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Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen and Burm



Democracy is People's Aspiration in Burma, said Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen

By: MIZZIMA NEWS GROUP
16th February 1999

Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen said that the movement for democracy in Burma
is indigenous and it has been suppressed by the military regime. While
answering a question at an international conference on democracy, the
Nobel Laureate said that democracy is not to be exported from any country
into Burma but it is an indigenous movement and the people's aspiration.
Amartya Sen, who is a Nobel Laureate in Economics delivered a keynote
address on 15th February on the universality of democracy at the Global
Conference on Building a Worldwide Movement for Democracy, which is being
held in New Delhi from 14-17 February. The Conference, the first of its
nature, aims to establish a worldwide forum for the promotion of democracy
and it is being participated by more than 400 delegates from 85 countries
of the world. 

The Indian Nobel Laureate emphasized the fact that democracy is a
universal value which appeals to everyone anywhere. Recalling his earliest
memory in Burma, Amartya Sen said; "I happened to be privileged in
spending my earliest years in Burma between the ages of 3 and 6 and half
are in Mandalay. And even from the earliest memory I happened to have that
period, I would say that, the kind of question that interested people
involved the issue of freedom very much." And Burmese people's desire for
democracy and freedom was "quite striking" for him.

"In the context of Burma, it did actually begin with the democratic form
of government. And through a whole series of takeovers, including gunning
down of entire cabinet, the military seized power", said the Nobel
Laureate. He maintains also that the importance of human rights and the
need to sustain democracy are equally central and essential. 

I.K Gujral, the former Prime Minister of India delivered an inaugural
speech on 14th February while U.S President Bill Clinton and Indian Prime
Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee sent video messages to the conference. It is
learnt that India-based Centre for Policy Research (CPR) and Confederation
of Indian Industry (CII) and Washington-based National Endowment jointly
organize the conference for Democracy (NED).

Manmohan Sigh, former Finance Minister of India, Frank G Wisner, former
U.S. Ambassador to New Delhi, Mary Robinson, UN High Commissioner for
Human Rights, U.S. Congressman Gary Ackerman were among the distinguished
speakers who had already spoken at the conference. Indian External Affairs
Minister Jaswant Singh will be delivering a closing address on 17th
February.

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