;;;;AUNG SAN SUU KYI ;;;;on WFWA >> GOOD DAY. I WOULD LIKE TO BEGIN BY EXPRESSING MY GRATITUDE FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS YOU ON BEHALF OF THE WELCOMING COMMITTEE. I ALSO THANK OUR HIGHLY MOTIVATED AND ENTHUSIASTIC AUDIENCE WHO HAVE COME TO THIS HISTORIC MEETING WITH DAW AUNG SAN SUU KYI. THE BURMESE COMMUNITIES HERE IN ATTENDANCE UNEQUIVOCALLY AND STRONGLY SUPPORT YOU AND WILL UNWAIVERINGLY CONTINUE TO SUPPORT YOU IN THE DAYS TO COME. I WOULD LIKE TO EXTEND MY SINCERE AND HEART FELT THANKS TO THE BURMESE COMMUNITY, THE COMMUNITIES HAVE WORKED TIRELESSLY TO ORGANIZE THIS EVENT, THE MAYOR OF FORT WAYNE AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST A SPECIAL
THANKS TO THE I.U.P.F.W. CHANCELLOR, VICE CHANCELLORS, FACULTY AND STAFF AND OTHER SPONSORS FOR THEIR GENEROUS SUPPORT AND ASSISTANCE. WE BELIEVE THAT OUR UNEQUIVOCAL SUPPORT WILL CONTRIBUTE TO THE REFORM AND CHANGE TOWARDS DEMOCRACY IN MYANMAR NAMING AGAIN OR BURMA. WE UNEQUIVOCALLY AND STRONGLY SUPPORT YOU AND WE WILL UNWAIVERINGLY CONTINUE TO SUPPORT YOU IN THE DAYS TO COME. SO AUNG SAN SUU KYI, YOU HAVE BRAVELY, PERSISTENTLY AND PERSEVERINGLY ENDEAVORED TO BRING ABOUT PEACE, PROSPERITY, HUMAN RIGHTS AND FREEDOM FOR ALL PEOPLES OF BURMA AND HAVE STOOD BEFORE US AS A COURAGEOUS, ADMIRABLE AND EXEMPLARY LEADER. ALL OF US WISH YOU AND PRAY FOR YOUR WELL-BEING AND GOOD HEALTH. I HUMBLY REQUEST THAT YOU SPEAK
TO THE AUDIENCE WHO ARE LONGING TO HEAR YOUR VOICE AND WORDS RESPECTFULLY. THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR GOOD WISHES. MAY THEY ALL COME TRUE. >> THANK YOU YOU FOR ENTHUSIASTICALLY WELCOMING, ESPECIALLY OUR ETHNIC POPULATION AND ALL THE PEOPLE THAT ARE HERE HAVE WELCOMED ME HEART FELTLY. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR US TO LEARN THAT WE ARE ALL THE SAME, THAT WE SHOULD NOT DISCRIMINATE BETWEEN THOSE WHO CAN LEARN AND THOSE WHO CANNOT LEARN. WE ARE ALL THE SAME. THOSE WHO CAN LEARN IS NOT ONLY FOR A COUNTRY BUT FOR THE WHOLE WORLD. IT WILL BE VALUABLE FOR THE WHOLE WORLD. WE NEED TO BE HUMBLE AND LEARN. WE MUST KNOW THAT WE HAVE TO LEARN AND THERE IS STILL MORE TO
LEARN. THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE HERE NEED TO KNOW AND PUT IN YOUR HEART THAT WE HAVE MANY MORE TO LEARN AND GAIN KNOWLEDGE AND TO CONTINUE PURSUING KNOWLEDGE. WE ARE NOW AT THE BEGINNING OF A PATH OF DEMOCRACY AND WE SHOULD ENDEAVOR TO CONTINUE TO WALK THROUGH THIS PATH TO ATTAIN THIS. WE ALL LEARN TO GET AN EDUCATION NOT ONLY FROM THE PLATFORM BUT FROM OUR LIFE, TO LEARN FROM OUR LIFE EXPERIENCES, LEARNING FROM A CLASSROOM WOULD JUST BE A PART OF THE EDUCATION BUT NOT THE WHOLE EDUCATION OF LIFE. THERE MAY BE SOME OF US WHO ALREADY CITIZENS OF THIS COUNTRY AND SOME OF US WHO ARE STILL BURMESE CITIZENS AND WE WELCOME BOTH. WE DID NOT THINK THAT YOU HAVE SEPARATED FROM US BECAUSE YOU
HAVE BECOME CITIZENS OF ANOTHER COUNTRY. WE KNOW THAT YOU ARE STILL CONNECTED TO US AND STILL PART OF OUR COUNTRY. WE DO NOT SEPARATE OR DISCRIMINATE BETWEEN PEOPLE WHO ARE DIFFERENT. WE HAVE TO BE LOYAL TO THE COUNTRY WHERE WE ARE AND WE SHOULD ALL BEHAVE IN A WAY THAT PEOPLE OF THE COUNTRIES THAT WE RESIDE WOULD HAVE RESPECT FOREVER. BECAUSE I LISTEN TO THE RADIO QUITE OFTEN, I OFTEN HEAR THE TERM "FORT WAYNE." I LEARN THAT THE PEOPLE HERE FROM BURMA IN FORT WAYNE ARE VERY, VERY ENTHUSIASTIC AND I KNOW THAT SOMETIMES THERE ARE CONFLICTS BETWEEN PEOPLE. THAT IS A VERY HUMAN TRAIT BUT WE CAN ALL RECONCILE AND OVERCOME ANY CONFLICT.
