Daw Suu Kyi, we will always be admiring you

There is one attribute that Suu Kyi possesses that will never change under any circumstance—her belief in non-violence adorned with a strict sense of morality. Some may say that this mode of conviction is tactless and naïve, but it is the same quality she displayed when she rejected Naypyidaw's election laws, and last year when she requested people at her trial not to mock the eccentric American citizen who had swum uninvited to her lakeside house in Rangoon.

“She would never take the cheap option, even for the sake of democracy,” a dissident in Rangoon said of Suu Kyi's mentality.

There seems little hope that Suu Kyi can significantly influence Burma's unfolding political developments as long as she remains under detention—it is an open question how many people would listen to her even if she called for a boycott of the election.

She recently said through her lawyer that Burmese people have “the right not to vote,” implying the prospect of her call for a boycott of the election in weeks ahead.

Anyway, it seems that her political clout and powerful charisma to rally people remains very much unchanged—qualities that have been recognized as crucial in breaking the political deadlock in Burma by leaders of various ethnic groups.

The regime knows that these qualities will reveal themselves again if she is released and in the public eye again. The generals will continue to view her as a major threat to their hold on power. Even after she is freed—if indeed, she is released— she will undoubtedly be subjected to alternative methods of restrictions to contain her activities.

Many observers speculate that the election will be held in October simply because Suu Kyi's sentence is due to expire in November.

There is lingering hope that one day Suu Kyi might be able to accomplish her dream of democracy for Burma, following in the footsteps of fellow Nobel Peace Prize winner Nelson Mandela.

For now, her incarceration and her relentless commitment to the cause of democracy, coupled with her long separation from her children, will continue to provoke sympathy in many parts of the world. On Saturday, Suu Kyi's popularity will be demonstrated around the world in the form of rallies, marches, birthday parties and even some self-imposed house arrests in her honor. -- The Irrawaddy

We, the students, will always be admiring you, Daw Suu Kyi. You are the only for the true Democracy no matter what other poeple says. We will always respect your non-violence way.

Reference:

Kaung, Ba. The Relevance of Suu Kyi In Burma. The Irrawaddy. June 18, 2010. http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=18755