Not many Indians are aware that the Burmese prisoner of conscience and Nobel Laureate has close Indian connections. She lived in India for some years, went to school and college, made many Indian friends, and above all, was profoundly effected by Mahatma Gandhi’s teachings.
Suu Kyi was the daughter of Aung San who led the Burmese freedom movement, won its independence in 1948 and became its first Head of State. He was assassinated a few months later when Suu Kyi was only two years old. Thereafter there was a ding dong battle between military dictators and the National League for Democracy (NLD) led by members of Suu Kyi’s family. In 1960 her mother Daw Khon Kyi was appointed Burmese Ambassador to India and Nepal. Suu Kyi who was then 15 years old moved to Delhi with her mother.
She passed her school leaving exam from Jesus and Marry Convent and joined Lady Sri Ram College. In the three years she was in LSR she studied history and political science concentrating on the role of Mahatma Gandhi as a political and spiritual leader. With her Buddhist beliefs that truth and compassion were two vital elements in building human character, she took the notion that in order to be truthful and compassionate one had to be fearless.
In her book Freedom From Fear she wrote: “Fearlessness may be a gift but perhaps more precious is courage acquired through endeavour, courage that comes from cultivating the habit of refusing to let fear dictate our actions, courage that could be described as “grace under pressure” – grace which is renewed repeatedly in the face of harsh, unremitting pressure.” There were many incidents in which the frail, young woman showed couraged which defies description.
Meanwhile the situation in the country was reaching a critical stage in the confrontation between democratic forces and the military dictatorship. In April 1989 Suu Kyi decided to return to Myanmar to lead the forces of democracy. She showed the mettle she was made of.
Suu Kyi was arrested. Her husband was denied a visa to come to Myanmar. In the elections that followed in May 1990 the NLD, led by Suu Kyi, swept the poll getting 82 per cent of the votes cast. In 1998 Suu Kyi’s husband was hospitalised in London with prostate cancer. The military junta was willing to give her permission to go to London on condition that she would not return to Myanmar. She refused to accept the condition and was unable to be with her husband when he died a few months later.
In 1991 Suu Kyi was awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace. The military junta was again willing to let her go to Sweden to receive it on the condition she would not return to Burma. Again she refused to accept the condition. The Award was accepted on her behalf by her younger son Kim.
Suu Kyi continues to be held in detention: sometimes in prison, at others in her own home. At times she has not enough to eat and has lost a lot of weight. Visitors are carefully screened before they are allowed to meet her. She has been virtually cut off from the world. Yet the light that emanates from her shines all over Myanmar and the freedom loving people of the world.
Mahatma Modi
I am a strong believer in Gandhi’s philosophy
And therefore the worst carnage in Gujarat’s history;
My Gujarat is a welfare State
Where there’s no room for sectarianism, violence and hate
And hence the riot-victims of 2002 are fear-stricken till date,
Why call me a murderer? What have I done?
In fact, Raj dharma is my only religion,
Only my critics have a negative vision -
All I have done is to work out a strategy
Whereby elections in other States can also be won.
Otherwise I am a staunch believer in Gandhian philosophy
And Ram Rajya is my USP
In fact, I am a present-day Gandhi.
Knee problem
Question: Don’t you think Atalji is too old to continue as the leading light of the BJP? His knees have given up and he has had to have them replaced. He should resign gracefully.
Answer: Never! What have false knees to do with leadership. Everything above his knees is in good working order.
(Contributed by KJS Ahluwalia, Amritsar)
