UTS HONOURS BURMESE DEMOCRACY LEADE

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Subject: UTS HONOURS BURMESE DEMOCRACY LEADER

For the benifits of Burma Lovers,

1. Media Release by UTS
2. Citation and 
3. Address by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi are forwarded to burmanet.
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                                                                     21
February 1997 
                                      MEDIA RELEASE:

                            UTS HONOURS BURMESE DEMOCRACY LEADER

The University of Technology, Sydney today awarded an honorary Doctorate of
Letters to Burmese democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

The honorary degree, accepted on Daw Suu's behalf by her husband Dr Michael
Aris, recognises her long struggle to bring democracy to her own country and
her passionate international advocacy of the principles of democracy and
freedom.

UTS Vice-Chancellor Professor Tony Blake said the honorary doctorate
recognised Daw Suu's commitment to human rights and to the welfare of her
fellow Burmese.

"Her determined campaign to achieve change by peaceful means is an
inspiration to all Australians'", Professor Blake said.

"Daw Suu and other members of the League for Democracy have shown a
commitment to their cause which has resulted in a long, courageous campaign
that has inspired many supporters around the world."

Professor Blake said UTS was proud to be associated with one of the great
leaders of the latter part of the 20th century who speaks with clarity and
conviction for human rights and democracy during difficult times.

He said UTS has, as part of its stated values, a commitment to democracy,
freedom of speech and human rights.

"By recognising the work of Daw Suu, UTS is fulfilling one of the roles of a
modern university, which is to promote constructive comment on educational,
cultural and social issues through public debate," Professor Blake said.

ENDS

For further information telephone Amanda Hainsworth, Media Manager on
61-2-9514 1600.

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                                         CITATION

                                   DAW AUNG SAN SUU KYI
                            DOCTOR OF LETTERS (honoris causa)

The Council of the University of Technology, Sydney at its meeting on 22
February 1996 resolved that Aung San Suu Kyi shold admitted to the degree of
Doctor of Letters (honoris causa). The award is made to Aung San Suu Kyi in
recognition of her outstanding role as a leader of Burmese pro-democracy
movement and passionate advocate, internationally, of the principles of
democracy and freedom.

Since her return to Burma in 1988, Aung San Suu Kyi's remarkable record of
striving to bring democracy to her country has been an inspiration to the
Burmese people and to the supporters of democracy around the world. Her
commitment to human rights and to the welfare of her country has resulted in
a long and determined campaign which has few parallels in modern history.

Suu Kyi was born in Rangoon Burma 19 June 1945, the daughter of Aung San,
the Burmese general who dedicated his life to achieving independence for
Burma and who was assassinated in 1947 when Aung San Suu Kyi was two years
of age. His work and writings have been a source of great inspiration to Suu
Kyi who continues to acknowledge his influence on her work and has paid
special tribute to him by adding his name to hers. As he fought for the
liberation of Burma, so she has fought and continues to fight for democracy
in Burma. She is a true daughter of her father.

After early education in Rangoon, Aung San Suu Kyi went to Delhi with her
mother (Burma's appointed Ambassador to India), and in her further education
there became familiary with the teachings of Gandhi whose adherence to
non-violence has been an important influence on her subsequent work in
Burma, and the peaceful means by which she has sought to achieve change.

After studying briefly at Delhi University, Aung San Suu Kyi went to St
Hugh's College at Oxfor University from which she graduated with the degrees
of Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts, with politics, philosophy and
economics as her major subjects.

Between the time of her marriage to an English academic Michael Aris in 1972
and her return to Burma, Aung San Suu Kyi worked in England, and for the
United Nations in New York and Bhutan. Their two sons were born in England
in 1974 and 1977. She also spent a period of time engaged in scholarship, in
particular concerning her father, resulting in the book about him entitled
Aung San, subsequently continuing her research on his life while at the
University of Kyoto.

In March 1988 Aung San Suu Kyi returned to Burma and quickly became the
leader of her country's pro-democracy movement, helping to found the
National League for Democracy, becoming Secretary-General. Showing great
personal courage in the face of opposition by the country's military rulers,
she travelled throughout Burma, speaking in support of democracy to large
crowds. In July 1989 she was placed under house arrest. In May 1990 the
National League for Democracy won a landslide victory in the Burmese general
elections, only to have the results ignored by the military government. Aung
San Suu Kyi remained under house arrest until July 1995. Since that time she
has continued to make her views clear, speaking fearlessly tot he Burmese
people about what she has called 'Burma's second struggle for independence'.

