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" Religion for Peace and Freedom from Fear "







" Religion for Peace and Freedom from Fear "


Delievered by Sitagu Sayadaw
at Seminor Sitagu International Buddhist Academy and US commission on International Religious Freedom
Sitagu International Buddhist Academy
Sagaing Hills, Sagaing, Myanmar


Good morning Honorable gentlemen

Welcome to Sitagu International Buddhist Academy. I am glad to meet and to discuss with you.

There are six major Religions in the world today. Since Human beings came on Earth, people worshipped the Sun, the Moon and various deities. They also sought refuge in them on the basis of fear. It was called a primitive religion. Most of scholars stated that horror initiated the religions of those days. The Buddha also clearly said that the idea and concept of religions originated from fear. Therefore every religion has full responsibility for the removal of fear which is sticking on the mind of people. But, on the contrary, it is regrettable that a fearful religion and its followers emerged in the world.

After the primitive religions there appeared Hinduism. And afterwards, Jainism also came out on the Land where Hinduism was being flourished. Forty years after the emergence of Jainism, there appeared Buddhism also. Buddhism appeared on the birth place of Hinduism and Jainism and peacefully coexisted with them for ages. There was no traceable history of bloodshed and conflict among them. Also there was no violence and quarrel even on the statement issued by the Hindus saying that the Buddha was an incarnation of God Vishnu. We had only oral and written arguments.

Six hundred years after the Buddha, Jesus Christ appeared in the World. In the ten commandments of Christianity we find many similarities with Buddhism in the field of Morality and Noble practice. Christian missions tried to flourish their faith when they came to the East Asian countries such as India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Korea and Japan. The people of those countries were non-Christians. But, even after the arrival of Christianity also there was peaceful coexistence between Christians and non-Christians. No history of conflict can be traced to any side. Because all the Hindus, Janis and Christians are walking together on the common platform of their respective teachings, that is Morality, Loving-kindness and compassion. The religion, founded based on Loving-kindness and compassion, has no conflict and it does only social welfare services like Health, Education and other social infrastructures.

In Myanmar, many Christians converted to Buddhism in the past as well as at the present. They did it not because they were forced by the Buddhists. Similarly, many of Buddhists also converted to Christian faith. No single Christian threatened them to do so. They did it of their own free will. Every religion has and should have freedom of worship and freedom of belief. Look at the Crusade that prolonged about forty years. It was recorded in the history of the world.

We have to note that the beginning of conflict is aggressiveness and extremism either in the field of religion or that of politics. Today, in Iraq, the Islamic extremists are forcing ancient Zoroastrians to change their faith into Islam. They even threatened them to kill if their demand is not met. In Africa, a Muslim woman was given the death sentence just because she has converted to Christianity. Therefore, we, the East Asian Buddhist countries are living in constant daily fear of falling under the sword of the Islamic extremists. As we are lacking power and influence, we cannot compete against with the rapid growth of Islamic world.

There was a recorded history that in the thirteenth century A.D, a Muslim army marched from Turkey through India and destroyed Pala Buddhist dynasty and converted it into Islamic state. Pala Buddhist dynasty was none other than present Bangladesh. In the south of Philippine, the Islamic extremists revolted against the government for twenty years. Today, they established a Muslim state there. The Islamic extremists are holding weapons in the south of Thailand to make it a separate Muslim state.

Every religion, according to me, should perform its activities only for the good and welfare of the people. But, today, Islamic extremists are trying to establish Islamic states by waging war against non-Muslims. It is regrettable that they are performing the holy war (Jihad) on the name of God.

Myanmar regained its independence from British in 1948. They colonized Myanmar for nearly hundred years. Many Africans were imported as slaves when the United States of America was established. In the same way, the English rulers illegally imported labourers from India and Bangladesh to Myanmar for the hard labour during their rule.
There is also another bad consequence caused by English colonial rule. During hundred years of British rule, Burmese nationals were not formed as an army. But it was ridiculous that the English rulers administered Myanmar forming different groups of indigenous minorities as an army. When the British rulers went back to England, the minority groups revolted against the Burmese government. We cannot solve those problems until today. These are the natural sufferings faced by the colonial countries.

There is one more important thing that during the British colonial rule, many illegal immigrants from Bangladesh entered into the Rakhine state. In 1948-49, by the name of Mujtahid, those illegal immigrants revolted against Burmese army. Their intention was to establish separate Muslim state. Burmese army had to confront the Islamic Mujahidins. Today, they neither claim themselves as Bangalis nor claim Mujahidins. But, claiming themselves as Rohingars, they are trying to demand a separate home land. They also burned their houses by themselves as if it was done by Burmese Buddhists. We cannot compete with the Islamic world which is the second most powerful and wealthy. Islamic countries occupy the second largest portion even in the United Nations.

The mass media of today is also overwhelmed by the power of money. Most of mass communications such as radios and televisions are controlled by the Islamic world which has sound economy. As we are unable to fight against such a powerful media, the world is not ready either to believe or accept whatever we said. But, we were deafened by the loud explosion of the whole world when the Islamic world says something bad about Myanmar. It was the power of Islamic Medias that made the image and reputation of Myanmar bad. Therefore, we, as the Buddha taught, have determined to objectively care and protect our country and our nationality avoiding two extremes: favour and fear.

Honorable gentlemen — in conclusion, I would like to say that Myanmar is facing various problems and difficulties. Because it was under the colonial rule for nearly hundred years and even after the independence, it was fighting civil and communal war for nearly sixty years.Many organizations from abroad came to Myanmar with the intention of solving such problems. But, instead of solving it, we found that they sometimes made the situation worse and worse. Therefore I would like to request you to find a better solution for such problems.

The next one, what I would like to say is that the Myanmar government is now trying to establish internal peace and stability with the intention of ceasing civil war and communal violence. At this crucial Juncture, some religious extremists are frustrating with provocative statements and actions. I would like to request you to give your hands in the process of solving problems and conflicts. A methodical approach is essential for the peace process. It is also necessary not to make things from bad to worse and more complicated.

