This Article is From Nov 14, 2012

Aung San Suu Kyi's Nehru Memorial lecture: Highlights

Aung San Suu Kyi's Nehru Memorial lecture: Highlights
New Delhi: Myanmar's pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi spoke on the 123rd birth anniversary of Jawaharal Nehru today. Here are the highlights of her speech at New Delhi's Vigyan Bhawan:

  • These past few months have given me many opportunities to thank people, governments for democracy in Burma
  • I was saddened that India had moved away from us
  • Today I wish to thank you for the Jawaharlal Nehru memorial prize that was given to me in 1998
  • The thoughts and actions of leaders of Indian independence movement inspire us in Burma - our movement is firmly based in non-violence
  • My mother spoke of Pt Jawaharlal Nehru with reverence - to my infant mind he was an old man who had provided my father with two sets of uniform - the smartest he ever possessed
  • Narrates an anecdotal incident about how her father was outfitted by Jawaharlal Nehru enroute to London in 1948
  • After my father's death, Nehru continued to keep an avuncular eye on my mother
  • I may have met him when I was young, but I remember seeing him for the 1st time in Delhi Railway station when I was about 16
  • The year of Nehru's birth centenary, I was placed under house arrest for the first time
  • Each day was more than eventful. Touring the country to give the message of my party to the country
  • I pointed out that there was no law for transition of power
  • The chairman of the restoration (army personnel) arrived with a warrant
  • My sons had come for the summer holidays
  • My son asked him which class of prisoner I would be?  But I was placed on house arrest
  • Nehru's book 'Discovery of India' helped me get through my years in house arrest
  • Quotes Yates from the book - and how she was unable to look up what she thought was wrong for many years she spent in house arrest
  • Nehru exposes dilemma, writing about his wife Kamla
  • After my release from house arrest, I spoke about sacrifices made by Kamla Nehru
  • Politics is about people
  • Two leaders I feel closest to are Gandhi and Nehru because their challenges were similar to ours
  • Our fight for democracy in Burma is non-violent. It is influenced by Mahatma Gandhi
  • One day when I was under house arrest, I heard on the radio that the party has expelled me as I was under detention
  • Inspite of their differences, Nehru and Gandhi worked together
  • I learnt that  I will have to work with my party workers inspite of our differences
  • Gandhi once said once said Motilal's most striking quality was his love for his son. 'Motilal's love for India stems for his love from Jawaharlal..."
  • I wondered if my love for Burma came from love for my father who I hardly remembered
  • The nature of political , spiritual kinship is difficult to express in words


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