JOURNAL ARCHIVES
OCTOBER 2007
The mythology of butterflies and moths
Aung San Suu Kyi: Fighting the power of fear
Ten oxherding pictures (Shubun)
Pegasus and the slaying of the chimera
Pegasus and the rescue of Andromeda
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OCTOBER 1, 2007
AUNG SAN SUU KYI: FIGHTING THE POWER OF FEARIt is not power that corrupts but fear. Fear of losing power corrupts those who wield it and fear of the scourge of power corrupts those who are subject to it. Aung San Suu Kyi
(above) Aung San Suu Kyi, 1991 winner of the Nobel Peace Prize and Prime Minister-elect of Myanmar (Burma). Pictured here with her father, General Aung San. Aung San Suu Kyi has been under house arrest for twelve out of the last eighteen years and credits Mahatma Gandhi as an important influence on her life and work. (left) Young Buddhist monk in Myanmar. Photo: Serinde
The New York Times reports today that the ruling military junta in Myanmar has again delayed meeting with a United Nations envoy. The UN envoy is in Myanmar to urge restraint following the violent suppression last week of pro-democracy demonstrations.
Inspired by the leadership of Buddhist monks, over 100,000 took to the streets in Yangon last week, demanding an end of military rule. The government arrested over 1,000 people, including 700 Buddhist monks, in an attempt to quell the protest. The Myanmar government reports that ten deaths occurred during the suppression but human rights groups believe that the number killed is higher.
© 2007 by Wesley Usher. All rights reserved.
