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Excerpts from address on 23 Decembe
- Subject: Excerpts from address on 23 Decembe
- From: nldburma@xxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Mon, 01 Feb 1999 21:37:00
Subject: Excerpts from address on 23 December 1998 by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi
National League for Democracy
NO (97/B), West Shwegondine Road
Bahan, Rangoon
Excerpts frm the address given on the 23 December by Daw Aung San Suu
Kyi, General Secretary of the National League for Democracy
xxxxx This is a question of Human Rights, Asian standard as opposed to
the Western standard. Those people who are not in favour of Human Rights
claim that the provisions contained in the United Nations Declaration of
Human Rights are not consistent with Asian standards and are applicable
to Western standards only. This is the view of those who don't believe
in Human Rights. xxxxx If we examine what is written in the Declaration
it will be quite clear whether they apply to Asian standards, to
standards of human beings or the western standards. If the article which
specifies that no one should be held in slavery - bought with money and
held in slavery- does not apply to Asia but only applicable to the West,
this will amount to an insult to us Asians. How disgraceful it is to
claim that slavery must not exist in the west but in our country we can
have slaves if we so desire. How can slavery ever be good? No matter in
whatever country , if a human being is to be treated as chattel that can
be bought and sold - can such a thing be ever good? How degrading is a
mentality that seeks to crush and persecute a person who is in poverty
through destiny without any compassion for a human being? This is
contained in the Human Rights Declaration. The system of slavery
should not exist. Human beings should not be treates as slaves. Are we
prepared to say that this is a western standard? This is a matter which
applies to all humans. Also, people should not be unjustly arrested and
incarcerated. If anyone says that this only applies to the west, it is
tantamount to an abuse. Why? It condones the illegal arrests and
incarcerations that is occurring in Asia. What ever is unlawful is
wrong. The use of the word unlawful implies a wrong. Unlawful arrest is
an arrest without cause or justification. xxxxx Look at the leaders of
ASEAN. These leaders who claim that Human Rights are not the Asian
standard - see how they are dressed. They have all adopted the western
style. You will have seen their pictures at the ASEAN conference. All
the delegates including those from our country - how were they dressed?
xxxxx I am not objecting to that. What I want to say is, as far as
dress goes, they do not refrain from adopting western styles. No one
claimed that he will wear gaungbaung and pasoe.
xxxxx During the AFPFL period, the country's prime minister U Nu always
dressed in a gaungbaung and pasoe when he went to foreign countries. Not
once did he assert that Human Rights contained western values only.
xxxxx In those days, our leaders had open minds and broad
understanding. They did not harbour personal grudges. Not once did they
differentiate between eastern standards and western standards. xxxx
xxxxx They accepted the principles that fundamental standards should be
applied to all people. Therefore, all the articles contained in the
Declaration of Human Rights is applicable to all humans. Because of the
conviction that is these rights are not observed, peace can not be
achieved in the world, these conditions have been written in the
document. Read the foreword to the document. The reasons for the
Declaration have been set out.
To prevent the occurrence of another world war and to prevent an
explosion of violence by mobs resulting from unbearable persecution.
With such foresight these articles were written. In 1988, people could
no longer suffer the injustices and exploded.
Look at the world. See what is happening in Indonesia. When injustices
accumulate, people are capable of exploding and for peace to prevail in
this world, this Declaration was written, There is nothing to say that
these issues are not acceptable to us in the east. Nothing that
contradicts our religious beliefs. Not one article runs counter to our
Buddhist beliefs. xxxxx
xxxx They do not seem to object to the statement that everyone, every
human beings is equal. These articles have been written to enable all of
us to build a civilised world society. If the articles are not of
eastern standard then those of us who are citizens of countries in Asia
are not capable of building a civilised society. It is only the
governments that are claiming that these are not eastern standards etc.
Those people in governments want to perpetrate their power. Otherwise
why would they be making these claims. Should they accept the principles
in the charter, their chairs will begin to shake - that is the reason
for their claim that those human rights do not apply to their countries.
That is it.
xxxxx Anyone who understands what is contained in the Declaration of
Human Rights will accept them. If the authorities in our country will
abide and govern in accordance with the statements therein xxxxx our
fears about the government will vanish. That is why, no matter who says
what, the most important things for us is to familiarise ourselves and
clearly understand what the articles in the Declaration mean. Every
effort should be made to educate the people about it - is what I want to
say. xxxxx
27 January 1999
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