|
|
Message of Aung San Suu Kyi to the people of Japan
On the 23th of November, “Love and Freedom for Peace ceremony” was held at the great hall of Act City in Hammamatsu, Shizuoka prefecture, Japan. Leader of Democratic Party of Japan, Mr Yukio Hatoyama, attended and gave speech to the audience. Mr Kato Akira, international journalist stage as coordinator and professor of Kyoto University, Mr. Richard Tander, Journalist Mrs. Eegawa shoko and Peace and human rights acitivist and singer Mr Kina Shokichi stage as penalist. Forward is the message video send to the ceremony from Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.
Message from Daw Aung San Suu Kyi general secretary National League for Democracy to the people of Japan, November 1999.
Want and fear are two of the greatest enemies we have to contend with from day to day. In the country like Burma, where we have been crushed under a military regime for many, many years, want and fear stalk us all the time. They wake up in the morning wondering which of ours friends have been taken into detention by the authorities. People wake up in the morning wondering where the next meal is going to come from. They wake up in the morning wondering what the future of our children will be and worrying about it. Want and fear go together where there are no human rights and where there is no justice. We would like justice, human rights, and peace to spread all over the world, so that everywhere might live free from fear and from want. In Asia where so many of us believe in such ideal, they are still in a need, a very, very great need, for understanding for basic factor that made human life acceptable. I sometimes think Asians are too hard on ourselves as human beings. I think there is a lack of compassion. But yet compassion is a very basic ingredient in all religions. For this reason, I hope that, as we approach the year 2000, we will increase compassion all over the world. In our struggle for democracy and human rights, we would like greater support from our fellow Asians. We would especially like Japanese people to take a strong stand in a battle for democracy. Japan is one of the strongest economies in the world. And it is a democracy. It is certainly the richest Asian country. As a richest Asian country and as a democracy, Japan has a duty to try to promote human rights and democracy in other parts of Asia. We hope that year 2000 will see a blossoming of Japanese interest in human rights and democracy. May I conclude by asking all of you to offer a prayer for Burma, for East Timor and for every other parts of the world where people are longing for human rights, for compassion, and for peace. And may I also express my hope that, one day, we may all be able to meet together in understanding and happiness. Thank you.