Letters from Burma

1. The Power of Loving-Kindness in Leadership

Some have questioned the appropriateness of talking about such matters as metta (loving-kindness) and thissa (truth) in the political context. But politics is about people and what we had seen … proved that love and truth can move people more strongly than any form of coercion.

Metta and Politics. Aung San Suu Kyi emphasizes that politics is fundamentally about people, and that loving-kindness (metta) and truth (thissa) are powerful forces that can move people more effectively than coercion. This philosophy is exemplified by the Thamanya Sayadaw, whose domain is governed by metta, providing care and sustenance to all who come under his shade.

The Thamanya Example. The Hsayadaw's domain demonstrates that when people are treated with kindness and care, they are more willing to contribute to the common good. This is evident in the construction and maintenance of roads in Thamanya, which are far superior to those in other parts of Burma, built and maintained through the willing cooperation of the villagers and pilgrims.

A Person-Centered Politics. In a world consumed by greed and hatred, Aung San Suu Kyi's plea for a simpler and more person-centered politics is refreshing. Her leadership is characterized by a deep humanity and a gift for understanding and embracing the pain of others as if it were her own, inspiring devotion among her followers.

2. The Intertwined Nature of Political and Intellectual Freedom

National Day is thus a symbol of the intimate and indissoluble link between political and intellectual freedom and of the vital role that students have played in the politics of Burma.

National Day Symbolism. National Day in Burma commemorates the boycott against the 1920 Rangoon University Act, symbolizing the inseparable connection between political and intellectual freedom. This day highlights the crucial role students have played in Burma's struggle for independence and democracy.

Students as Catalysts. The students' movement, which began with the boycott, marked the first step towards an independent Burma. The dancing peacock, the symbol of the students, represents a national movement that culminated triumphantly with the country's independence.

Unfinished Work. Despite the historical achievements, the work of the national movement remains unfinished. The prosperity promised by the "Red Dragon" has yet to be realized, and the triumphant dance of the peacock is still a future aspiration, underscoring the ongoing need for political and intellectual freedom.

3. The Resilience of the Human Spirit Amidst Oppression

We come here because we know that we are the most important thing in the world to her. She cares about us.

Blanketed by Fear. Despite the state of fear that blankets Burma, the ordinary people feel a powerful affection for Aung San Suu Kyi. This affection prompts thousands to risk their lives and physical freedom by attending rallies outside her home each weekend.

Caring Leadership. The notion that a leader might actually care about them, and risk her own freedom to fight for theirs, is unusual to a people who suffer continually the brutality of one of the world’s most odious regimes. This is why they come to her house, knowing they are the most important thing in the world to her.

Unwavering Spirit. The courage of the Burmese people is evident in their determination to remain dedicated to their beliefs in the face of severe repression. The red and white signboards of the National League for Democracy (NLD) gallantly displayed in front of modest offices symbolize this unwavering commitment to democracy.

4. The Importance of Economic Justice and Credibility

Economic reform is not simply setting an interest rate or an exchange rate. It is establishing a shared vision of where the policies should lead and creating credibility and confidence that most movements will be in the right direction.

Economic Objectives. The NLD's economic objectives, as stated in their Manifesto for the 1990 elections, include stability in prices, currency, and employment, appropriate monetary and fiscal policies, and a review of the exchange rate. These objectives aim to create an economy in which people can have confidence.

Credibility and Confidence. Credibility and confidence are basic to good business and are what must first be established if policies are to lead to a successful open-market economy. Essential to sound economic development is a political system firmly rooted in the rule of law.

Investment in the Future. Now is not yet the time to invest in Burma, but to invest in democracy for Burma if only for the sake of profits. Businesses that frame their investment policies with a view to promoting an open, secure political system based on confidence and credibility will find they are also promoting an open, secure economy where optimum returns can be expected by investors.

5. The Significance of Cultural Identity and Unity in Diversity

Unity in diversity has to be the principle of those who genuinely wish to build our country into a strong nation that allows a variety of races, languages, beliefs and cultures to flourish in peaceful and happy co-existence.

Union Day Celebrations. Union Day, commemorating the Panglong Agreement, is a day for all the peoples of Burma to rededicate themselves to the spirit of mutual trust and respect. The NLD commemorates this day with a program of dances and a bazaar, showcasing the diverse ethnic cultures of Burma.

Ethnic Cultures. The various dances performed at the NLD's Union Day celebration illustrate the wide range of ethnic cultures of which Burma can boast. Each dance has its own individual attraction, from the Mon dancer in flaming burnt orange brocade to the Shan sword dances to the rousing music of drums and cymbals.

Tolerant Government. Only a government that tolerates opinions and attitudes different from its own will be able to create an environment where peoples of diverse traditions and aspirations can breathe freely in an atmosphere of mutual understanding and trust. Unity in diversity has to be the principle of those who genuinely wish to build our country into a strong nation.

6. The High Price of Hospitality and the Loss of Freedom

The price of hospitality in Burma can be very high.

Burmese Hospitality. The Burmese are reputed to be one of the most hospitable people in the world, with a tradition of friends dropping in and sharing whatever you happen to be eating. However, hospitality is no longer so simple due to the high food prices and the need to report overnight guests to the local Law and Order Restoration Council (LORC).

Reporting Guests. Visitors must make up their minds before too late an hour if they intend to stay the night because their presence has to be reported to the local LORC before nine o’clock in the evening. Failure to ‘report the guest list’ could result in a fine or a prison sentence for both the guest and the host.