As devout Buddhists, we also promise that we are going to solve these problems without violence and we will do it firmly standing on the teaching of the Buddha, that is tolerance, forgiveness, serving society, sacrifice for others and rationality.

Thank you all.
May you be happy and healthy.

Dr. Ashin Nyanissara (Ph.D, D.Litt)
Sitagu International Buddhist IBot Academy
by Venerable Ashin Nyanissara (Sitagu/Thegon Sayadaw)




Monday, September 01, 2014 | Posted in , , , , | Read More »

Meet the American Supporting Myanmar's Controversial Pro-Buddhist Movement




He's a self-proclaimed "white American national" who has no family connections to Myanmar and has never visited the country. He's not an expert on its politics either, he tells me -- which becomes clear later in our conversation when he draws a blank on the name of Aung San Suu Kyi, likely the most famous Burmese person alive today, whom he calls a "prime minister candidate" (she's actually planning on staging a run for the presidency).
But something about the 969 movement -- the controversial pro-Buddhist campaign that many hold responsible for the violence that has racked Myanmar in recent months -- has captured the imagination of this man. Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, working his day job in the "technology sector," he has taken it upon himself in his spare time to set up both a website -- 969Movement.org -- and a Twitter account devoted to defending the movement in the face of what he says is widespread misinformation. 
In a Skype interview with Foreign Policy on Wednesday, he declined to give his name, saying "I still have some safety concerns about being involved in all this."
"Where I see myself ... is promoting the values and the intention of the 969 movement to the English-speaking world," he says. "To a more globalized audience."
The 969 movement is often described in news coverage as a nationalist, anti-Muslim organization. It encourages Burmese Buddhists to patronize Buddhist shops -- specifically shops bearing 969-distributed stickers -- and to shun interfaith marriage. It's also well known for the vehemence of its leaders' rhetoric: "You can be full of kindness and love, but you cannot sleep next to a mad dog," U Wirathu, the charismatic monk often described as the face of the movement, has reportedly said about Muslims. It's the kind of divisive rhetoric that many argue has contributed to the sectarian clashes and mob violence that has rocked Myanmar over the past year, killinghundreds, displacing thousandsm and destroying hundreds of acres of property. Some claim that the movement is receiving tacit backing from the state.
But the Californian is skeptical of the 969 movement's role in this violence. Those doing the translating for Western media organizations aren't neutral observers, he says, but rather people with an anti-969 agenda. What he sees in 969 are the seeds of a global pro-Buddhist movement that can give Buddhism and its values a collective voice.
"What Buddhists need today, in the 21st century is a united message and presence that exists in the public sphere," he says. Just as there have been efforts to build pan-Arabism, he says, "Buddhists should have a nation too."
The message that Buddhists are under threat and need to stand up for themselves has found resonance in other Buddhist countries in South and Southeast Asia, but it's unusual to find an American pushing for a movement toward a more political Buddhism and supporting a campaign that's been widely criticized outside of Myanmar. (His connections to the 969 movement, it should be noted, are only ideological -- at least so far. He's reached out to the leadership in Myanmar for their blessing, but has yet to hear back, he says.) In addition to supporting the 969 movement, he's also the founder of a website called BuddhistDefenseLeague.org.
The man says he was raised in a Christian family, but developed an interest in Buddhism as a teenager. He began practicing more seriously a few years ago, he says, and "the peace ... it's given me -- I take it very seriously." He found videos of Wirathu on YouTube, and found that the monk appealed to him. "Even as a small man, he appears to have a great deal of charisma.... I look forward to meeting him one day."
He says he was prompted to start his website and Twitter account in response to a controversialTime magazine issue that put Wirathu on the cover, above the headline, "The Face of Buddhist Terror."
"It was one-sided, disrespectful of my religious beliefs. I thought, I could do something about this."
His site includes a section that seeks to dispel 969 "myths" ("There have been many attacks against Buddhists in Myanmar that have gone unreported in the Western media. Myanmar, like many other countries in the world, has a long history of Islamic terrorists killing, raping, and destroying.") and short blog posts on why, for example, it's important to shop at Buddhist stores to support monks ("By displaying a sticker or poster, a business and home could indicate that it was owned by a Buddhist and that they supported the 969 values of Buddhism. For the first time Buddhists in Myanmar were able to recognize who their money was supporting"). His Twitter feed is a steady stream of debate with those who are offended by his backing of an organization they consider hateful, or who accuse him of making misleading characterizations of the movement.
"To re-frame '969' as a peaceful push for getting Buddhist voices heard ... is a complete distortion," Maung Zarni, a Burmese dissident in exile who is currently a fellow at the London School of Economics, said in an email to Foreign Policy. The creator of 969Movement.org "is not really in touch with the extremely troubling and ugly ideological and material impact of the 969 [movement] as it is understood and framed by its fast-growing adherents."
The website has only been up for about two weeks; the Twitter account has just a few dozen followers. But the creator says he's already received emails from supporters -- mainly in Southeast Asia, though also a few Buddhists in the United States. He's been in talks with another Buddhist website about producing a pro-969 magazine, and he hopes to win over more supporters in the United States by distributing the kinds of stickers that Buddhists in Myanmar place on their cars, motorcycles, and store windows. His plans eventually include founding a non-profit. Only then, he says, will he reveal his identity.
He doesn't expect that it will be easy to find support in the United States. "Most Western Buddhists believe what they read in the Western media, and will not be supportive of it," he says.
But the time has come, he says, for Buddhists around the world to take a stand on behalf of their religion and culture.
"I feel like we're at an important threshold right now," he says. "Either we stand up, as Buddhists, and accept these criticisms, of being divisive, and setting ourselves apart -- because it's true, we are not like other people, we have different values and different traditions" -- or Buddhism may "lose the fight."
"Bullies like to pick on an easy target," he said. "That might not be politically correct for the Dalai Lama to hear."

