There are few thinkers in the modern world who captivate millions with their kindness and love for people, and Aung San Suu Kyi ranks among them. Fully supported around the world by influential people such as Hillary Clinton, Daw Suu has enchanted her people for decades as she has strived to lead them from the bonds of unrelenting dictatorship in Burma. From 1988, when she was elected secretary of the National League for Democracy, to today, Daw Suu has battled tirelessly for her people. What sets her apart from all other world leaders, save for leaders like Nelson Mandela and Mahatma Gandhi, is that her platform lies in the basis of nonviolence.
She differs from other female leaders in Asia due to the fact that while her father was a prominent politician to the Burmese people, her decision to lead them in 1988 was hers and hers alone. Unlike Indira Gandhi in India, when Daw Suu promoted peace, peace is what she gave to her people. Her nonviolent strategies and unwillingness to bend to the rule of the autocratic government have also drastically set her apart from other Asian leaders, and has also led to extended time imprisoned and under house arrest. She is a woman who holds true to convictions, without fear or shame of the fact. Her gender doesn’t dictate who she is because she is simply a human being who wishes to see all of humanity have the choice to live freely without fear of their basic human rights being infringed upon. In the book of conversations between Daw Suu and Alan Clements she had this to say: “But we know that we are not alone. The cause of liberty and justice finds sympathetic responses responses around the world. Thinking and feeling people everywhere, regardless of color or creed, understand the deeply rooted human need for a meaningful existence that goes beyond the mere gratification of material desires. Those fortunate enough to live in societies where they are entitled to full political rights can reach out to help their less fortunate brethren in other areas of our troubled planet” (Clements).
As a person, Aung San Suu Kyi is one of the most gentle and genuine to ever walk the planet. She radiates empathy and kindness which permeate through her speech and demeanor. She is a slight and tiny woman many would perceive weak, but her eyes behold a burning passion for liberty that can not be squelched. As a devout Buddhist, Daw Suu has devoted her life to achieving a constant state of metta, or loving-kindness. Throughout both the book, lecture, and documentary on this brave and empowered woman, Daw Suu repeats the importance of forgiveness many times. To find the inner strength not only to forgive, but also to welcome reconciliation with those who have held her prisoner for nearly two decades shows a deep understanding and comprehension of freedom. To quote Mahatma Gandhi, “The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.”
Of all the Asian women leaders discussed throughout this course, the most similar to Daw Suu would have been Corazon Aquino. They both possessed quiet, but commanding demeanors which enabled them to motivate, inspire, and captivate the people of their nations toward action. Unlike Corazon, however, Daw Suu made the decision to lead her people of her own volition. That isn’t to say her father’s political career and death didn’t motivate her, but it wasn’t the deciding factor in her decision. She followed in her father’s footsteps because they stood for the same cause; to better humanity in Burma. Where Corazon was thrust into politics mostly because of her political ties, Daw Suu willingly walked into the life of politician because she felt it was the right and just thing to do.
Although one could fill an entire thesaurus with words used to describe Aung San Suu Kyi, among the first would be heroine. She has devoted her life to seeing the freedom and liberation of her people and at a Wallenberg Lecture she said that “a dedication to the cause of freedom binds us close together,” (14:10-14:15). How true these words are. In fact, not only does she have the support of Hillary Clinton, but also George Bush. In 2008, he awarded her with the Congressional Gold Medal and went as far as to pass a law allowing her to receive the medal will imprisoned. Her unyielding stake in the freedom of her brothers and sisters in bondage make Daw Suu an exemplary person.
In Chapter 13 of Aung San Suu Kyi: the Voice of Hope, Alan Clements describes Aung San Suu Kyi as a “voice that speaks for the voiceless, a power that stands up for the powerless - the simple people, the ordinary folks, and the disenfranchised” (Clements). Daw Suu, an extremely gracious woman, answers by explaining how there are many people who attain greatness and have it hidden within them. She goes on to say being aware of the world around us will aid tremendously in helping the cause of people everywhere. By allowing the people knowledge, Daw Suu implies, it will give them better understanding about choosing between right and wrong.