Consequences of Hospitality. Both the guest and the host are liable to a minimum fine of 50 kyats, or to a prison sentence ranging from two weeks to six months if a family fails to let the local LORC know they have an overnight guest. The price of hospitality in Burma can be very high.

7. The Moral Imperative to Recognize Both Beauty and Ugliness

Some people only knew what was beautiful, they did not know what was ugly.

Aesthetic Discrimination. To acquire truly good taste, one has to be able to recognize both ugliness and beauty. This principle, applicable to the whole range of human experience, is lacking in those who seek to promote business with Burma these days.

Blindness to Ugliness. Advocates of precipitate economic engagement in Burma may only see the picturesque scenery, the smiles of the people, and the opportunities for making money. However, they fail to see the poverty, the corruption, the lack of equity, and the harsh actions taken against those who seek democracy and human rights.

Moral Aesthetics. To observe businessmen who come to Burma with the intention of enriching themselves is somewhat like watching passers-by in an orchard roughly stripping off blossoms for their fragile beauty, blind to the ugliness of despoiled branches. It is the love of ordinary people for justice and peace and freedom that is our surest defense against the forces of unreason and extremism.

8. The Enduring Strength of Friendship in Adversity

The friends who stand by you in severe ailment, in time of scarcity, or in misfortune, when captured by an enemy, at a king’s door, or in the charnel-house, they indeed are good friends.

Uses of Adversity. Adversity offers a unique opportunity for discovering little-known aspects of the human society in which we live. The experience gained by those who have borne the full force of state persuasion is not always comfortable, but it is very enriching.

True Friends. The friends who stand by you in severe ailment, in time of scarcity, or in misfortune, when captured by an enemy, at a king’s door, or in the charnel-house, they indeed are good friends. With such friends, one can travel the roughest road and not be defeated by hardship.

Kalyanamitta. It is comforting to know that friends you have not met for several decades, leading secure lives in countries where their rights are protected by the law, care as much for your welfare now as they did in the days when the Beatles were young. With such friends, one can travel the roughest road and not be defeated by hardship.

9. The Unjust Suffering of Political Prisoners and the Call for Justice

The exact number of deaths in custody cannot be ascertained but it is not small and it is rising all the time. The price of liberty has never been cheap and in Burma it is particularly high.

Prison Conditions. The abysmal prison conditions in Burma, which do not bear scrutiny by independent observers, contribute to the deaths of political prisoners. The Red Cross left Burma in 1995 because of the refusal of the authorities to allow inspection of the prisons of the country.

Deaths in Custody. U Hla Than is certainly not the first prisoner of conscience to have died in the custody of SLORC. Some leading members of the NLD can be counted among those who have given their lives for the right to adhere to their deeply held political principles.

Price of Liberty. The exact number of deaths in custody cannot be ascertained but it is not small and it is rising all the time. The price of liberty has never been cheap and in Burma it is particularly high.

10. The Erosion of Civil Service Integrity Under Authoritarianism

It is no wonder that in Burma civil servants are generally viewed as public predators rather than public benefactors.

Low Salaries. Civil servants in Burma have to find ways and means of earning extra income because their pay is ridiculously low. A Director-General, the highest ranking civil servant, earns an official monthly salary of 2500 kyats a month, the equivalent of about $15.

Corruption. If you happen to work in the electricity department in Burma you quickly learn that you can supplement your income by making deals with householders who do not wish to pay their electricity bills in full. The Inland Revenue Department, as might be expected, is a section of the civil service where employees can earn sums ‘on the side’ many times larger than their regular salaries.

Public Perception. There was a time when civil servants in our country were seen as an élite corps: well-educated, well-trained and well-paid, capable of giving good service to the community. Now they are generally regarded with fear and revulsion or with pity.

11. The Absurdity of Misrule of Law and the Denial of Basic Rights

The spectacle of the process of law bounding away from accepted norms of justice is very ugly at all times.

Kangaroo Courts. A kangaroo court is a burlesque performance where the process of the law takes heart-stopping leaps and bounds. The erratic course of justice in a kangaroo court is outside the bounds of normal human conduct.

Denial of Counsel. Section 340 (1) of the Code of Criminal Procedure provides that ‘any person accused of an offence before a criminal court, or against whom proceedings are instituted under this code, in any such court, may of right be defended by a pleader.’ This basic right to counsel is systematically denied to political prisoners in Burma.

Ugly Spectacle. The spectacle of the process of law bounding away from accepted norms of justice is very ugly at all times. The authorities tend to lay anything that goes awry in the country at the doors of the NLD.

12. The Continuum of Struggle and the Hope for a Democratic Future

Asleep, my thoughts are of you; awake, my thoughts are of you …

Yo-Yo Blockades. The road to my house keeps being blocked and unblocked and then blocked again with the agitated rhythm of a demented yo-yo. The authorities tend to lay anything that goes awry in the country at the doors of the NLD.

Business as Usual. Despite the surreal atmosphere of a house arrest that is not a house arrest, we carry on with our work. We listen to BBC and VOA broadcasts to find out what is going on in the big wide world outside the fence of 54 University Avenue.

Obsession with NLD. Their obsession with our organization sometimes reminds us of the words of a song: ‘Asleep, my thoughts are of you; awake, my thoughts are of you …’ How much more sensible it would be to come to a civilized settlement that would remove the need for spies and sieges.

Last updated: April 7, 2025