Posted By Alicia P.Q. Wittmeyer 



Sunday, July 14, 2013 | Posted in , , | Read More »

Obama's day: Burma



(Photo: Charles Dharapak, AP)

David Jackson, USA TODAY

President Obama spends Monday promoting democracy.

Obama meets at the White House with President Thein Sein of Burma, also known as Myanmar, which is trying to move past the military dictatorship that has run the country in recent decades.

"Since President Obama's historic trip to Rangoon last November, the United States has continued to advocate for continued progress on reform by President Thein Sein's government, in close cooperation with (activist) Aung San Suu Kyi, civil society leaders, and the international community," says the White House.

Obama and Thein Sein will discuss "the many remaining challenges to efforts to develop democracy," the White House added, including "communal and ethnic tensions" and efforts to bring economic opportunity to the people of Burma.

It's the first U.S. visit by a Burmese leader in 47 years.

Obama also has a string of meetings Monday with senior White House advisers.

Tuesday, May 21, 2013 | Posted in , , , | Read More »

Myanmar nation building must be supported by govt, private sector






The Yomiuri Shimbun

Aung San Suu Kyi, leader of Myanmar's largest opposition party, the National League for Democracy (NLD), has visited Japan at the invitation of the government and had successive meetings with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida and others.
This is her first visit in 27 years. She was a guest researcher at Kyoto University in the mid-1980s before getting involved in the democracy movement in her home country.
Suu Kyi confronted the junta and was placed under house arrest for a total of about 15 years. Her Japan visit symbolizes Myanmar's democratization, which has been promoted by the administration of President Thein Sein since the country changed to civilian rule two years ago.
The Japanese government has welcomed the Thein Sein administration's reform efforts and has been proactively supporting the country through such actions as restarting official development assistance projects, including yen loans, ahead of the United States or European countries.


NLD and democratization

The government is trying to strengthen its relationship with the NLD on the thinking that growth of a sound opposition party in the national assembly could lead to further democratization of the country and stability of society. It is also thought that the NLD is likely to further gain strength in a general election to be held in 2015.
Abe told Suu Kyi during their talks, "We'd like to support your country so that reform can progress further." He then explained to her the government's policy of supporting Myanmar's nation building through ODA and private investment.
Suu Kyi responded that she hopes Japan will cooperate with Myanmar in the country's development. She asked for Japan's assistance for her country in vocational and agricultural education, among other fields.


Concrete achievements

Since she was elected in the House of Representatives, the lower house of the Assembly of the Union, in spring last year, she has been trying to transform from a pro-democracy leader outside the government into a pragmatic politician. To respond to supporters' expectations, she needs concrete achievements such as an improvement in the country's standard of living.
There is a rough road ahead for Myanmar's nation building. As Suu Kyi insists, the Constitution must be revised for further democratization, including the abolishment of guaranteed seats for the military in the assembly, which are stipulated in the Constitution to secure the military's political influence.
Efforts of the Myanmar government to improve relations with ethnic minorities who have confronted it have seen rough going, meaning national reconciliation is not in sight. Also, worsening public security may pour cold water onto Japanese companies' passion for investment in the country.
Of all countries, Japan is providing the most economic assistance to Myanmar. It is important for Japan that the public and private sectors cooperate in development assistance to Myanmar, which contributes to the stabilization of society, such as raising the standard of living for ethnic minorities and improvement in roads and electricity.
The strategic value of Myanmar, which is situated in an important location between the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea, has been ever increasing. Myanmar has turned away from its exclusively pro-China diplomacy under military rule and has been strengthening relations with such countries as Japan, India and the United States.
To keep China, which has been increasing its influence through military and economic expansion, in check, it is important for Japan to deepen relations with Myanmar.

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun,
April 19, 2013)

Friday, April 19, 2013 | Posted in , , , , | Read More »

Shining example of leadership; let's hope Suu Kyi's spirit is infectious

 Aung San Suu Kyi, center, last week received the Congressional Gold Medal from House Speaker John Boehner, left, as former first lady Laura Bush, House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell watched.
Jacquelyn Martin — AP


One of the world's most inspiring political figures, Aung San Suu Kyi, acknowledged the long and outspoken support she received from Sen. Mitch McConnell with a speech Monday at the University of Louisville, where she also dined amidst the colorful kitsch of Lynn's Paradise Cafe.
It really is a small world.
Suu Kyi was in the United States to accept honors she received during the 15 years a military dictatorship kept her under house arrest in her native Burma. On a 17-day American tour, she said she hoped Burma's fledgling democracy can learn from the U.S.
But, really, we need to learn from her.
Suu Kyi has reached out to her former jailers, the military junta that cut off Burma from the world, snuffed all dissent and inflicted great suffering on her and her family.
"We are beginning to learn to work together," she said at the U.S. Institute of Peace. "We are beginning to learn the art of compromise, give and take, achievement of consensus. It is good that this is beginning in the legislature and we hope this will spread and become part of the political culture of Burma."
We'd love to know what Senate Republican Leader McConnell, grand master of division and obstruction, thought when he heard that.
At a time when American political culture has been poisoned and Congress all but paralyzed by knee-jerk partisanship, let's hope McConnell and his colleagues took some inspiration from Suu Kyi's remarkable spirit of reconciliation.
McConnell has said he became interested in Burma after reading a newspaper article in 1990 about Suu Kyi being kept under house arrest after her political party won 80 percent of the seats in Parliament.
McConnell became one of Suu Kyi's most important allies in Washington and helped ratchet up the economic pressure on the Southeast Asian nation's dictatorship.
McConnell was one of the first Americans to visit her in Burma after her release. And, along with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, he was among those flanking her as she received the Congressional Gold Medal. He praised her "luminous heroism."
Suu Kyi is now a member of parliament and leads an opposition party that could take power in upcoming elections. She is second in power only to President Thein Sein, the former general who, bowing to international and internal pressures, initiated democratic reforms and released her in late 2010.
A Nobel laureate, she has said: "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."
If Suu Kyi can reach out to those who brutally repressed her and her fellow Burmese, you have to wonder: Would it kill McConnell to reach out to a Democratic president every once in a while?
Read more here: http://www.kentucky.com/2012/09/27/2352093/shining-example-of-leadership.html#storylink=cpy

Thursday, September 27, 2012 | Posted in , , , , | Read More »

UN secretary calls Suu Kyi 'global symbol'



Nobel Prize winner praised on US tour

United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki Moon met with Burmese democratic activist Aung San Suu Kyi Friday.
Suu Kyi, a 67-year-old Nobel Prize winner, is in the United States for a 17-day tour.
The two smiled and shook hands for photographers.

