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Ms Suu Kyi said "With politics you
Subject: Ms Suu Kyi said "With politics you cannot see ahead more than a fewdays"
Subject: Ms Suu Kyi said "With politics you cannot see ahead more than a fewdays"
Acheerfuland apparentlyundaunted Ms Aung San Suu Kyi,who was
released last year aftersix yearsofhouse arrest, has shrugged off her
possible re-arrest as"noproblemat all",although this time she mightbeput
in Burma's infamous Inseinprison "wjich wouldbe a newand interesting
experience".
The 51-year-old Nobellaureate wasspeaking at a time of mounting
tension,with a new wave of arrests and harsh prison sentences meted outto
her National League for Democracy (NLD) supporters, including a close
personal assistant and a bodyguard,the NLDwon the 1990 elections by
alandslide butwas not allowed to take power.
A military Intelligence spokesman has accused Ms Aung San Suu
Kyi of "collaborating with subversives".
Ms Suu Kyi said she did not worryabout her personal security
because there was no pointin it.
"We have to be practical," she said."In this situation, if the
army really wants to kill me they can do it without any problems at all
so there is no point in making elaborate security arrangements.But theren
are other things I can do somethings about so I would rather give my
attention to that.
"It is not bravado or anything like that. I support I am just
rather down to earth and I just don't see the point of this worry."
Told that foreign diplomats in Burma were expressing concern
about her health, saying she seemed tired and strained since the new
drive against her party, Ms Suu Kyi gave a ringing laugh.
"Actually the reason why I think I am more tired these days than
I have been is my lack of self-discipline, because I acquired a whole lot
of interesting books and really I should not be reading late at night, I
should just go to sleep."
Reflecting on politics and on recent discussions with friends,
she said she took the Buddhist view that nothing was unchanging in the
world.
"To think otherwise is a lot of nonsense, politically speaking,
but particularly from a Buddhist point of view it is very silly because
we think everything is impermanent and things are changing all the time.
"With politics you cannot see ahead more than a few days. Look at
the Soviet Union; its collapse happened so quickly and noone would have
expected it."
Asked whether the leaders of SLORC, the ruling military junta,
may have been affected by the death sentence passed on former president
Chun, the former military ruler of South Korea, she said: "I am afraid
these events do not really help us too much in this country. Such trials
and sentences make the authorities here and dictators everywhere else
ectremely nervous.
"They probably think 'wehave to cling on to power forever and
ever otherwise we shall get into trouble."
She said she did not feel "boxed in" in the present situation in
which she has ni dialogue with the junta. "It is a very challenging
situation. I think the people who usually feel frustrated are the ones who
cannot do anything, or just don't do anything, but we have so much todo,
even simple things like taking care of the families of political
prisoners."
Asked about her call for a foreign tourist boycott of Burma, she
said she would like to see this during the so-called "Visit Myanmar Year"
begining on November 18 through the end of the dry season next April. "We
would like people to keep away preciselyduring these months as a
demonstration of solidarity."
Referring to the arrests, harsh torture of friends and
colleagues, she said : "I don't feel exposed. I suppose I have to say as
a good Buddhist I believe that in the end youhave nobody to rely on but
yourself. It is only your own deeds that will decide what willhappen to
you."
[The Times]
By James Pringle in Rangoon, 04 September 1996.
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