Suu Kyi meets Obama on landmark U.S. visit

President Barack Obama meets with Myanmar democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi in the Oval Office of the White House on Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2012, in Washington. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

The Associated Press
Wednesday, Sep. 19, 2012

WASHINGTON -- Lawmakers united by their respect of Myanmar democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi on Wednesday presented her with Congress' highest civilian honour in a ceremony in the Capitol Rotunda, ahead of a meeting with President Barack Obama.

Suu Kyi described it as "one of the most moving days of my life."

She was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal in 2008 while under a 15-year house arrest for her peaceful struggle against military rule.

Aung San Suu Kyi Receives US Congressional Gold Medal

Burma's Aung San Suu Kyi (C) is presented with Congressional Gold Medal by Speaker of US House John Boehner as House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (2nd L) and Senate Minority Leader Sen. Mitch McConnell (R) look on Sept. 19, 2012

September 19, 2012
Cindy Saine
Voice of America

• The United States' highest civilian award
• Aung San Suu Kyi was awarded the medal in 2008, while under house arrest in Burma, for her leadership and commitment to human rights
• The first Congressional Gold Medal recipient was George Washington, the first U.S. president, in 1776
• Other recent recipients include India's Mother Teresa, Pope John Paul, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Reverend Martin Luther King

CAPITOL HILL — Burmese democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi has received the Congressional Gold Medal - the highest honor Congress can bestow, at a ceremony Wednesday in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda. Later she met with President Obama at the White House.

Members of the U.S. Congress from both chambers and both major political parties gathered to pay tribute to Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who was first awarded the Congressional Gold Medal in 2008, while she was under 15 years of house arrest in Burma. On Wednesday, she was in the Capitol Rotunda in person, surrounded by congressional leaders, to receive the honor.

Republican Senate Minority leader Mitch McConnell has been a strong advocate of Suu Kyi and the democracy movement in Burma for almost two decades.

Cambodia Failed to Listen to Seek Aung San Suu Kyi’s Wisdom on Democracy

September 16, 2012
By Mu Sochua

The Cambodian Democratic Movement for National Rescue

‎"I have to study more about Cambodia democracy” Aung San Suu Kyi said according to Cambodia Deputy PM, Sok An. The D-PM interprets this as ASSK’s criticism of Cambodia opposition. The two met this week end at the International Conference of Asian Political Parties (ICAPP).

ASSK knows more than anyone else not to criticize the opposition in Cambodia where democracy is taking a very critical step backward-now Cambodia is behind Burma on democracy building.

Cambodia’s ruling party that is in power for more than 30 years continues to fear democratic reforms by silencing the opposition and its critics. Sok An should have listened to ASSK and her wisdom.

Cambodia opposition parties’ request electoral reforms are once again rejected by the Minister of Interior.

The U.N. Special rapporteur on Human Rights will report in Geneva on 25 September. His report will include recommendations for free and fair elections in Cambodia.

Cambodia main opposition and a strong contender to the 2013 elections is sentenced to 14 years for crime he never committed.

Cambodia is currently Chair of ASEAN.

Click here to read RFA's report on Sok An's statement

តោហ៊ា សុកអាន ស្តាប់ អ្នកស្រី អង់ សានស៊ូជី មិនយល់

សាន អុក ក្នុង​សន្និសីទ​កាសែត​ស្ដីពី​កិច្ចប្រជុំ​វេទិកា​ផ្លាស់​ប្ដូរ​យោបល់​គណបក្ស ​នយោបាយ​នៅ​អាស៊ី នៅ​ប្រទេស​ភូមា នា​ប្រលាន​យន្តហោះ​អន្តរជាតិ​ភ្នំពេញ កាល​ពី​ថ្ងៃ​ទី​១៥ ខែ​កញ្ញា ឆ្នាំ​២០១២។