She was held on house arrest in her native Myanmar, also known as Burma, for the better part of 20 years for her political activism. She was freed in November 2010 and is now a member of Myanmar's parliament.
This isn't the first time Ban and Suu Kyi have met. He met her while visiting Myanmar in May.
"When I visited Myanmar she welcomed me very kindly," he said. "I invited her to visit the United Nations."
Ban praised Suu Kyi's "commitment to peace, security and human rights."
"She has become a global symbol" of progress, he said.
Ban turned to her and said, "Let us walk together" in helping Myanmar on a path toward democracy.
Myanmar's President Thein Sein is expected to give a speech at the U.N. General Assembly next week.
A reporter asked Suu Kyi about whether she is concerned about possibly "outshining" Thein because she is so globally famous and beloved.
"I don't think we should think about this in terms of personalities," Suu Kyi answered. "I think we should think about it as a common goal. If we all want to achieve genuine democracy for Burma, we have to learn to work together and not think about our impact as personalities, either in our country or in the world at large."
Since beginning public appearances this week, Suu Kyi has met with President Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton as well as numerous other senior lawmakers.
She'll travel to Kentucky, and then next week arrive in Fort Wayne, Indiana, where there is a large population of Burmese expatriots.
At the U.N. Friday a reporter asked her to describe her meeting with Obama and how she feels about the lifting of sanctions against Myanmar.
She politely declined to describe her talk with Obama, explaining that she doesn't normally disclose private discussions.
"I was happy to meet him and I consider it a good meeting," she said.
"I am happy that sanctions have been lifted because as I've been saying, rather ad nauseam, that the Burmese people (need) to take responsibility for the democratization" of the country.
Earlier this week Suu Kyi accepted the U.S. Congressional Gold Medal.
She called the ceremony in Washington one of the most moving days of her life.
"From the depths of my heart, I thank you, the people of America, and you, their representatives," she said to the gathered members of Congress, "for keeping us in your hearts and minds during the dark years when freedom and justice seemed beyond our reach."
Sen. John McCain was overcome with emotion when he, among other political heavyweights in Washington, praised Suu Kyi.
McCain called Suu Kyi "his personal hero."
"They did all they could to break her," the Arizona Republican said of the military junta that detained her. McCain, who was a POW in Vietnam, choked up, his voice breaking.
"Aung San Suu Kyi didn't scare a damn," he told the crowd.

Wednesday, September 26, 2012 | Posted in , , , | Read More »

Suu Kyi addresses Fort Wayne audience



Political activist and Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi told a Fort Wayne, Ind., audience Tuesday she hopes expatriates will return to Burma.

Referring to her homeland by its former name, Burma, instead of its current name, Myanmar, Suu Kyi said if those who left the country wish to return, she would "do my best to achieve this goal." She also thanked the Fort Wayne community for hosting and educating Burmese refugees and said the United States, "the greatest democracy in the world," was teaching her country how to be a democracy, through discussion, debate and compromise.

Suu Kyi, leader of Myanmar's political opposition party, was among the world's most prominent political prisoners, under house arrest by authorities for 15 of the 21 years between 1989 and 2010. She won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991.

The audience of 5,000 at Fort Wayne's Memorial Coliseum included Mayor Tom Henry and Sen. Dan Coates, R-Ind., the Fort Wayne, Ind., Journal Gazette reported.

Wednesday, September 26, 2012 | Posted in , , , , , | Read More »

Myanmar's democracy advocate Suu Kyi gets Congress' highest honor


Myanmar democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi speaks after being awarded the Congressional Gold Medal at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2012. (The Associated Press)

