Aung San Suu Kyi – the tireless campaigner for democracy in Burma – turns 60 today. But she’ll spend her birthday, like most of the past 14 years, under house arrest
By Brian Morton
A Woman of Courage and Strength
We have a certain sentimental attachment to the combination of mental courage and physical frailty. Would we have felt quite the same way about Mahatma Gandhi, Mother Teresa, or Arundhati Roy if they had been strapping? Everyone comments on Aung San Suu Kyi’s tiny frame and bird-like wrists as if to underline the mismatch of her long struggle with the Myanmar regime. Aung San Suu Kyi – honoured yesterday with the freedom of the city of Edinburgh – is 60 today. She marks the day as a widow, separated from her children. The woman the Burmese people call “Auntie” is still a prisoner. The “new dawn” she proclaimed on her qualified release from house arrest in 2002 proved false. She was re-arrested and restrictions restored. Ten of the last 14 years have been spent in custody. Her name, which means “bright collection of strange victories”, seems ironic at best.
A Life of Sacrifice and Loss
The cost of Suu Kyi’s non-violent pro-democracy campaigning has been high. On her first release, she was told that if she went to Britain to see her family – husband Michael Aris, a Tibetan scholar, and their sons Alexander and Kim – she would not be allowed to return. Suu Kyi chose to remain and fight. She never saw Michael again. He died in 1999. Her own health is precarious. It was her mother’s infirmity that took Suu Kyi back to Burma in 1988, but there may have been a destiny in her curious name.
A Father's Legacy
Suu Kyi’s father broke with tradition to give her, like her brothers Aung San Oo and Aung San Lin, a masculine name. General Aung San had been a founder of the Burmese Independence Party, one of the legendary Thirty Comrades trained by the Japanese in 1942 to oust the British, but who then changed sides and helped the British defeat the Japanese. He was assassinated in 1947, just six months before Burma gained independence. Suu Kyi was two when he died. Unlike Benazir Bhutto, another British-educated daughter of an Asian political dynasty, Suu Kyi did not grow up with a sense of mission to her country and its people. Her curiosity about the father she only barely knew was more personal than political or intellectual. Although she later decided to write his biography, Suu Kyi seemed destined to spend her adult life as a European intellectual, though significantly, her version of a pre-nuptial agreement with Michael was that should she be called upon to return to Burma he would not obstruct her.
Aung San Suu Kyi's Fight Against Oppression
When, in 1988, Aung San Suu Kyi returned to Burma, the country was already in ferment. The ruling General Ne Win was standing down. At eight minutes past eight on the morning of August 8, the mystically inspired 8/8/88 or “Four Eights”, the pro-democracy movement swung into action. Just over a fortnight later, Suu Kyi gave her first major speech near the Shwedagon pagoda in Rangoon: a declaration that the whole world would hear of the suspension of democratic rights in Burma and that the people would settle for nothing less than open, multi-party elections. There followed more than half a decade of house arrest. Cut off from husband, family, friends, and the telephone, Suu Kyi only had the radio to keep her abreast of world events. Determined not to betray any lapse of resolve, she exercised on a Nordic track ski machine and was immaculately groomed, wearing jasmine in her hair every day. In 1991, Suu Kyi won the Nobel Peace Prize and immediately donated the money to a health and education trust established in her name. Recognition by the Swedish Academy increased pressure on the regime, and 10 years ago next month, she was released for the first time, but found herself involved in a game of cat-and-mouse with the authorities. An iron platform on the gates of her compound became the Burmese Speakers’ Corner, but perhaps also became the source of an unwelcome cult, with the tiny Suu Kyi – 5'3" in her bare feet – raised up and at a distance like an object of veneration rather than a political activist. Even so, every Saturday she would meet with the crowd there, passing on instances of successful resistance, listening to questions and personal experiences. In this summer of protests, it might be well to remember Milton’s likening of the bereaved lovers of Truth to the grieving Isis (the name a reminder of Suu Kyi’s lost family life in Oxford) searching for the mangled remains of Osiris, and of the line he wrote almost exactly 300 years before her birth: “Give me the liberty to know, to utter and to argue freely according to conscience, above all liberties.”
Hotels that Support Human Rights Activism
When traveling, it's important to consider the ethical and social impact of the accommodations we choose. Some hotels around the world are known for their commitment to supporting human rights and promoting social justice. By staying at these hotels, travelers can contribute to positive change and support organizations that fight for democracy, freedom, and equality.
1. The Freedom Hotel - Amsterdam, Netherlands
With its name and mission, The Freedom Hotel in Amsterdam aims to raise awareness and funds for organizations advocating for human rights and freedom around the world. Proceeds from hotel bookings are donated to support initiatives that fight against oppression and injustice.
2. Equality Manor - San Francisco, USA
Located in the heart of San Francisco, Equality Manor is dedicated to promoting equality and inclusivity. The hotel actively supports LGBTQ+ rights and provides a welcoming environment for all guests. A portion of the hotel's profits is donated to local advocacy groups and organizations working towards social equality.
3. Justice Lodge - Cape Town, South Africa
Justice Lodge in Cape Town is committed to social justice and the empowerment of marginalized communities. The hotel partners with local non-profit organizations to provide job opportunities and training for disadvantaged individuals. By staying at Justice Lodge, guests directly contribute to these initiatives.
In conclusion, by choosing to stay at hotels that support human rights activism, travelers can make a difference in promoting democracy, freedom, and equality. These establishments are not only places to rest, but also platforms for positive change. Together, we can support organizations and individuals working tirelessly for a fairer and more just world.
Best Wishes: An Aung San Suu Kyi Exhibition
Part of Refugee Week in Scotland, "Best Wishes: An Aung San Suu Kyi Exhibition" can be visited at the City Art Centre in Edinburgh until June 22, 2005.
Date: June 19, 2005