Aung San Suu Kyi Addresses University Audience

By John Cairns

HONG KONG – Some people learn quickly and make rapid progress. Others don't. The military strongmen ruling Burma, who have one of the world's worst human-rights records, fit into the latter category.

“I'd say they're not very fast learners,” said Burmese democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, winner of the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize. “We need to be very patient, and they will take time to learn. But everything that any of us can do to help them to be better, quicker learners would be a great boost to our country.”

Sixty-five-year-old Suu Kyi spoke by video transmission from Rangoon to about 2,000 students, faculty and others assembled at the University of Hong Kong (HKU) on May 30. HKU organized the event, her first speech to an Asian university since being released from house arrest last November, as part of a “distinguished-lecture series” to mark its centenary.

Burma needs no Libya-style outside intervention, but for its generals to show flexibility and pragmatism, Suu Kyi said. Instead of taking a violent or harshly adversarial stance, she tries to prod the military to tolerate more democracy. “We want to achieve national reconciliation through a negotiated settlement. If Burma's government couldn't do this as a military regime, then surely it can as an elected government, even if we must question how the elections were held. This is an opportunity. We'd like the government to take it and show that we don't need violence to achieve change.

“It's our responsibility to make them (the military men) see it's in the best interests of the country and themselves to give up the kind of power that doesn't bring respect. We want them to understand they'd be much more respected as a professional military that doesn't affect the people.

“In Burma, regime changes have been brought about by violent means over a long period. We want to stop this vicious cycle. That's why we choose the path of non-violence. We want to put Burma into a situation where political change can be achieved without violence.”

Addressing the HKU crowd, Suu Kyi showed her usual gentle demeanor. White flowers adorned her hair. She stressed the role of education to “foster values that promote human dignity and guide human progress in a positive direction.

“The highest form of learning makes us caring and responsible citizens of this world and equips us with the intellectual means to translate our concerns into specific deeds,” Suu Kyi said. “Education should be available to all, not just a privileged few.” It “should be a true learning process, not a machine for churning out meek, obedient people....

“In my opinion, democracy and education are closely linked. Democracy is based on people. The better educated the people are, the more widely educated the public is, the better for democracy.”

HKU vice-chancellor Lap-Chee Tsui called Suu Kyi an icon for democracy at home and around the world. “The fact that we must conduct this lecture and dialogue via video-link between Burma and Hong Kong speaks volumes about the unusual situation surrounding her even now,” he said.

Suu Kyi's party, the National League for Democracy (NLD), decisively won 1990 national elections, but the ruling military refused to recognize the results or surrender power. Later she spent 15 years under house arrest. The military released her six days after last year's rigged and tightly controlled new elections.

The daughter of a Burmese independence hero (General Aung San), Suu Kyi once lived quietly in England with husband Michael Aris and sons Alexander and Kim. In 1988, she returned to Burma to care for an ailing mother and became engulfed in mass protests. Soon she led a diverse democratic movement of students, monks, workers and ordinary citizens. Many university students who supported her then “remain in prison serving unbelievably long sentences".

Suu Kyi praised HKU. “I’m filled with deep admiration and also, it has to be admitted, with wistfulness,” she said. “When considering educational progress made in other countries, I think with sadness of the deplorable state of education in my own.... Burma is a country crying out for the potential of its people, especially its young people, to be realized.”

Would democracy alone remedy Burma's many woes? “I (also) believe in an open-market economy,” Suu Kyi said. “I believe in certain economic freedoms that would allow our people to develop economically as well as politically.... Only by developing freedom itself can we help our people out of poverty. It's not something we can do simply by looking for development.... We need to nurture freedom and economic opportunities at the same time.”

Does Suu Kyi expect help from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) or the United Nations? “Yes, I see hope,” she said. “ASEAN takes greater interest now in what it calls the internal affairs of Burma. As a democratic opposition, we have more friendly links with ASEAN countries and governments than in the past.

“As for the United Nations, it's made up of many members so it's rare and difficult to achieve consensus. But recently the UN Human Rights Council came up with a resolution that was very strong about the need for certain changes in Burma.

“There's always hope, but as I say, ‘No hope without endeavor’. If you want to hope, then you've got to work hard. Otherwise, don't hope. It's no more than a daydream.”

