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