សុខ អាន ត្រឡប់​ពី​ប្រជុំ​វេទិកា​ផ្លាស់​ប្ដូរ​យោបល់​បក្ស​នយោបាយ​នៅ​ភូមា

2012-09-15
ដោយ វណ្ណ វិចារ
Radio Free Asia

សុខ អាន បន្ត​ថា ក្នុង​ជំនួប​គ្នា​រវាង​លោក និង​មេ​ដឹកនាំ​គណបក្ស​ប្រឆាំង អ្នកស្រី អង់ សានស៊ូជី លោក​បាន​ប្រាប់​អ្នកស្រី អង់ សានស៊ូជី ពី​ដំណើរ​ការ​វិវត្ត​នយោបាយ និង​ការ​បង្រួប​បង្រួម​ជាតិ​នៅ​កម្ពុជា ប៉ុន្តែ​អ្នកស្រី អង់ សានស៊ូជី បាន​តប​វិញ​ថា អ្នកស្រី​ត្រូវ​សិក្សា​រៀន​សូត្រ​ច្រើន​ថែម​ទៀត ពី​ចំណុច​ខ្សោយ​នៅ​កម្ពុជា។ ត្រង់​ចំណុច​នេះ លោក សុខ អាន សន្និដ្ឋាន​ថា អ្នកស្រី អង់ សានស៊ូជី ចង់​សំដៅ​ពី​ចំណុច​ខ្សោយ​នៃ​គណបក្ស​ប្រឆាំង​នៅ​កម្ពុជា ដែល​នាំ​ឲ្យ​បក្ស​កាន់​អំណាច​កាន់​តែ​ខ្លាំង​ឡើង​ពី​មួយ​ថ្ងៃ​ទៅ​មួយ​ថ្ងៃ។

មន្ត្រី​ជាន់​ខ្ពស់​គណបក្ស​កាន់​អំណាច លោក សុខ អាន ត្រឡប់​មក​ពី​ចូល​រួម​ប្រជុំ​វេទិកា​ផ្លាស់​ប្ដូរ​យោបល់​គណបក្ស​នយោបាយ​នៅ​អាស៊ី (អាយខាប់=ICAPP) នៅ​ប្រទេស​ភូមា (មីយ៉ាន់ម៉ា) នៅ​ថ្ងៃ​សៅរ៍ ទី​១៥ កញ្ញា។


នៅ​ឯ​ប្រលាន​យន្តហោះ​អន្តរជាតិ​ភ្នំពេញ លោក សុខ អាន ឲ្យ​ដឹង​ថា ភាគី​គណបក្ស​ប្រជាជន​របស់​កម្ពុជា បាន​ថ្លែង​ពី​កំណែទម្រង់​ប្រព័ន្ធ​នយោបាយ​នៅ​កម្ពុជា ដើម្បី​ជា​បទពិសោធន៍​ជូន​បក្ស​កាន់​អំណាច និង​បក្ស​ប្រឆាំង​របស់​ភូមា ដែល​កំពុង​តែ​ធ្វើ​កំណែទម្រង់​នយោបាយ​ពី​របប​យោធា​ទៅ​ជា​របប​នយោបាយ​ប្រជាធិបតេយ្យ​សេរី​ពហុបក្ស។

French spirit inspired me, Aung San Suu Kyi says [- ¡Viva la Revolución! Vive la Soupe à l'Oignon!]

Myanmar's pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi (L) is welcomed by French President Francois Hollande as she arrives at the Elysee Palace in Paris, on the first day of a three-day visit June 26, 2012. REUTERS/Philippe Wojazer

06/26/2012
Reuters

"I am such an admirer of Victor Hugo because he understood that true revolution begins within yourself. So we have to make those that are not yet committed to the path of reform understand that a revolution from within themselves is the best way to improve the situation in the country"

PARIS (Reuters) - France's revolutionary spirit, art, literature and even its onion soup served as an inspiration to Myanmar pro-democracy activist Aung San Suu Kyi during years of house arrest, she said on Tuesday.

