons in remote area of Burma, hundreds of miles from their hometowns.
[2] According to reports released from the prison, despite having diabetes and gout he received little medical attention, and was also suffering from swollen legs due to lack of exercise, as well as ischemic heart disease.
[2] A 2010 United Nations draft resolution calling by name for the freedom of Khun Htun Oo and other political prisoners was co-sponsored by Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Great Britain and the US.
[13] According to the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy's official Facebook page, Khun Htun Oo had died on 30 April 2022 in the afternoon around 1:00PM in the house where he resided, located in 9 Mile, Yangon.