I WOULD LIKE TO ASK EVERYONE TO BE UNITED. I ALSO WANT TO SAY TO YOU NOT TO BE JEALOUS, NOT TO HAVE ENVY. WE NEED TO CONTROL OUR FEELINGS OF ENVY AND JEALOUSY SO THAT WE CAN UNITE, JOIN HANDS, AND WORK TOWARDS OUR GOALS. I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST THAT YOU SHOULD NOT HAVE FEELINGS THAT WOULD CAUSE DISCORD. THESE FEELINGS ARE NOT SOMETHING THAT CANNOT BE CORRECTED. WE CAN CHANGE AND CORRECT THESE BAD FEELINGS. TAKE PRIDE IN EVERY ONE OF US. DO NOT FEEL ENVY FOR THOSE THAT ARE MORE SUCCESSFUL THAN YOU. SHOW RESPECT AND KINDNESS TO EACH OTHER. I WOULD APPRECIATE AND BE VERY GRATEFUL IF YOU COULD LOOK BACK TO YOUR HOME COUNTRY, WHICH IS BURMA, AND I WILL-- WE CANNOT DEMAND THAT YOU COME BACK TO
BURMA AND I DO NOT ASK THE AUTHORITIES HOWEVER I WILL TRY MY BEST FOR ANYONE WHO WISHES TO RETURN TO BURMA TO BE ABLE TO COME BACK AND WE SHOULD ALL WORK TOGETHER TO ACHIEVE THIS GOAL. I SUPPORT-- NOW AT THIS TIME I WOULD BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTION AND ANSWER. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> FROM EVERY COUNTRY THAT HAS DIFFERENT INDIGENOUS RACES SOME MAY NOT BE TREATED THE SAME. BUT AS MINORITY THAT IS TRUE. HOWEVER WE NEED TO TAKE THIS, WE HAVE TO BASE EVERYTHING ON THE RULE OF LAW AND THERE WILL BE NO DISCRIMINATION IN THE RULE OF LAW, THERE WILL BE JUSTICE. EVERY INDIGENOUS RACES AND ETHNIC GROUP HAS SOMETHING THAT IS VERY GOOD IN THEIR TRADITION AND CULTURE SO DO NOT BE DISHEARTENED. WE DO NOT INTEND TO LOOK DOWN OR
OPPRESS ANY INDIGENOUS RACE OR ANY OF OUR ETHNIC GROUPS. WHY HAVEN'T THE PARENTS TAUGHT THE CHILDREN BURMESE? I DO NOT THINK IT WOULD BE VERY DIFFICULT TO HAVE SOME BURMESE CLASSES HERE FOR THOSE CHILDREN WHO HAVE COME WITH THEIR PARENTS WHEN THEY WERE VERY YOUNG. I THINK THAT THE EDERS HERE CAN MAKE ARRANGEMENTS FOR BURMESE LANGUAGE CLASSES. PLEASE DO NOT FORGET YOUR TRADITIONAL NATIVE LANGUAGES. LIKE WISE, I WANT TO ASK THESE INDIGENOUS RACES, ETHNIC GROUPS TO ALSO KEEP THEIR LANGUAGES AS WELL AS LEARN THE BURMESE LANGUAGE, WHICH IS NOW THE OFFICIAL AND HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE OFFICIAL LANGUAGE OF BURMA. PLEASE TAKE PRIDE IN YOUR CULTURE. PLEASE REMEMBER YOUR TRADITIONS AND HERITAGE AND TO LEARN YOUR
