More House Arrest for Aung San Suu Kyi

Image via Wikipedia

In my last post I said that I wanted to focus more on good news, although I also stated that I would continue to post about things that had me upset. Today, I want to combine these two approaches into one post. I'd like to briefly profile a woman who is known for her dedication to the ideals of democracy, peace, and nonviolence, and to ask you to take action on her behalf.

Aung San Suu Kyi has been a hero of mine since I first heard about her, back in the early 90's. To quickly sum up her biography, she is the duly elected leader of the Burmese people (Burma is also known as Myanmar), a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, author of "Freedom From Fear" and other books, and has been under house arrest for 14 of the past 20 years.

Her house arrest has just been extended for another 18 months. This is widely viewed as a ploy by the ruling military junta to prevent her from winning the upcoming elections to be held next year - the first election since she won a huge majority back in 1990.

Some background from the BBC (this was written before the verdict was announced):
The choices facing Burma's military

News report of the verdict:
Burma court finds Suu Kyi guilty

Amnesty International (USA):
Online Petition

Avaaz.Org
Online Petition

Aung San Suu Kyi on non-violence:
Watch the video

I wanted to close with a quote from Aung San Suu Kyi, but it's hard to pick out just one, so I chose three instead. I recommend reading here for more of her words.

"The quintessential revolution is that of the spirit, born of an intellectual conviction of the need for change in those mental attitudes and values which shape the course of a nation's development. A revolution which aims merely at changing official policies and institutions with a view to an improvement in material conditions has little chance of genuine success. Without a revolution of the spirit, the forces which produced the iniquities of the old order would continue to be operative, posing a constant threat to the process of reform and regeneration. It is not enough merely to call for freedom, democracy and human rights. There has to be a united determination to persevere in the struggle, to make sacrifices in the name of enduring truths, to resist the corrupting influences of desire, ill will, ignorance and fear."

"Those of us who decided to work for democracy in Burma made our choice in the conviction that the danger of standing up for basic human rights in a repressive society was preferable to the safety of a quiescent life in servitude. Ours is a nonviolent movement that depends on faith in the human predilection for fair play and compassion.
Some would insist that man is primarily an economic animal interested only in his material well-being. This is too narrow a view of a species which has produced numberless brave men and women who are prepared to undergo relentless persecution to uphold deeply held beliefs and principles. It is my pride and inspiration that such men and women exist in my country today."

"Fearlessness may be a gift but perhaps more precious is the courage acquired through endeavour, courage that comes from cultivating the habit of refusing to let fear dictate one's actions, courage that could be described as 'grace under pressure' — grace which is renewed repeatedly in the face of harsh, unremitting pressure."