(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJxhcQzGl6A)
-What happened/
The facts:
On
last 16th
of June the Burmese pro-democracy campaigner, Aung San Suu Kyi, has
finally given her acceptance speech for the Nobel Peace Prize, 21
years after it was awarded1.
In 1991, she was awarded the Nobel
Peace Prize but she couldn't go to receive the prize because she was
under house arrest (imprisonment lasted almost 24 years).
She was freed in late 2010.
-What BBC points
out from the speech:
BBC
highlights different parts of her speech in two reports about Aung
San Suu Kyi's Nobel Speech .
In
the first, entitled Suu
Kyi says Nobel award meant Burma was not forgotten2,
there is
reproduced the part of speech in which she talks about the importance
of Universal Declaration of Human Rights; in particular she appoints
two highlights of Declaration:
“[...]disregard
and contempt for human rights have resulted in barbarous acts which
have outraged the conscience of mankind, and the advent of a world in
which human beings shall enjoy freedom of speech and belief and
freedom from fear and want has been proclaimed as the highest
aspirations of the common people [...]”
“[...]
it is essential, if man is not to be compelled to have recourse, as a
last resort, to rebellion against tyranny and oppression, that human
rights should be protected by the rule of law[...]”.
In
these she has found her strength. She believes that democratic
institutions and practices are necessary for the guarantee of human
rights.
Now
we can see the fruit of the endeavours of those who believe in
democracy and in the human rights.
She
continues the speech telling that we have to have faith in the future
but she warns against blind faith and she
urges the unconditional release of all political prisoners, saying
"one prisoner of conscience is one too many".
The
article also underlines the importance that San Suu Kyi has and has
had for Universal peace. The Thorbjorn Jagland (Chairman of the
Norwegian Nobel Committee) opening ceremony words are very
significant:
“In
your isolation you have become a moral voice for the whole world”
“a
precious gift to the world community”.
One of the most important thing
that the article points out is what had meant for San Suu Kyi
receiving Nobel prize.
The prize it
is like“a door in her heart”
“Winning
the Nobel Peace Prize made her real once again. It had drawn her back
into the wider human community”.
“The
Nobel Peace Prize has drew the attention of the world to the struggle
for democracy and human rights in Burma”.
“Burma
was not going to be forgotten”
We
find this part of speech in the second BBC's service “Suu
Kyi in Oslo for Nobel speech” reported by
Fergal Keane. He talks about Burma's transition and about violence in
the north of the country. Here we find also an interview with Suu Kyi
where she confirms her optimism about Burma's political future but
not a blind optimism. We have to be aware of the challenges that
still lie ahead.
For
the journalist this is the day of her celebration.
BBC
gives much importance to San Suu Kyi. We can understand it through
various articles dedicated to her.
On
BBC site we have also a specific page about her profile and her
history (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-11685977).
V.
1 Fergal Keane, Suu Kyi in Oslo
for Nobel speech in
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-18471439
2
Suu Kyi says Nobel award meant Burma was not forgotten in
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-18464946
3
A part of Suu Kyi Nobel speech in Suu
Kyi says Nobel award meant Burma was not forgotten in
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-18464946
I believe that Aung San Suu Kyi (or “The Lady” such as the Burmese call her) is a true example of courage and patience, directed to an increase of human rights standards in her country. I admire her because she was able to pressure the authority of the military junta (which has leading Myanmar since 1988) without the use of violence and catalyzing the attention of the international public opinion on her figure, like a symbol of the political repression and the lack of freedom of speech. As I could document me during my Bachelor thesis her work was at the base of the adoption of many International organizations’ declarations that condemned the regime, and the imposition of restrictive measures, such as economic sanctions. All this has surely pressured the authorities to begin a genuine democratic process.
RispondiEliminaJust the fact the she was able to present her acceptance speech for the Nobel Peace Prize, 21 years later, is surely a good news that demonstrates that something in Burma is really changing. 21 years ago, she didn’t go to draw her prize because, if she had been moved away from her country, maybe the Myanmar Government wouldn’t let her to come back.
Even if the situation in her Burma is still precarious, Aung San Suu Kyi represents a source of hope for human right protection all over the world.
Michael Massarutto
I completely agree with you. I also subscribe to your idea that she represents a source of hope for human right protection.
RispondiEliminaValeria Turozzi