One listener noted that harsh regimes, like China, Burma, Iran, North Korea and others, like to strengthen their relations to make the world safe for authoritarianism. “In the long run, we all must go toward democracy because that system puts the greatest value on the people,” Suu Kyi replied. “It's not that we think democracy is perfect, but that democracy means respect for the people. That's why I think democracy will succeed – because everybody wants to be respected. Maybe sometimes other things, like fear, come before this need for respect. But in the long run, even governments will understand that only by respecting the people can they respect themselves.”

Questions from the audience stressed the need for democracy in Hong Kong and China. Democracy campaigners everywhere must remember their objectives and never surrender them, said Suu Kyi. Then they can campaign indefinitely, even against the most rigid, undemocratic rulers.

“This is a question people often ask themselves: why are we fighting for democracy?” she said. “If you're very clear about the answer, you can go on fighting. You always find new ways to carry on the fight. But if you don't know why, you can't be effective.

“It's always a matter of thought. You must think out your philosophy. Then you've got to think out your tactics and strategies very carefully.

“If you're trying to achieve freedoms in China, you're not alone. Many people all over the world want the same thing, and we're all with you.”

Some listeners contemplated the June 4th anniversary of the 1989 Beijing Massacre when Chinese soldiers killed student-protesters. “I don't think it's very surprising that long-established authoritarian regimes resist calls for democracy,” Suu Kyi said. “This happens all over the world. You see it happening in the Middle East now. These are sad events, not ones we look back to as high points in history, but they are problems that must be overcome.”

She called China a “great” country. “The Chinese people are a great people with a marvelous and long history behind them.” So the national leaders should realize they can afford positive reforms, even daring ones, to allow “all kinds of opinions".

China's economic success may heighten its need for political reforms and human rights. “China is making such progress economically that there seems to be less interest on the political side,” Suu Kyi said. “I think things will change. In the end, people want to feel secure. The richer they are, the more they offer opinions about security. In that sense, security means certain rights must be assured. It all leads to democracy and human rights. So I don't believe that anyone working for these values in China should despair. Things will fall into place, perhaps sooner than you imagine.”

Instead of siding with Western powers or Eastern ones, Suu Kyi prefers to “take sides with human rights because they belong to people all over the world".

As for Burma's international position: “Our relationship with China will be a special one of neighbors. Our relationship with Western countries will be a different kind, a friendship based on shared values of democracy. We can be friends with the West, and we can be friends with China, each in its own special way.”

One listener asked what advice Suu Kyi had for jailed Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo, another Nobel Peace Prize winner. She replied: “My message to all those who are in prison in some way is this: ‘You must keep faith with yourself. That is the most important thing. If you cannot keep faith with yourself, you can't lead a full life of inner peace.' "

How did Suu Kyi cling to her own values and faith when in detention? “I'm going to mention a word that may not be fashionable anymore, but it's very important – discipline,” she said. “That's how I went through the years of isolation. I led a very disciplined life, helping me to keep my faith."

Within that lifestyle, “very small things make me happy. I've learned to be happy with small things. This is necessary to live the kind of life I do. You need to treasure little things.”

Religion played a part too. “Buddhism has helped me a great deal,” Suu Kyi said. “In my years of house arrest and detention, I came to respect Buddhist philosophy really deeply. I had time to meditate and learn to know myself. Buddhism, like any really good educational process, is all about learning to know yourself, what you are as a human being and what you're capable of, which helps a lot.”

As another part of her philosophy: “I always think that challenges are interesting and there to help you to become a stronger person.”

Suu Kyi plans to travel beyond Rangoon soon to campaign for political changes. “Where I'll go, I can't say yet because we're trying to work out a sensible itinerary,” she said.

The last time she tried to travel throughout the country she came under attack from government supporters. “I have not been given any particular assurances by the authorities,” she said. “But I believe the government has a duty to make sure all its citizens are safe and secure.”

Priority one is “to try to establish rule of law in Burma. That means an independent judiciary.” Otherwise, “we really can't make progress towards human rights and democracy.”

Suu Kyi wants to nurture young leaders to join her in “working very hard” for democracy “and who are brave enough to face new challenges. We want to teach them to cope with whatever life throws at them. This is how they can learn to be future leaders.”

She urges other nations to maintain economic sanctions on Burma. While not greatly affecting the Burmese people, sanctions do impact the country's political and economic titans, she said.

“We'd like the business world to investigate the possibility of linking up with businesses in Burma that are free from government control and don't fall into the crony category,” she added.

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