LANGUAGE. WE SHOULD ALL PRESERVE THE CULTURE AND HERITAGE TRADITION OF ALL THE RACES OF BURMA. FOR THOSE YOUNG PEOPLE WHO WISH TO RETURN NOW AND GO GO TO SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES AT BURMA, AT THE BEGINING THERE THERE MAY BE SOME CHALLENGES AND DIFFICULTY BECAUSE OF THE CLASSES ARE TAUGHT IN BURMESE AND YOU HAVE TO TAKE THE METRIC EXAMINATION OR COLLEGE EXAMINATION IN BURMESE. SO WE HAVE TO TRY TO WORK HARD. I'LL ANSWER THIS QUESTION IN TWO PARTS. FIRST PART HAS TO DO WITH EDUCATION. CURRENTLY WE NEED TO DO A LOT OF REFORM WITH OUR EDUCATIONAL SYSTEMS. WE HAVE LEARNED THAT MOST OF THE YOUNG CHILDREN CANNOT GO TO SCHOOL BECAUSE OF THE COST, EVEN
THOUGH EDUCATION MAY BE FREE THERE ARE OTHER COSTS WHICH SOME PARENTS CANNOT AFFORD. THEY ARE ABOUT 15% YOUNG CHILDREN THAT CANNOT AFFORD TO ATTEND SCHOOL AT THIS TIME. I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THE SUPPORT OF EVERYONE AND THANK EVERYONE WHO WISHED TO SUPPORT THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM THERE. WE SHOULD ALL HAVE A CONSCIENCE AND NOT EXPLOIT OUR ROLE IN POLITICS. POLITICS HAS GREAT RESPONSIBILITY. AND IF YOU ARE IN POLITICS IT MUST BE FOR A SENSE OF RESPONSIBILITY, WHETHER YOU GET A NAY OR NOT. EVEN IF YOU FAIL, YOU MUST HAVE THE COURAGE TO GO ON. UNLESS YOU HAVE THE STRENGTH AND ENERGY AND THE WILLINGNESS TO TAKE FIT, YOU SHOULD NOT BECOME A POLITICIAN.
HOW CAN WE PROTECT OURSELVES? WE CAN PROTECT OURSELVES BY STRENGTHENING OUR COUNTRY. WE SHOULD HAVE THE ENERGY AND STRENGTH IN OUR MINDS. REVOLUTION, I'VE ALWAYS SAID, IS THE REVOLUTION OF OUR MIND AND HEART. EVEN THOUGH WE ARE FACED WITH CHALLENGES AND DIFFICULTIES IN LIFE WE MUST CONTINUE BRIEFLY AND PERSISTENTLY, PERSEVERING. EVEN THOUGH WE ARE BETWEEN TWO GREAT COUNTRIES, I BELIEVE THAT WE CAN STAND WITH OUR HEAD HIGH AND WITH GREAT PRIDE AND STRENGTH. IF ALL THE PEOPLE, WHETHER THEY ARE IN BURMA OR OUTSIDE BURMA, IF WE ALL JOIN HANDS TOGETHER AND WORK TOGETHER WE CAN DEFINITELY ACHIEVE A PLACE IN THE WORLD:. SINCE I WAS UNDER HOUSE ARREST I HAVE ALWAYS THOUGHT OF HAVING A
CONFERENCE A PIN LONG CONFERENCE, A SECOND PIN PIN LON CONFERENCE. WE HAVE TO PLAN THIS AT THE 21st CENTURY PLAN. WHATEVER DIFFERENCES AND PROBLEMS WE MAY HAVE AMONGST OURSELVES I THINK WE CAN DEFINITELY JOIN HANDS AND RECONCILE AND MOVE FORWARD AND SOLVE ANY PROBLEMS AND BASIC ROOTS OF CONFLICT AND DIFFERENCES. I HAVE DISCUSSED WITH MANY LEADERS OF THE ETHNIC GROUPS AND INDIGENOUS RACES ABOUT EQUALITY BETWEEN ALL GROUPS. WE HAVE TO HAVE ALL-- EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES. THESE ARE ALL DEPENDENT ON OUR CONSTITUTION. WE HAVE ASKED FOR THREE POINTS, ESPECIALLY THE RULE OF LAW, JUDICIARY BRANCH SYSTEMATICALLY ESTABLISH.