Truth, according to Aung San Suu Kyi, is closely and deeply related to the act of forgiveness. In Chapter 1 of Aung San Suu Kyi, she says that she “believe[s] truth and reconciliation go together” (Clements). She also says, “I don’t think that people will really thirst for vengeance once they have been given access to the truth. But the fact that they are denied access to the truth simple strokes the anger and hatred in them. That their sufferings have not been acknowledge makes people angry. That is one of the great differences between SLORC [State Law & Order Restoration Council] and ourselves. We do not think that there is anything wrong with saying we made a mistake and that we are sorry” (Clements). This compelling passage sheds a new light on those who have been oppressed by unfair and unjust laws. She says here that all the people want is to be set free and apologized to.
Many may ask why those living in Burma don’t simply rise up against their oppressive and controlling regime, and oust the leader. While this sounds impressive on paper, it simply isn’t practical for a population of impoverished people to take on their heavily armed military which have frightened and terrorized them for generations. Indeed, fear is a factor which keeps many people in Burma continuously oppressed. “Almost everyone says that they are afraid of SLORC’s wrath: afraid of retribution; afraid that if they speak out they’ll pay for it with imprisonment,” says Alan Clements in Chapter 1 (Clements). Daw Suu doesn’t say that she isn’t fearful of what the government in Burma may do to her, but the emancipation of her people is greater than any amount of fear that could ever possess her.
In line with her Buddhist ideals, Aung San Suu Kyi ardently advocates for the exercise of compassion amongst her peoples. In Chapter 2 of the Alan Clements book, Daw Suu tells the tale of two quarreling sides and how Buddha intervened. Rather than telling them to stop from afar, Buddha stepped in between the two sides so that they would be forced to hurt him if they continued to fight. This, Daw Suu, implies, is what true compassion is all about. By pouring out love to one another through acts in the community, this furthers the agenda of compassion. There is a scripture in the Christian Bible taken from Galatians 2:6 that instructs followers to “carry each other’s burdens and in this way fulfill the law of Christ.” Daw Suu is instructing people around the world to do just that, “by coming to the families of political prisoners and offering them practical help and by surrounding them with love, compassion and moral support” (Clements, Chapter 2). She then goes on to liken compassion to “a mother’s courage to sacrifice herself comes out of her love for her child” (Clements, Chapter 2). If more people would live their lives being more compassionate and caring toward one another, perhaps such gross injustice and denial of human rights wouldn’t reign supreme.
Aung San Suu Kyi, who has led her people for more than twenty years, is the integral part of the push for democracy in Burma. She essentially has become the face of all the above listed attributes not only to her countrymen, but also to people around the world. Her steadfast desire to serve her country, at the expense of her familial and social ties, must prove exceedingly tiring, but she prevails. She missed a huge chunk of her two boys’ lives as well as the final breaths of her beloved husband in 1999. These burdens must weigh heavily upon her heart and soul, but still she fights for her people. Her unwavering devotion to the people she leads is truly an act that can barely be expressed. She has laid down her life so that others may have a chance to prosper, and that is truly amazing.
If the liberation of Burma occurs during the lifetime of Aung San Suu Kyi, as I sincerely hope, it would only be fitting for her to remain the head of the revolution. Her struggle for democracy within her country, in my opinion, sets her on equal footing with other great minds in history such as William Wilberforce, Abraham Lincoln, and Martin Luther King, Jr. It would have been so simple to retreat after visiting Burma in 1988 and return to the privileged life she’d led, but Daw Suu realized that she was needed. In the future, I believe that Daw Suu’s passionate light will ignite a burning fire of peaceful revolution that will spread not only through Burma, but the whole world as well. Injustice may never be completely eradicated from our planet, but to people like Aung San Suu Kyi, that doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t try.
