Interview with Daw Aung San Suu Ky

[caroline@xxxxxxxxxx]

Subject: Interview with  Daw Aung San Suu Kyi


(What follows are the un-edited interview with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi done 
by various news agencies during the first week of her released.  All 
these interview were sent through ASIA TV sattelite and monitored in 
Bangkok, Thailand by the ABSDF.  For more information, please contact the 
ABSDF office in Bangkok, tel 66 - 01 - 9208286, e-mail - 
karoline@xxxxxxxxxxx)   
 
 
Q:      I want to know you immediate and future plan.
Ans:    The immediate plans are to conduct this press conference.....
 
Q:      Have you had contact to your husband?
Ans:    No! Not at all.  I don't have telephone in the house.
 
Q:      Did you expect your released this time?
Ans:    Well! To tell the truth, I thought I will be released around 
first week of August.  I though that the authoriies will waite for people 
to give up hope that I haven't been released and then suddently released 
me.  But obviously I was wrong and I very grateful to say that they have 
deserved the law strictly in this time.
 
Q:      What is the way forward regaring Constitution Convention ...
Ans:    Well, the way forward is supposed to find out ?? and what is they 
stand for process of democracy and what they want to achieve.  You would 
remember that I am not a dictator.  I am a member of the group of people 
working for democracy so I have to consult the other people opinion 
before I decide.
 
Q:      Will the Slorc return power to the people?
Ans:    That's what we always said, you see.
Q:      Why they didn't do that?
Ans:    This is their intention and we intent to help them every way we 
can to return to power to the people.  This is not just my intention and 
this is an intention of everybody who want democracy and it is obviously 
the intention of Slorc if you read it everyday in the Slorc newspaper.
 
Q:      Are you going to organize the public rally?
Ans:    I said as I told you I have to take these step by step.
 
Q:      ??National Convention???
Ans:    It is supposed to be national convention and national convention 
means all forces in the nations are involved.  And we hope we would like 
to see as a true national convention.
 
Q:      ???
Ans:    Well, you know election took place in 1990.  This is now 1995 and 
hope is most important about the election was that they clearly reflected 
the will of the people.  That I think important and keep our mind of.  We 
may have moved on 6 years, but we must continue to respect the will of 
the people.  But in a way, which is acceptable to all those who can 
truely work this democracy and peace in the nation.
 
Q:      Could you work with Gen Khin Nyunt and Gen Than Shwe?
Ans:    Oh! I can work with any body, Why not!
Q:      What would you though about the two men?
Ans:    Well, I though that Gen Than Shwe was very nature, very honest 
and straigth foward.  And Gen Khin Nyunt I found rather charming.  But 
that was Burmese way of charming.        
          
Q:      No plan of public rally your speech apart from what you might do 
here?
Ans:    No! no plan.  I hold the plan like that until I find wider 
consideration.  
 
Q:      ??? .going to the temple?
Ans:    Even that one has to work very carefully.  It could interprete as 
a rally.  That's also something we have to discuss and work hard.  We are 
also very displine organization in spite the fact that we been linking a 
long for sometime due to circumstances beyound our countrol and etc.  And 
we don't just go out and do what we want to do.  We consult each other.  
We find out the concensus of opinin.  Opinion of the people because what 
we don't want is to get out of touch.  We always have to keep in touch 
with public,  the public opinion, the public hope and the public fear.  
We don't want to give them false hope.  With on the other hand, of course 
we don't want to, I keep saying that I don't want them to be frighten, I 
want them to get rid of their fear.  But I don't want to do that by given 
them false hope.  They should be able to look at the situation straight, 
accept that the difficulty to what they are.  And still find the courage 
to do what is suppose to do.
 
Q:      Did you hear anything from your long-supporters talk about fear 
and what the signifcances are?  
Ans:    I haven't been aware of hear last two days.  But I never talked 
about fear.  That's why they didn't say anything about this.  Perhaps, I 
should ask them "are you afarid."
 
Q:      Slorc said you've been released unconditionally but you've been 
released into a country where to be politically active is banned.  I 
means it is very very difficult.   I means, what is your view on that?
Ans:    Well, if you remember my statement in January, I said that I 
intended to taking active part in the movenment for democracy.  So, I 
think I should be active politically.  Because I look upon myself as a 
politician.  That's not a dirty work you know.  Some people think that 
there are something wrong with politicians.  Of course, something wrong 
with some politicians.  It's the way they do.
 