TO HAVE LONG LASTING, WE NEED TO MAKE CHANGES OR AMEND OUR CURRENT CONSTITUTION FOR PEACE, FOR LONG-LASTING PEACE. THIS CANNOT BE ACHIEVED INSTANTLY, WE HAVE TO GO BY STATUS AND STEPS AND WE ARE TRYING VERY HARD TO ACHIEVE THESE GOALS. I BELIEVE THAT IF WE CONTINUE TO ENDEAVOR CONSISTENTLY WE WILL REACH THOSE GOALS OF PEACE AND PROSPERITY. THE MOST DIFFICULT CHALLENGE IS PERSEVERING AND TO NOT DESPAIR IN THE FACE OF FAILURE BUT CONTINUE TO WORK HARDER TO ACHIEVE OUR GOALS. >> I WILL RESPOND IN TWO SECTIONS. TWO PARTS. IF YOU WISH TO JOIN THE N.L.D., WE WILL-- YOU WILL NEED TO DO SO WE WILL ON OUR RULES AND REGULATIONS-- OUR RULES,
REGULATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS. OF COURSE YOU CAN BE PART OF THIS PARTY. WE NEED TO REMEMBER THAT SOMETIMES WE WILL BE CRITICIZED BUT DON'T PUT TOO MUCH INTEREST IN GETTING A NAME. DON'T THINK ABOUT GETTING A PLACE OR A ROLE BUT TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY. WE NEED THE PEOPLE OF THIS COUNTRY, BURMA TO CONSIDER VERY CAREFULLY WHETHER THE PEOPLE WHO WANT TO BE PART OF THE GOVERNING BODY ARE TRULY INTERESTED IN THE FUNCTION AND RESPONSIBILITY RATHER THAN IN GETTING ANY POSITION. I DO BELIEVE THAT EVERY ETHNIC LANGUAGES SHOULD BE TAUGHT IN ALL THE DIFFERENT ETHNIC PLACES. OR IN ALL THE DIFFERENT INDIGENOUS PROVINCES AND REGIONS. WE SHOULD MAINTAIN OUR HERITAGE
AND LANGUAGE. IN THE NEXT ELECTION TO CARRY OUT ALL THESE GOALS WE NEED TO HAVE ALL N.L.D. MEMBERS AS A MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT. TO ELECT ALL N.L.D. MEMBERS OR MORE N.L.D. MEMBERS. REGARDING SANCTIONS, THEY HAVE BEEN VERY EFFECTIVE. IT'S NOW FOR ECONOMIC SITUATION AND DEVELOPMENT THEY SHOULD NOW BE LIFTED. TO SUCCESSFULLY WALK THE PATH OF DEMOCRACY LIES IN THE PEOPLE OF BURMA-- ALL OF US. WE CANNOT ONLY DEPEND ON EXTERNAL SUPPORT AND SUPPORT OF OUR FRIENDS FROM OTHER NATIONS, WE SHOULD ALSO DEPEND ON OURSELVES TO REACH THIS GOAL. IF I WERE TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION BRIEFLY, IN THE BRITISH PARLIAMENTARY SYSTEM THEY DO NOT TAKE VOTES TO MAKE DECISIONS. BUT IN OUR COUNTRY WE HAVE THE
DIFFERENT HOUSES ALL THE REPRESENTATIVES FROM EVERY REGION OF PROVINCES AND HOUSE HAS THE RIGHT AND ABILITY TO VOTE IN OUR PARLIAMENT. ALL OF US SHOULD BELIEVE IN OURSELVES. WE SHOULD HAVE CONFIDENCE IN OURSELVES. IF YOU BELIEVE IN YOURSELF AND HAVE CONFIDENCE IN YOURSELF YOU WILL NOT ENVY OTHERS OR BE JEALOUS OF OTHERS. WHEN YOU DON'T BELIEVE IN YOURSELF YOU FOLLOW OTHER PEOPLE'S BEHAVIOR. BELIEVE IN YOURSELF TO BE ABLE TO OVERCOME ANY DIFFICULTY AND CHALLENGES. WHY WE ARE IN THIS SITUATION IS LACK OF BELIEF IN ONE'S SELF AND CONFIDENCE IS DEPENDENT ON THE WAY WE BRING UP OUR CHILDREN. DON'T MAKE COMPARISONS BETWEEN SIBLINGS.
DON'T LOWER THEIR SELF-ESTEEM. ENCOURAGE THEM TO BELIEVE IN THEMSELVES AND NOT JUST PATTERN THEMSELVES ON OTHERS. DON'T TAKE PRIDE IN ENVYING OTHERS. ONLY THOSE WHO BELIEVE IN THEMSELVES AND HAVE CONFIDENCE IN THEMSELVES CAN DETERMINE WHICH PRIDE THEY SHOULD HAVE, WHAT TYPE OF PRIDE THEY SHOULD HAVE. WHAT CONFIDENCE AND BELIEF THEY SHOULD HAVE IN THEMSELVES. THEY MUST HAVE THE COURAGE TO RECOGNIZE OUR WEAKNESSES AND FACE THESE DIFFICULTIES AND CHALLENGES BRAVELY. NOW THAT WE HAVE A PARLIAMENT WE CAN SEND IN OUR OPINIONS AND GIVE ADVICE, SUGGESTIONS FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF OUR RULES AND REGULATIONS REGARDING OUR ECONOMY, IMPORTS AND SO ON. ALSO, REGARDING ONLINE DONATION,
WE NEED TO ALLOW THAT VERY SYSTEMATICALLY WE HAVE TO HAVE RULES AND LAWS REGARDING. REGARDING THAT. THANK YOU, EVERYONE, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR QUESTIONS. I HOPE THAT WE CAN MEET AGAIN AND AGAIN IN THE FUTURE. >> WE THANK AUNG SAN SUU KYI GREATLY.