WASHINGTON - Lawmakers united by their respect of Myanmar democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi on Wednesday presented her with Congress' highest civilian honor in a ceremony in the Capitol Rotunda, ahead of a meeting with President Barack Obama.
Suu Kyi described it as "one of the most moving days of my life."
She was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal in 2008 while under a 15-year house arrest for her peaceful struggle against military rule.
Her long-awaited visit to America finally provided an opportunity for her to receive the honor in person in Congress' most majestic setting, beneath the dome of the Capitol and ringed by marble statues of former presidents.
The 67-year-old Nobel laureate said it was worth the years of waiting, being honored "in a house undivided, a house joined together to welcome a stranger from a distant land."
Previous recipients of the medal include George Washington, Tibetan Buddhist leader the Dalai Lama and Pope John Paul II.
She then met privately at the White House with Obama, another winner of the Nobel Peace Prize. They appeared relaxed and were smiling as they talked in the Oval Office. Neither made formal comments to the photographers gathered to briefly witness the meeting.
The low-key nature of the meeting appeared to reflect concerns that Suu Kyi's Washington visit could overshadow Myanmar's reformist president Thein Sein, who attends the U.N. General Assembly in New York
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next week, and still faces opposition within Myanmar's military to political reform.
At the medal ceremony, House and Senate leaders joined Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton in paying tribute to Suu Kyi. Speaker after speaker at the medal ceremony marveled that this was moment they thought they would never see: Suu Kyi before them, not only free but herself now a lawmaker.
"It's almost too delicious to believe, my friend," said Clinton, "that you are in the Rotunda of our Capitol, the centerpiece of our democracy as an elected member of parliament."
Buddhist monks in saffron robes and women in traditional Burmese dresses crammed into the venue alongside members of Congress, who set aside the intense rivalries ahead of the Nov. 6 election.
Lawmakers talked about years of working together across party lines on the behalf of Suu Kyi's democracy movement. When sanctions against the Myanmar junta were imposed, and over the past year when they have been suspended, Democrats and Republicans alike have set aside their increasingly bitter differences to pass and renew legislation annually.
That's due in large part to their respect for Suu Kyi. Lawmakers who have spoken or met with her, and even those who haven't, speak of her in reverential terms. Her photo adorns some office walls in Congress and her views have been critical in shaping U.S. policy toward the country also known as Burma.
At Wednesday's emotional ceremony, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., lavished praise on a man who is usually his adversary, Republican leader Mitch McConnell, for long being at the forefront of efforts to help Suu Kyi for two decades.
McConnell compared Suu Kyi's path of peaceful resistance to Martin Luther King and Indian independence leader Mohandas Gandhi. "It was impossible not to be moved by her quiet resolve, her hidden yet luminous heroism," the Kentucky senator said.
Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., often called a hero for the years he endured as a prisoner of war in Vietnam, said Suu Kyi was his hero.
Former first lady Laura Bush said the hope that now grows in Myanmar was a tribute to Suu Kyi. She said the former military regime had encountered an "immoveable object" in the opposition leader and its legitimacy broke against her character.
While speakers paid tribute to Suu Kyi's resolve in the face of oppression, a spirit of reconciliation in Myanmar also pervaded the ceremony - recognition of its recent dramatic political changes after five ruinous and bloody decades of authoritarian rule.
A key aide to Thein Sein attended the ceremony, which Suu Kyi welcomed. The Treasury also announced it was taking Thein Sein off its list of individuals sanctioned from doing business or owning property in America.
Since Suu Kyi won a parliamentary seat in April, the U.S. has normalized diplomatic relations with Myanmar and allowed U.S. companies to start investing there again. The administration is now considering easing the main plank of its remaining sanctions, a ban on imports.
Suu Kyi voiced support for that step Tuesday, saying Myanmar should not depend on the U.S. to keep up its momentum for democracy. Some of her supporters, however, oppose it, saying reforms have not taken root and Washington will lose leverage with Myanmar, which still faces serious human rights issues. Clinton also expressed concern Tuesday that Myanmar retains some military contacts with North Korea.
---
Associated Press writers Jim Abrams, Julie Pace and Ben Feller contributed to this report.

Thursday, September 20, 2012 | Posted in , , , | Read More »

Washington honours Aung San Suu Kyi




US politicians united by their respect for Burma democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi presented her with Congress' highest civilian honour in a ceremony in the Capitol Rotunda, ahead of a meeting with President Barack Obama.
Ms Suu Kyi described it as "one of the most moving days of my life".
She was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal in 2008 while under a 15-year house arrest for her peaceful struggle against military rule.
Her long-awaited visit to America finally provided an opportunity for her to receive the honour in person in Congress' most majestic setting, beneath the dome of the Capitol and ringed by marble statues of former presidents.
The 67-year-old Nobel laureate said it was worth the years of waiting, being honoured "in a house undivided, a house joined together to welcome a stranger from a distant land".
Previous recipients of the medal include George Washington, Tibetan Buddhist leader the Dalai Lama and Pope John Paul II.
She then met privately at the White House with Mr Obama, another winner of the Nobel Peace Prize. They appeared relaxed and were smiling as they talked in the Oval Office.
Mr Obama "expressed his admiration for her courage, determination and personal sacrifice in championing democracy and human rights over the years", according to a statement from the White House.
The White House said the president "reaffirmed the determination of the United States to support their sustained efforts to promote political and economic reforms and to ensure full protection of the fundamental rights of the Burmese people".
The low-key nature of the meeting appeared to reflect concerns that Ms Suu Kyi's Washington visit could overshadow Burma's reformist president Thein Sein, who attends the UN general assembly in New York next week, and still faces opposition within Burma's military to political reform.

Thursday, September 20, 2012 | Posted in , , , , , | Read More »

Obama meets with Aung San Suu Kyi



President Barack Obama met Wednesday with fellow Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi in the Oval Office.
Obama and the Myanmar democracy leader held a private meeting and made no formal comments. Earlier in the day, Suu Kyi received Congress' highest honor, the Congressional Gold Medal at a ceremony in the Capitol Rotunda.
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0912/81412.html

(Also on POLITICO: Photos: Aung San Suu Kyi receives Congressional medal)
http://www.politico.com/gallery/2012/04/photos-myanmar-election/000040-006039.html


A who's who of politicos attended, including former first lady Laura Bush, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and Speaker of the House John Boehner, who shed some of his well known tears during the ceremony.

Read more about: Aung San Suu Kyi
http://dyn.politico.com/tag/aung-san-suu-kyi


By HADAS GOLD
http://www.politico.com/reporters/HadasGold.html

Thursday, September 20, 2012 | Posted in , , , , , | Read More »

Clinton welcomes Suu Kyi for Washington talks



US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Tuesday welcomed Aung San Suu Kyi on her first visit to the United States since the Myanmar democracy icon was released from years of house arrest.
There is "so much excitement and enthusiasm about the fact that you can actually come," Clinton told Suu Kyi as they met in the State Department.
Suu Kyi, dressed in a red jacket with three small pink flowers pinned to her hair, was smiling and relaxed as the women chatted in Clinton's outer office.
They discussed Suu Kyi's upcoming visit to Fort Wayne, Indiana, home to a large number of people from Myanmar, also know as Burma. Clinton said the people of Fort Wayne were "eagerly awaiting" her arrival next week.
Clinton said she would like to hear more from Suu Kyi about Fort Wayne and "how people ended up there, and are living there."
During her long years of house confinement in Mynamar, Suu Kyi said she had always heard "about Fort Wayne on the Burmese news... all sorts of things seem to be happening in Fort Wayne."
The Nobel peace laureate arrived Monday at the start of an 18-day US tour which would have long been unthinkable only a year or so ago.
Suu Kyi spent 15 years confined to her lakeside Yangon home after her party swept 1990 elections and military rulers ignored the result. She was freed in 2010 and, in a powerful sign of change, won a seat in parliament.
It was the second time that the two women had met, after Clinton made a landmark visit to Myanmar in December.
The meeting came as several dozen political prisoners were freed in Myanmar, opposition groups said deepening Suu Kyi's reform drive.
Suu Kyi will attend nearly 100 events across the United States and after Washington, she heads to the states of New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Indiana, Kentucky and California to accept awards, speak to students and scholars, and greet refugees from her country.
Suu Kyi has not visited the United States since before the 1990 elections. She worked in New York at the United Nations headquarters from 1969 to 1971.

