Burma - The Lady On The Lake
After months of negotiation, this report secured an exclusive and rare interview with Burma's Suu Kyi. A powerhouse of ideas, she explains her vision for Burma and her relationship with the government.
In her crumbling, rambling old home by the lake Aung San Suu Kyi remains an inspiration for the people of Burma. From here she has spent the majority of the last 20 years driving the freedom movement. Strangely, she finds house arrest no impediment: "no, because after all, I can get out my message". As she explains her vision for change she warns about impatience, but also says change may come more quickly than many might expect. "Political change can come very unexpectedly, sometimes overnight when you least expect it." Recently, she has been granted more freedom and has been using this to re-connect with the people. While she remains closely watched and her words remain carefully chosen, her mantra throughout is that, "democracy is something for which everybody can work in their own way." It is a message that the people seem to be taking to heart. Like Zayar Thaw, who writes anti-government raps, thousands have been jailed for speaking out against the brutal regime. However, revolution does not appear to be imminent and Suu Kyi is not looking for open confrontation with the regime, despite her continuing support for the sanctions on Burma. "We always wanted to engage with the government." Facing accusations of being out of touch, can Suu Kyi use her new freedom to continue to be a force of change?
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