Asked in Paris, as she nears the end of a 17-day European tour, what a visit to France meant to her, Suu Kyi, who studied the French language and culture during 15 years confined to her home, responded:

"Everything from Victor Hugo to onion soup."

"It would be difficult for me to say in a few short (words) what France means to me (but) the revolutionary spirit of France has always been inspirational to me in my political struggle," she told reporters during a joint news conference with France's new Socialist president, Francois Hollande.

Aung San Suu Kyi's photos

Myanmar pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi poses for a photograph after receiving her honorary degree at Oxford University, in Oxford southern England June 20, 2012. Myanmar's Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi on Wednesday continued an emotional visit to Britain, where she left her family 24 years ago and took up her famous struggle against the military dictatorship in her homeland. REUTERS/Andrew Winning (BRITAIN - Tags: POLITICS EDUCATION SOCIETY IMAGES OF THE DAY) REUTERS

Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, poses for the photographers following an award ceremony at the Oxford University, Oxford, England, on Wednesday, June 20, 2012. It was a long wait, but Aung San Suu Kyi has finally received her honorary degree from Oxford University. In her speech, Suu Kyi praised the role Oxford played in helping her see humankind at its best during her long years under house arrest in Myanmar. "The most important thing that I learned was respect for all of civilization," she said, wearing a traditional red gown. "In Oxford I learned to respect all that is best in human civilization. That helped me cope with something that was not quite the best." (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis) AP.

Myanmar pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi poses for a photograph as she signs the book in the Divinity School of the Bodleian Library at Oxford University, in Oxford southern England June 20, 2012. Aung San Suu Kyi visited Oxford University on Wednesday, where she was awarded an honorary degree. Reuters

“I welcome the release of fellow Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi and extend my appreciation to the military regime in #Burma. I extend my full support and solidarity to the movement for democracy in #Burma and take this opportunity to appeal to freedom-loving people all over the world to support such non-violent movements,” ~His Holiness the Dalai Lama (November 14, 2012)

His Holiness the Dalai Lama with Aung San Suu Kyi in London, England, on 19 June 2012/Photo/Jeremy Russell/OHHDL

Politiktoons No. 207: Freedom From Fear

Cartoon by Sacrava (on the web at http://politiktoons.blogspot.com and also at http://sacrava.blogspot.com)

The Speech the World Waited for 21 years to Hear

Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi tours the Nobel Peace centre in Oslo June 16, 2012. Suu Kyi finally accepted her 1991 Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo on Saturday after spending a total of 15 years under house arrest and said full political freedom in her country was still a long way off. REUTERS/Cathal McNaughton

17 June 2012
By Mu Sochua

The world waited 21 years to hear this speech. The struggle continues and Daw Suu cautious optimism is well understood as her world can come to a close again, any moment. When I met her last November, Daw Suu asked about lessons Burma democracy can learn from Cambodia. I said: "UNTAC left with a very unfinished task: the reform of the judiciary-the key mechanism for rule of law". I felt so humbled...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUj28eCkQzE

Burma's Aung San Suu Kyi Nobel Peace Prize speech, 21 years after

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFEci-7jmJg

Suu Kyi receives Nobel Peace Prize 21 years late

Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi gives her Nobel Lecture at City Hall in Oslo June 16, 2012. Aung San Suu Kyi finally accepted her 1991 Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo on Saturday after spending a total of 15 years under house arrest and said full political freedom in her country was still a long way off.

Sat Jun 16, 2012
By Balazs Koranyi

OSLO (Reuters) - Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi finally received her 1991 Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo on Saturday after spending 15 years under house arrest, and said her country's full transformation to democracy was still far off.

"What the Nobel Peace Prize did was to draw me once again into the world of other human beings outside the isolated area in which I lived, to restore a sense of reality to me," Suu Kyi said as the packed crowd, led by Norway's King Harald and Queen Sonja, rose in a standing ovation.

Suu Kyi, 66, the Oxford University-educated daughter of General Aung San, Myanmar's assassinated independence hero, said much remained to be resolved in her country.