During the period of her detention, Aung San Suu Kyi continued to be the
focal point for the democratic aspirations fo the Burmese people, also
attracting the support of democratic countries and human rights groups
around the world.

Aung San Suu Kyi has received many awards paying tribute to her work, the
most significant being the Nobel Peace Prize in October 1991. In its
citation the Norwegian Nobel Committee stated that it wished 'to honour this
woman for her unflagging efforts and to show its support for the many people
throughout the world who are striving to attain democracy, human rights and
ethnic conciliation by peaceful means'.

Other trubutes and awards to Aung San Suu Kyi include:

* Fellow Indian Institute of Advanced Studies Simla, 1987,
* Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought by the European Parliament, 1990
* Thorolf Rafto Prize for Human Rights in Norway, 1990
* Prix Literaire des Droits de l'Homme Paris, 1992
* Simon Bolivar Prize UNESCO, 1992
* Hon Member World Commission on Culture and Development, UNESCO, 1992
* Victor Jara International Human Rights Award of the Centre for Human
Rights and Constitutional Law, Los Angeles, 1993
* Bremen Solidarity Prize, 1993
* Member Academine University des Cultures Paris, 1993
* Rose Prize by International Forum of the Danish Labor Movement, 1993
* Companion in the Order of Australia (AC), 1996

She holds Honorary Doctorates from Thammissat University, Bangkok (1992),
Toronto University, Canada (1992), Vnje University, Brussels (1994) and The
American University, (1997).

It is a great honour for this University to make the award of Doctor of
Letters (honoris causa) to one of the truly great women of the latter part
of the 20th century, who speaks with clarity and conviction in troubled
times in support of human rights and democracy.

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ADDRESS BY AUNG SAN SUU KYI OF BURMA UPON RECEIVING AN HONORARY DOCTORATE OF
LETTERS IN ABSENTIA FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY, SYDNEY, 21 FEBRUARY
1997........

             Address delivered on her behalf by her husband Dr Michael
Aris......

An honorary Doctorate of Letters from a university of technology for a
politician appears on the surface to be a strange combination. But
politicians and those studyhing technology share this in common, that we are
both seeking to find new ways of improving present conditions. It is an
exciting challenge, trying to change the present that our future might be
better.

The future belongs to those who are equipped to bring a new and more
desirable shape to our world. No amount of technological advancement will
guarantee peace or prosperity. Technological know-how has to be translated
into a form that can promote human happiness. The main purpose of technology
should be to remove what is ugly and onerous from the life of humanity, just
as the chief responsibility of politicians should be to remove what is ugly
and onerous from the life of their nation.

Without education we can achieve nothing of value. Education is not
necessarily a mater of qualifications acquired in formal instituions. It is
a process ofmental and intellectual training, whether formal or informal,
that results in a capacity for assessing problems correctly and finding the
best solutions.

Ill-educated people with their resentment of learing and their need to prove
the superiority of their ignorance cause much unnecessary suffering.
According to the teachings of Buddhism, which is reflected in the thoughts
of some western philosophers, there is and extremely close link between lack
of knowledge, or stupidity, and evil.

It is for this reason taht good academic instituaitons which seek to expand
human knowledge and to uphold high standards of scholastic endeavour
represent a beacon of hope for those who are experiencing the evils of a
lack of good educaiton. The curtailment of the right to develop initiative
and to exercise freedom of expression has disastrous effects on the future
of a nation. Our struggle for democracy is also the sturggle to assert our
right to genuine education. And it is for this reason that we so value the
support of academic institutions.

Australians, as the citizens of a nation forged out of hard endeavour, have
a reputation for a tough, independent mentality and derring-do. We expect
from you the boldness to stand up and speak for the rights of those who are
seeking to cast off their shackles.

In today's every-shrinking world, everybody can contribute towards desirable
change. In our country where the military regime has a monopoly on the whole
media apparatus, our people are forced to depend on external radio and
television stations to receive uncensored news.

With its proximity to Burma and with the increasing numbers of Burmese on
its soil, we hope that Australia will recognise the need for disseminating
information in the Burmese language on the educational, social, economic and
political currents sweeping across the globe.

As I thank your Vice-Chancellor Professor Blake and his predecessor
Professor Guthrie for their part in conferring on me an honorary Doctorate
of Letters of this university, I would like to request the students and
young people of Australia to keep in mind our struggle, which is part of the
sturggle of humanity to evolve as better species.

ENDS **********************************