Aung San Suu Kyi

An inspiration of noble courage

I have friends who live in a remote village providing food, medicine, and documenting human right violations in the country of Burma. I’ve had this heart connection with a land and people for almost 3 decades now, helping when I could, but always on my heart and mind. This gentle land has been the victim of such violence, horror, loss of freedom, and most recently devastated by a storm that may have killed over 20,000 souls. What can be done? But then there’s this one woman…This woman is an inspiration of noble courage, determination, and conviction for the people of Burma, in the face of raw aggression in the form of a military junta that has kept her under house arrest for almost 2 decades. The elections of 1990 made her the Prime Minister of Burma, as leader of the National League for Democracy party. The ‘Generals’, as they are called, rose in armed rebellion placing control with a military junta, keeping this woman under house arrest ever since. Most of her advisors are now dead, or imprisoned. In her famous speech “Freedom From Fear” she stated… “It is not power that corrupts but fear. Fear of losing power corrupts those who wield it, and fear of the scourge of power corrupts those who are subject to it”. She was awarded the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize. The committee made this mention...“The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided to award the Nobel Peace Prize for 1991 to Aung San Suu Kyi of Myanmar (Burma) for her non-violent struggle for democracy and human rights...Suu Kyi's struggle is one of the most extraordinary examples of civil courage in Asia in recent decades. She has become an important symbol in the struggle against oppression...In awarding the Nobel Peace Prize for 1991 to Aung San Suu Kyi, the Norwegian Nobel Committee wishes to honour this woman for her unflagging efforts and to show its support for the many people throughout the world who are striving to attain democracy, human rights and ethnic conciliation by peaceful means.” Her life speaks volumes. You have to love it - the dream of freedom!

Steven, United States - 07 May 2008