Tuesday, September 18, 2012 | Posted in , , , , | Read More »

Burma may soon allow foreign credit cards

Western countries imposed sanctions on Burma because of its repressive policies, but began easing them this year after elected President Thein Sein initiated political and economic reforms. (Getty)

Burma hopes that credit card transactions will be possible in the Asian nation by next year with negotiations underway with Visa.

Banks in Burma are hoping to begin handling international credit card transactions by next year.
Than Lwin, deputy chairman of the prominent Kanbawza Bank, on Sunday said negotiations are under way with Visa on the use of its cards.
Foreign visitors have been unable to use credit cards because of US and EU restrictions on money transactions since 2003.
Western countries imposed sanctions on Burma because of its repressive policies, but began easing them this year after elected President Thein Sein initiated political and economic reforms.
Another Burma banker, who declined to be identified because he is not authorised to release information, said talks also were ongoing with MasterCard, China Union Pay and Japan Credit Bureau and he hoped credit card transactions would be possible by 2013.

Monday, July 30, 2012 | Posted in , , , | Read More »

French revolutionary spirit inspired me, Aung San Suu Kyi says

PARIS - France's revolutionary spirit, art, literature and even its onion soup served as an inspiration to Myanmar pro-democracy activist Aung San Suu Kyi during years of house arrest, she said on Tuesday.
Asked in Paris, as she nears the end of a 17-day European tour, what a visit to France meant to her, Suu Kyi, who studied the French language and culture during 15 years confined to her home, responded:
"Everything from Victor Hugo to onion soup."
"It would be difficult for me to say in a few short (words) what France means to me (but) the revolutionary spirit of France has always been inspirational to me in my political struggle," she told reporters during a joint news conference with France's new Socialist president, Francois Hollande.
Hollande welcomed the 67-year-old Nobel Peace laureate with full head-of-state honors during a visit that would have been unimaginable 19 months ago, when an authoritarian junta ruled Myanmar and confined her to her home.
Suu Kyi said that under house arrest she had immersed herself in learning French and understanding its literature and referred by name to Hugo, whose masterpiece "Les Miserables" depicts the struggle of the poor in 19th-century France.
"I am such an admirer of Victor Hugo because he understood that true revolution begins within yourself. So we have to make those that are not yet committed to the path of reform understand that a revolution from within themselves is the best way to improve the situation in the country," she said.
"A superficial acceptance of what is happening now is not enough."
While under house arrest, the Oxford graduate became an emblem of non-violent political resistance. After her release in November 2010, her National League for Democracy (NLD) party dominated April by-elections and threatens the military-backed ruling party ahead of a general election in 2015.
"I try to read a little bit of French everyday so I am always in touch with France and the thoughts and ideas that have made France one of the foremost champions of liberty in the world," she said.

Wednesday, June 27, 2012 | Posted in , , , | Read More »

Aung San Suu Kyi Finally Gets Honorary Doctorate

OXFORD, England (AP) — It was a long wait, but Aung San Suu Kyi is finally getting her honorary degree from Oxford University.
The leader of Myanmar's opposition is being honored Wednesday at the university's Encaenia ceremony, where it presents honorary degrees to distinguished people.
Suu Kyi, who is making her first visits outside of her native country in 24 years, was awarded the honorary doctorate in civil law in 1993 but was unable to collect it as she was under house arrest in Myanmar.
She studied philosophy, politics and economics at St. Hugh's College in Oxford between 1964 and 1967. After a time working in New York and Bhutan, she lived in Oxford for many years with her late husband, the Tibet scholar Michael Aris, and their sons Alexander and Kim.

by THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Wednesday, June 20, 2012 | Posted in , , , , | Read More »

Aung San Suu Kyi returns to UK for first time in 24 years

Burmese pro-democracy campaigner Aung San Suu Kyi will begin a four-day visit to the UK today, the first time in 24 years that she has visited the country that was once her home.
The Nobel laureate will meet Prime Minister David Cameron and Foreign Secretary William Hague during her stay, before addressing Parliament on Thursday.
Ms Suu Kyi will spend today, her 67th birthday, in London and Oxford, the city where she lived in the early 1980s with her late husband, academic Michael Aris and their sons Alexander and Kim,
Tomorrow the Burmese opposition leader, who spent much of the last 21 years under house arrest in her native country, will be presented with an honorary degree by Oxford University and is due to address the Oxford Union.
She arrived in the UK last night from the Republic of Ireland, where she met the president, Michael D Higgins, and U2 singer Bono, who presented her with Amnesty International's Ambassador of Conscience award.
Accepting her award at the Electric Burma concert at the Bord Gais Energy Theatre, she said she had found the whole experience “totally unexpected”.
“To receive this award is to remind me that 24 years ago, I took on duties from which I have never been relieved,” said Ms Suu Kyi.
“But you have given me the strength to carry them out. You have shown me that I shall never be alone as I go about my discharge of these duties.”
Other recipients of the Amnesty award include former Irish president Mary Robinson and Nelson Mandela, with whom Ms Suu Kyi has been compared.
She had arrived in Ireland from Norway, where she was presented with her Nobel Peace Prize, 21 years after it was awarded to her in 1991.
Ms Suu Kyi returned to Burma in 1988 to care for her dying mother, despite the fact mass demonstrations were breaking out against 25 years of military rule.
She became involved in the uprising and was appointed general secretary of the National League for Democracy (NLD) in September 1988, the month after up to 5,000 demonstrators were killed by the military.
Ms Suu Kyi was placed under detention by the military in 1989 and remained under house arrest until July 1995, facing restrictions on her movements when finally released.
Her husband died of prostate cancer in 1999 at the age of 53. He had asked Burmese authorities to grant him a visa to visit her one last time, but was refused.
Ms Suu Kyi had chosen not to join her family abroad, fearing she would never be allowed back into Burma if she did so. The last time the couple saw each other was at Christmas in 1995.
She was detained several more times before finally being freed in November 2010.
In by-elections held on April 1 this year she was elected to parliament for the constituency of Kawhmu following a landslide victory.
PA