There are few thinkers in the modern world who captivate millions with their kindness and love for people, and Aung San Suu Kyi ranks among them. Fully supported around the world by influential people such as Hillary Clinton, Daw Suu has enchanted her people for decades as she has strived to lead them from the bonds of unrelenting dictatorship in Burma. From 1988, when she was elected secretary of the National League for Democracy, to today, Daw Suu has battled tirelessly for her people. What sets her apart from all other world leaders, save for leaders like Nelson Mandela and Mahatma Gandhi, is that her platform lies in the basis of nonviolence.
She differs from other female leaders in Asia due to the fact that while her father was a prominent politician to the Burmese people, her decision to lead them in 1988 was hers and hers alone. Unlike Indira Gandhi in India, when Daw Suu promoted peace, peace is what she gave to her people. Her nonviolent strategies and unwillingness to bend to the rule of the autocratic government have also drastically set her apart from other Asian leaders, and has also led to extended time imprisoned and under house arrest. She is a woman who holds true to convictions, without fear or shame of the fact. Her gender doesn’t dictate who she is because she is simply a human being who wishes to see all of humanity have the choice to live freely without fear of their basic human rights being infringed upon. In the book of conversations between Daw Suu and Alan Clements she had this to say: “But we know that we are not alone. The cause of liberty and justice finds sympathetic responses responses around the world. Thinking and feeling people everywhere, regardless of color or creed, understand the deeply rooted human need for a meaningful existence that goes beyond the mere gratification of material desires. Those fortunate enough to live in societies where they are entitled to full political rights can reach out to help their less fortunate brethren in other areas of our troubled planet” (Clements).
As a person, Aung San Suu Kyi is one of the most gentle and genuine to ever walk the planet. She radiates empathy and kindness which permeate through her speech and demeanor. She is a slight and tiny woman many would perceive weak, but her eyes behold a burning passion for liberty that can not be squelched. As a devout Buddhist, Daw Suu has devoted her life to achieving a constant state of metta, or loving-kindness. Throughout both the book, lecture, and documentary on this brave and empowered woman, Daw Suu repeats the importance of forgiveness many times. To find the inner strength not only to forgive, but also to welcome reconciliation with those who have held her prisoner for nearly two decades shows a deep understanding and comprehension of freedom. To quote Mahatma Gandhi, “The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.”
Of all the Asian women leaders discussed throughout this course, the most similar to Daw Suu would have been Corazon Aquino. They both possessed quiet, but commanding demeanors which enabled them to motivate, inspire, and captivate the people of their nations toward action. Unlike Corazon, however, Daw Suu made the decision to lead her people of her own volition. That isn’t to say her father’s political career and death didn’t motivate her, but it wasn’t the deciding factor in her decision. She followed in her father’s footsteps because they stood for the same cause; to better humanity in Burma. Where Corazon was thrust into politics mostly because of her political ties, Daw Suu willingly walked into the life of politician because she felt it was the right and just thing to do.
Although one could fill an entire thesaurus with words used to describe Aung San Suu Kyi, among the first would be heroine. She has devoted her life to seeing the freedom and liberation of her people and at a Wallenberg Lecture she said that “a dedication to the cause of freedom binds us close together,” (14:10-14:15). How true these words are. In fact, not only does she have the support of Hillary Clinton, but also George Bush. In 2008, he awarded her with the Congressional Gold Medal and went as far as to pass a law allowing her to receive the medal will imprisoned. Her unyielding stake in the freedom of her brothers and sisters in bondage make Daw Suu an exemplary person.
In Chapter 13 of Aung San Suu Kyi: the Voice of Hope, Alan Clements describes Aung San Suu Kyi as a “voice that speaks for the voiceless, a power that stands up for the powerless - the simple people, the ordinary folks, and the disenfranchised” (Clements). Daw Suu, an extremely gracious woman, answers by explaining how there are many people who attain greatness and have it hidden within them. She goes on to say being aware of the world around us will aid tremendously in helping the cause of people everywhere. By allowing the people knowledge, Daw Suu implies, it will give them better understanding about choosing between right and wrong.
