Love thee country..

I know it's June and still a bit early to be in a Merdeka or patriotic mood. But anyways, I was going through the online newspapers and came across this article "A Burmese Birthday".

Aung San Suu Kyi; born 19 June 1945 in Yangon (Rangoon), is a non-violent pro-democracy activist and leader of the National League for Democracy in Myanmar (Burma), and a noted prisoner of conscience. (an excerpt taken from Wikipedia)


The story of Aung San Suu Kyi really inspires me. The story of her sacrifices for the love of her country. And today, just as her previous years, she will spend another birthday alone. Today is her 62nd birthday. As for the last 17 birthdays since 1990, she has been celebrating it as a captive in her own home. She has been put under house arrest by the Burma's military junta and isn't allowed to to have any visitors even her own family and friends. As of May this year, her detention has been extended for another year.

As described by Gordon Brown in his book "Courage: Eight Portraits";


"So Suu Kyi's courage is the courage to sacrifice her own happiness and a comfortable life so that, through her struggle, she might win the right of an entire nation to seek happy and comfortable lives. It is the absolute expression of selflessness. Paradoxically, in sacrificing her own liberty, she strengthens its cry and bolsters its claim for the people she represents."

And quoting one of her most famous speeches is the "Freedom From Fear" speech, which begins:

"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"

I have nothing but utmost respect for this lady.