"Hostilities have not ceased in the far north; to the west, communal violence resulting in arson and murder were taking place just several days before I started out the journey that has brought me here today," Suu Kyi said at the ornate Oslo City Hall, on her first visit to Europe in nearly 21 years.

Myanmar parliament opens without Suu Kyi

Myanmar's pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi attends a ceremony at National League for Democracy party head office in Yangon April 18, 2012. REUTERS/Soe Zeya Tun

04/23/2012
By Stuart Grudgings
Reuters

NAYPYITAW, Myanmar (Reuters) - Myanmar's parliament convened on Monday without Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi after her party boycotted the legislature over a disagreement on the wording of the oath of office, just weeks after winning historic by-elections.

The protest by Suu Kyi's party will dent an image of transformation the government wanted to show off on Monday, when the European Union is all but certain to become the first among Western powers to suspend in earnest sanctions that isolated Myanmar for two decades.

Myanmar parliament session opens without Suu Kyi

Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi in Yangon on April 22. Myanmar's parliament convened without Suu Kyi and newly-elected members of her party on Monday, amid a dispute over the swearing-in oath

Graphic showing political developments for Myanmar's opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, whose party announced Sunday it will postpone its parliamentary debut after a dipute over the swearing-in oath

04/23/2012
AFP News

Myanmar's parliament convened without Aung San Suu Kyi and newly-elected members of her party on Monday, according to an AFP photographer, amid a dispute over the swearing-in oath.

Suu Kyi has vowed not to swear to protect a constitution created by the former junta, in the first sign of tension with the government since a landmark by-election this month saw the democracy icon win a parliamentary seat.

A session of the lower house, which was supposed to see Suu Kyi make her debut as a politician, began without the former political prisoner and 36 other members of her party.

I'm like a King's Fool: NRP leader

Prince Norodom Ranariddh (centre) meets with provincial heads of the Norodom Ranariddh Party in Phnom Penh yesterday. Photo by Hong Menea

I’m like Suu Kyi: NRP leader

Monday, 23 April 2012
Cheang Sokha
The Phnom Penh Post

“What was the prosperity of the Sihanouk regime? How many bridges did it build over the Mekong River? We [the CPP] have built this country from nothing, especially the economy” - CPP Cheam Yeap

Norodom Ranariddh attempted to link himself and his party to world-famous Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi and her National League of Democracy party yesterday, saying the two faced similar obstacles within their respective governments

Just as Suu Kyi said she had no choice but to run for office in an election she openly criticised, Norodom Ranariddh said he was working within a government and election process he did not fully support.

“[Suu Kyi] said that if she wants to help the nation she has no choice besides being a parliamentarian. This is similar to what I have been saying,” Ranariddh told reporters during a meeting at the party’s headquarters in Phnom Penh yesterday.

“I prepare myself to be in office just as Aung San Suu Kyi,” Ranariddh said.

Sacrava's Political Cartoon: NRP

What does Prince Ranariddh need to be like Aung San Suu Kyi?

Ranariddh: Ouch, KI-Media! That's a painful solution you propose!

23 April 2012
KI-Media

Today's edition of the Phnom Penh Post includes an article titled: "I'm like Suu Kyi: NRP leader". The Post reported that the prince "attempted to link himself and his party to world-famous Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi and her National League of Democracy party".

We, at KI-Media, strongly believe that the prince would become like Daw Aung San Suu Kyi if he fulfill the following tasks:

1- He must undergo a sex change, after all, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is a woman:

2- By agreeing to undergo the surgical operation above, the prince would also keep his libido in check and he would no longer be tempted to chase after wives of his subordinates: A win-win situation or a wee-wee-less situation or better yet: a wiener-less situation?

Let us hear from you what the prince should do?

.

Newly elected Suu Kyi meets Myanmar president

04-11-2012
By Hla Hla Htay
AFP

Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi on Wednesday held talks with President Thein Sein for the first time since her landmark election to parliament earlier this month.