Truth, according to Aung San Suu Kyi, is closely and deeply related to the act of forgiveness. In Chapter 1 of Aung San Suu Kyi, she says that she “believe[s] truth and reconciliation go together” (Clements). She also says, “I don’t think that people will really thirst for vengeance once they have been given access to the truth. But the fact that they are denied access to the truth simple strokes the anger and hatred in them. That their sufferings have not been acknowledge makes people angry. That is one of the great differences between SLORC [State Law & Order Restoration Council] and ourselves. We do not think that there is anything wrong with saying we made a mistake and that we are sorry” (Clements). This compelling passage sheds a new light on those who have been oppressed by unfair and unjust laws. She says here that all the people want is to be set free and apologized to.
Many may ask why those living in Burma don’t simply rise up against their oppressive and controlling regime, and oust the leader. While this sounds impressive on paper, it simply isn’t practical for a population of impoverished people to take on their heavily armed military which have frightened and terrorized them for generations. Indeed, fear is a factor which keeps many people in Burma continuously oppressed. “Almost everyone says that they are afraid of SLORC’s wrath: afraid of retribution; afraid that if they speak out they’ll pay for it with imprisonment,” says Alan Clements in Chapter 1 (Clements). Daw Suu doesn’t say that she isn’t fearful of what the government in Burma may do to her, but the emancipation of her people is greater than any amount of fear that could ever possess her.
In line with her Buddhist ideals, Aung San Suu Kyi ardently advocates for the exercise of compassion amongst her peoples. In Chapter 2 of the Alan Clements book, Daw Suu tells the tale of two quarreling sides and how Buddha intervened. Rather than telling them to stop from afar, Buddha stepped in between the two sides so that they would be forced to hurt him if they continued to fight. This, Daw Suu, implies, is what true compassion is all about. By pouring out love to one another through acts in the community, this furthers the agenda of compassion. There is a scripture in the Christian Bible taken from Galatians 2:6 that instructs followers to “carry each other’s burdens and in this way fulfill the law of Christ.” Daw Suu is instructing people around the world to do just that, “by coming to the families of political prisoners and offering them practical help and by surrounding them with love, compassion and moral support” (Clements, Chapter 2). She then goes on to liken compassion to “a mother’s courage to sacrifice herself comes out of her love for her child” (Clements, Chapter 2). If more people would live their lives being more compassionate and caring toward one another, perhaps such gross injustice and denial of human rights wouldn’t reign supreme.
Aung San Suu Kyi, who has led her people for more than twenty years, is the integral part of the push for democracy in Burma. She essentially has become the face of all the above listed attributes not only to her countrymen, but also to people around the world. Her steadfast desire to serve her country, at the expense of her familial and social ties, must prove exceedingly tiring, but she prevails. She missed a huge chunk of her two boys’ lives as well as the final breaths of her beloved husband in 1999. These burdens must weigh heavily upon her heart and soul, but still she fights for her people. Her unwavering devotion to the people she leads is truly an act that can barely be expressed. She has laid down her life so that others may have a chance to prosper, and that is truly amazing.
If the liberation of Burma occurs during the lifetime of Aung San Suu Kyi, as I sincerely hope, it would only be fitting for her to remain the head of the revolution. Her struggle for democracy within her country, in my opinion, sets her on equal footing with other great minds in history such as William Wilberforce, Abraham Lincoln, and Martin Luther King, Jr. It would have been so simple to retreat after visiting Burma in 1988 and return to the privileged life she’d led, but Daw Suu realized that she was needed. In the future, I believe that Daw Suu’s passionate light will ignite a burning fire of peaceful revolution that will spread not only through Burma, but the whole world as well. Injustice may never be completely eradicated from our planet, but to people like Aung San Suu Kyi, that doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t try.
Works Cited
Voice of Hope: Conversations with Alan Clements
