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September 16, 2013

Burma's Suu Kyi opens Forum 2000 Conference
By Kevin Livingston

Burmese opposition leader praises Václav Havel's inspiration

Burmese pro-democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi delivers a speech during the 17th Forum 2000 Conference opening ceremony on Sept. 15, 2013, in Prague.

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi opened this year's Forum 2000 Conference Sept. 15 with a tribute to conference founder and former Czech President Václav Havel, whom she described as a direct influence and inspiration for her own freedom struggles in Burma (Myanmar).

It is the first visit to the country for Suu Kyi, the Burmese opposition leader and chairperson of the main opposition National League for Democracy (NLD). In her opening remarks, the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize winner said Havel was a guiding light during her own struggle against an authoritarian regime, as were the Czech and Slovak people.

Suu Kyi founded the NLD in September 1988, entering politics to work for democratization in Burma. Refusing an offer of freedom from the country's military dictatorship if she emigrated, she was put under house arrest in July 1989.

The 68-year-old pro-democracy advocate spent nearly 15 of the following 21 years, until her release in November 2010, restricted to her home. She won the Rafto Prize and the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought in 1990 and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991 for her peaceful and nonviolent struggle under a military dictatorship.

Describing Havel as a great friend for the Burmese movement for democracy, she said his writings provided an inspiration for her during her detention.

"When I received [his] books, I read them avidly to find out how I too could survive the years of struggle as he survived. I understood the ultimate freedom was to live in truth," she said, referring to Havel's core message. "It is a single honor to speak some words of appreciation of a great man and true friend of the movement for democracy in Burma. When I was under house arrest I knew that here was a man speaking for me. He made me feel free.

"What he [Havel] did for Burma and human rights and democracy is so vast that I think there will never be a time when we can stop talking about it," she said, stressing that she has never made a secret of the fact that had Havel "not nominated me, he would have been the Nobel Peace prize winner [that year]."

In the April 2012 elections, her party won 43 of the 45 vacant seats in the lower house of the Burmese parliament and Suu Kyi is now a member of parliament, representing the Kawhmu constituency. This June, she announced that in 2015 she would run for the presidency of Burma, which is still not free.

"We in Burma have started on road to transition from a military dictatorship to democracy. I am sure [Havel] would say it is not going to be easy but if you persevere you will get there," Suu Kyi said. "I have repeatedly spoken out against over optimism which could cause us to lose our way. We must recognize the difficulties in our path. I do not think he would have approved of blind optimism."

Suu Kyi has been a Member of the Forum 2000 International Advisory Board since October 2012. The Forum 2000 Foundation is not only hosting the Burmese MP but is also the main coordinator of her second European trip since she was released from house arrest. Besides the Czech Republic, she will also be visiting Poland and Hungary.

Executive Director Jakub Klepal noted that Suu Kyi had been invited to Forum 2000 every year since its founding in 1996, although during her house arrest it would clearly only have been a symbolic invitation. "But this is precisely why we wanted to at least support her in this way in her fight for democracy and the observance of human rights in Burma. Václav Havel, who nominated her for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991, would undoubtedly have taken great delight in her visit."

Also on hand at 17th annual conference, which comes to a close Sept. 17, are the Dalai Lama, the American singer and activist Joan Baez - who sang at Sunday's Opening Ceremony - and the former South African President and Nobel Peace Prize winner F.W. de Klerk.

The Dalai Lama, a personal friend of Havel, also delivered a lecture before hundreds of people in Prague Saturday and spoke about the need for tolerance and respect. The theme of this year's conference is societies in transition.