"I am satisfied," the Nobel Peace Prize laureate told AFP when asked about the meeting with the former general, which took place at his official residence in the capital Naypyidaw.

But she declined to reveal what was discussed during the one and a half hours of one-to-one talks and made no further comments.

After the meeting Suu Kyi had lunch with Thein Sein and his wife.

Suu Kyi declares Myanmar on cusp of new era [-Democracy is allowed to flourish in Burma ... unlike Hun Xen's Cambodia]

04-02-2012
By Kelly Macnamara
AFP

Pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi on Monday hailed a "new era" for Myanmar and called for political unity after her party swept to victory in elections seen as a test of budding reforms.

The Nobel laureate won her first-ever seat in parliament, state media confirmed. It said her party had secured 40 of the 44 seats it contested, according to partial official results.

The dramatic political changes were accompanied by the quasi-civilian government's most radical economic reform yet -- an overhaul of the country's complex currency regime.

Suu Kyi supporters celebrated into the night after her National League for Democracy (NLD) party declared that she had secured a seat in parliament for the first time in Sunday's by-elections.

The veteran activist's election to political office marks the latest sweeping change in the country formerly known as Burma after decades of outright military rule ended last year.

"This is not so much our triumph as a triumph for people who have decided that they must be involved in the political process in this country," Suu Kyi said in a victory speech at her party headquarters in Yangon.

Myanmar minister says by-elections 'free and fair' [-That should put Hun Xen to shame]

Sunday, April 1, 2012

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) -- Myanmar's foreign minister says the weekend by-elections contested by pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi in his Southeast Asian nation were "free and fair."

Wunna Maung Lwin's upbeat assessment of Sunday's vote was echoed by colleagues in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, which will hold its annual summit in the Cambodian capital this week.

Wunna told reporters Monday in Phnom Penh: "It was free, fair and transparent elections."

Aung San Suu Kyi Wins Myanmar Parliamentary Seat, Party Says

A supporter kisses Aung San Suu Kyi, leader of the National League for Democracy (NLD), as she visits polling stations in her constituency during parliamentary elections in Kaw Hmu, Myanmar on April 1. Photographer: Mikhail Galustov/Getty Images

Apr 1, 2012
By Daniel Ten Kate
Bloomberg

Myanmar dissident Aung San Suu Kyi won a parliamentary seat in by-elections today, a member of her party said, in a closely watched poll as the U.S. and European Union consider lifting sanctions if they deem the vote fair.

Suu Kyi, who won the Nobel Peace Prize during her 15 years under house arrest, was among the winners of 43 of 664 seats in the national legislature up for grabs, San Maung, a data collector for her National League for Democracy party, said by phone from Yangon. Official results have not yet been released.

“It’s more than words, I’m very, very happy,” May Nwe Soe, a 33-year-old garment factory worker, said of voting in Suu Kyi’s district today. “I just want Daw Suu to go to parliament,” she said, using a respectful title for Suu Kyi.

Burma goes to the polls in landmark byelection

Aung San Suu Kyi leaves a polling station in the village of Wah Thin Kha, Burma. Photograph: AP

Aung San Suu Kyi is expected to win her first public office since she launched her struggle against military rule decades ago

Sunday 1 April 2012

Associated Press in Wah Thin Kha

Burma has begun a landmark election that is expected to send Aung San Suu Kyi into parliament for her first public office since she launched her decades-long struggle against the military-dominated government.

Sunday's byelection, to fill a few dozen vacant seats, follows months of surprising reforms by a nominally civilian government. Aung San Suu Kyi's party and its opposition allies will have almost no say even if they win all the seats they are contesting, because the 664-seat parliament will remain dominated by the military and the military-backed ruling party.

But if Aung San Suu Kyi takes office as expected, it will symbolise a giant leap towards national reconciliation after nearly a quarter of a century in which she has spent most of her time under house arrest. It could also nudge western powers closer to easing economic sanctions imposed on the country for years.