Tuesday, June 19, 2012 | Posted in , , , , | Read More »

Suu Kyi walks on with U2's 'star-struck' Bono

From left, Norwegian Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere, Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi and Irish singer and activist Bono pose for the media after they attending a conference of the Oslo Forum at the Losby Gods resort, about 13 kilometers (8 miles) east of Oslo, Monday, June 18, 2012. The Oslo Forum is a n

OSLO, Norway --
(AP) — Aung San Suu Kyi and Bono are hanging out.
The Myanmar democracy activist has joined forces with the U2 frontman, one of her key backers, as her European tour moves to Ireland.
The pair answered questions Monday at an Oslo conference of peace mediators before they flew together to Dublin, Ireland.
Both were asked about the impact of Bono's 2000 song, "Walk On," that paid tribute to Suu Kyi, who was then midway through her years of house arrest.
Bono, who hadn't met Suu Kyi before, said he was feeling "star-struck" and described her as "a tough customer."
Suu Kyi says the song's lyrics were "very close to how I feel. ... It's your own two legs that have to carry you on."
Copyright 2012 Associated Press. All right reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Monday, June 18, 2012 | Posted in , , , | Read More »

Nobel prize 'opened up a door in my heart'

Aung San Suu Kyi signs the guestbook at the Nobel Institute in Oslo on Saturday morning (Photo: Lise Åserud/Scanpix)

Burma democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi said on Saturday that winning the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize while under house arrest "opened up a door in my heart," encouraging her to continue her struggle.

Giving her Nobel lecture in Oslo 21 years on, she said the award committee "were recognizing that the oppressed and the isolated in Burma were also a part of the world, they were recognizing the oneness of humanity".
"So for me receiving the Nobel Peace Prize means personally extending my concerns for democracy and human rights beyond national borders," said Suu Kyi. "The Nobel Peace Prize opened up a door in my heart".
Suu Kyi -- who has campaigned since 1988 for democracy in the long military ruled country also called Myanmar -- said that "often during my days of house arrest it felt as though I were no longer a part of the real world".
Aung San Suu Kyi also pledged to keep up her struggle for democracy as she finally delivered her Nobel Peace Prize speech, 21 years after winning the award while under house arrest.
After a year that has seen sweeping changes in her Southeast Asian homeland, Suu Kyi pledged to work for national reconciliation but also pointed to remaining political prisoners and continued ethnic strife in her country.
"My party, the National League for Democracy, and I stand ready and willing to play any role in the process of national reconciliation," said Suu Kyi, delivering her speech in Oslo for the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize.
Wearing a flower in her hair, a sarong and a purple silk scarf, she looked emotional as she received a thunderous standing ovation in the cavernous Oslo City Hall, packed with dignitaries, royals and Burmese exiles.
The veteran activist also said she encouraged "cautious optimism" in her country's transition from military rule towards democracy under the quasi-civilian government of ex-general President Thein Sein.
"If I advocate cautious optimism it is not because I do not have faith in the future but because I do not want to encourage blind faith," she said.
Although the government has signed ceasefires with scores of ethnic rebel groups, she pointed to continued bloodshed -- conflict with the northern Kachin Independence Army and communal unrest between Buddhists and a Muslim minority.
"Hostilities have not ceased in the far north. To the west, communal violence resulting in arson and murder were taking place just several days before I started out on the journey that has brought me here today," she said.
Fifty people have been killed and scores wounded in the recent clashes in Rakhine state, state media said Saturday, as the United Nations warned of "immense hardship" faced by thousands displaced by rioting.
When Suu Kyi won the honour in 1991, she could not accept it in person, fearing she would be blocked from returning to the country also called Burma where "The Lady" had become a potent symbol of non-violent defiance.
Her husband Michael Aris and their two sons, Kim and Alexander, accepted the award on her behalf. When her husband died of cancer in 1999, Suu Kyi could not be by his side, again fearing she would not be allowed to come home.
Suu Kyi -- who has campaigned since 1988 for democracy in the country also called Burma -- said that "often during my days of house arrest it felt as though I were no longer a part of the real world".
"For me receiving the Nobel Peace Prize means personally extending my concerns for democracy and human rights beyond national borders," said Suu Kyi. "The Nobel Peace Prize opened up a door in my heart".
This week, back in Europe for the first time in 24 years, Western supporters and Burmese exiles are cheering her along a whirlwind tour that started in Switzerland and will also take her to Britain, Ireland and France.
In Norway, she has been greeted with flowers and songs by jubilant Burmese, many with her party's Fighting Peacock flag painted on their faces.
Suu Kyi called for the release of the country's remaining political prisoners, warning of the risk that "the unknown ones will be forgotten".
Saying said that "one prisoner of conscience is one too many", she urged the audience of her Nobel speech: "Please remember them and do whatever is possible to effect their earliest, unconditional release."
Suu Kyi -- who turns 67 next week and who fell ill in Switzerland, blaming the strain of jetlag and exhaustion -- said Friday that she was on a journey of "rediscovery and discovery, seeing the world with new eyes."
She thanked all "lovers of freedom and justice who contributed towards a global awareness of our situation", telling her audience it was "because of recent changes in my country that I am with you today".
AFP (news@thelocal.no)

Monday, June 18, 2012 | Posted in , , , | Read More »

Statement by President Barroso on the occasion of Aung San Suu Kyi's delivery of her Nobel Prize lecture in Oslo

"Today, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi will deliver her Nobel Prize lecture in Oslo, 21 years after she was awarded the prize, 22 years after she had first been put into house arrest, and 23 years after she had decided to return to her country to serve the national cause of freedom and democracy. Her extraordinary achievements over more than two decades will be duly acknowledged in Oslo. And she will share with us her vision of a democratic country and of a society based on human dignity and human rights, and for fighting peacefully for political objectives. Her voice gave hope to millions.
Today, and unthinkable only a few years ago, quite a few of her visions have become reality: a country that is opening up to the world and embarking on a journey towards more democracy and more development. Reforms in Myanmar – courageously led by President U Thein Sein – will need all the support they can get. And we hope that reforms will continue and deepen as the country's challenges in what regards national reconciliation are still important.
This is why Aung San Suu Kyi’s voice is still needed – as a reminder that human values must not be forgotten on the way to overcome poverty and to achieve prosperity.
Today, unlike long periods during the past two decades, Daw Suu speaks in public, as an eminent leader and as elected Member of Parliament. She remains a voice of hope for millions of her compatriots.
I salute Daw Aung San Suu Kyi on this special day and wish her all the success in the pursuit of her noble goals. I salute the fantastic transition her country has embarked upon. The European Union will continue to support her and will assist her country on the journey to its place in the family of nations."

Saturday, June 16, 2012 | Posted in , , , | Read More »

Suu Kyi's doctor worried as Myanmar activist falls ill

Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi speak at a press conference during the 101th International Labour Organization (ILO) Conference at the European headquarters of the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, Thursday, June 14, 2012. (AP / Keystone/Laurent Gillieron)

The Associated Press
Date: Friday Jun. 15, 2012 6:42 AM ET
YANGON — Aung San Suu Kyi's doctor expressed worry Friday that the Nobel Peace laureate's whirlwind tour of Europe could weaken her health, after she fell ill on the second day of her two-week trip.
The 66-year-old opposition leader known for her steely grace and longtime struggle for democracy in Myanmar has a weak stomach when it comes to travel, said Pyone Moe Ei, one of Suu Kyi's two personal physicians. Suu Kyi had similar bouts with weakness and vomiting during her rigorous nationwide campaign for a seat in Parliament earlier this year, which doctors attributed to exhaustion and motion sickness.
"I am very concerned for her health," Pyone told The Associated Press in Yangon. "Considering her age, the amount of travel she's doing, the time difference, lack of rest and her extremely tight schedule -- it is very worrisome."
Suu Kyi arrived late Wednesday night in Switzerland, on her first trip to Europe in 24 years. Her high-profile visit also includes stops in Norway, Ireland, England and France.
Thursday's hectic schedule included speeches, receptions and news conferences first in Geneva and then in the Swiss capital Bern, where Suu Kyi looked pale and told reporters she felt exhausted. At one point she pressed a finger to her lips and motioned to an aide who rushed to her side with a bag. She then bent over and threw up before being escorted out of the room.
Suu Kyi cancelled an evening dinner in Bern but resumed her schedule Friday with a visit to the Swiss parliament. A highlight of her trip is expected Saturday, when she will be in Norway to formally accept her Nobel Peace Prize 21 years late.
Suu Kyi's doctor said she has no serious health problems but weighs a mere 48 kilograms (106 pounds), has low blood pressure and can get easily weakened by vomiting. Pyone said she had not spoken directly to Suu Kyi after her ill spell in Bern but had been in contact with people close to her. It was not immediately known what treatment, if any, Suu Kyi received.
Doctors in Myanmar had placed Suu Kyi on intravenous drips after motion sickness caused her to fall ill twice during her campaign in March.
The European trip is seen as a sign of gratitude to governments and organizations that supported Suu Kyi's peaceful struggle against Myanmar's former military rulers over more than two decades, 15 years of which she spent under house arrest.
Last month, Suu Kyi made her first trip out of Myanmar in 24 years to neighbouring Thailand. Ahead of that trip, aides said she was preparing by packing her medicine for motion sickness.
Read more: http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/World/20120615/myanmar-suu-kyi-health-120615/#ixzz1xrW6wsEv

Friday, June 15, 2012 | Posted in , , , | Read More »

Emotional, standing ovation for Suu Kyi at ILO conference

From Prasun Sonwalkar London, Jun 14 (PTI)
 Myanmar's pro-democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi was given a prolonged and emotional standing ovation today after delivering her maiden address to the ILO on her first European tour after 24 years. Clad in traditional Myanmar dress with a green scarf, 66-year-old Suu Kyi is on her first tour of Europe since 1988. During the tour, she is due to receive the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo, and later travel to Britain, Ireland and France. Looking embarrassed at the prolonged ovation after her address to the International Labour Conference of the ILO at the Palais de Nations in Geneva, Suu Kyi went up to the mike again to say: "I don't understand why people say I am full of courage. I am terribly nervous". Yesterday, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) decided to lift restrictions imposed on Myanmar since 1999, and readmitted the country into its fold. Myanmar has not been invited to ILO meetings or activities on various labour matters since then. Suu Kyi welcomed Myanmar's readmission to ILO and favoured increased ILO presence in her country. During her address to the conference, she focussed on youth employment in her country, and looked forward to responsible foreign investment. Focussing on what she called "responsible democracy and friendly investment", Suu Kyi said she favoured a reconciliatory rather than a retributive approach towards the military rule in the country, as espoused by Bishop Desmond Tutu. On the recent violence in her country, Suu Kyi later today told reporters that she was concerned over the situation. The most important lesson to be learned is the rule of law, which was essential to end conflict in her country, she said.          

Thursday, June 14, 2012 | Posted in , , , , | Read More »

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