Q:      You are not consider the National Convention as part as you had 
said last year in Febreuary.
Ans:    Has anything changed at the National Convention since then?
Q:      I have no idea.  I am asking your opinon.
Ans:    Unless you can tell me what changes they have taken place at the 
National Convention, it wil be difficult for me to tell you that I have 
changed my mind,.  I haven't had a chance to find out what's going on at 
the National Convention.
 Q:     Have you changed your mind?
Ans:    I haven't had a chance to find out whether I should change my mind.
 
Q:      Do you have any idea exactly how many of your friends have been 
detained still since 1988 and 1989?
Ans:    It is shifting population, you know - in jail.  I cannot say how 
many, because some time they are more, some time they are less.  For the 
moment, I think of the better know ones - better know ones - they are 
about 40.  As I understand 40, Four - zero better know ones.  But  I have 
asked them list.  I would not having quote this number for 40 any 
signifacent.  Because this is just a rough gust by one or two people to 
whom my put it enquire..  
Q:      Are they all NLD?
Ans:    Not necessarily.  I don't think of the NLD has just one 
organization, apart to the rest of the movenment for democracy.  So when 
they talk to me about people who are in prison, they are talking about 
those who are not in the NLD.  For example, Min Ko Naing.  Min Ko Naing, 
we think of as part of our democratic forces.  We don't leave him out 
just becuase he is not a member of the NLD.
 
Q:      What your program for today and the another two, three days?
Ans:    Well, for today, I have a number of meetings line up.  And 
tommorrow too, solid.  And the day after too,  solid.  Well, Thursday and 
Friday is solidly book up with me to meet with various people.
 
Q:      Do you want to meet public today?
Ans:    Oh!  a lot of people outside?
Ans:    Yes,  Yes
Ans:    Then, I think I will go out and talk to them.  I am sorry I have 
been meeting people continuously since this morning.  So I really don't 
know what's going on outside.
 
Q:      Have you had any though of why you think they released you now?
Ans:    I think they though propably this is a right time.
Q:      Why is that?
Ans:    Because, well! I should had been released three years ago, you 
know.  Then, they changed the law.  I should had been released last 
year.  But the intepratation of the law was again changed.  And to hold 
me further, they will have had to change the law again perhaps.
 
Q:      But it is not just the legal thing, isn't it?
Ans:    Is not just the legal thing.  But I think it propably for other 
reasons as well.   It is legally it is the right time.
 
 
Q:      What reason do you think they have?  Why they willing to have you 
out there?
Ans:    Well, I have been listening to journalists speculation about me 
on various radio programs.  Something between it is because the 
authorities feel confidence enough.  Something to think that it is 
because of the international pressure.  Well, I must work heard, which I 
thin is the right answer.  I haven't been out to about yet.  But in my 
opinion, international pressure is always count.  And this world, you 
really cannot discount international opinion where ever you are.
 
Q:      How did you feel yesterday, you have been approached from the 
people in front of your house?
Ans:    I always feels very at home with the people.  When I meet them, 
they were just like meeting friends and family.  They were very 
informal.  And what make me very happy is the fact that they are not 
afarid of me.  They treat me very much as a friend, as family, as elder 
sister, their younger or aunt or their daughter.  And I find it very 
plasent at one point I said to them, that "I think you should go away 
because you are blocking the car," and one of them said "Oh! there is 
another way that they can go home."   I like that.  I like the fact that 
they are not afarid to talk to me.  And they are not afarid to disagree 
with me.  But when I am reasoning to them, then, they accpeted it.  This 
I feels very proud of my people when I meet them like that.  So, they are 
so nice, and they don't look at to me like somebody greate and big but 
just as somebody who belongs to them.  And that's the very nice 
feelling.  And I like them talking back to me.
 
Q:      Have you had a chance to talk with many of your supporters?  What 
is you sense of the state of democracy movenment in the country?
Ans:    I think is very very strong.  I think the assisst is strong and 
didicated as it was before, although of course, the situation now is not 
the same as it was in 1989.
 
Q:      Are you having trouble with faction within the NLD and so forth 
and to see different view on politics.
Ans:    I have nothing aware of  it at all.  So far.  I must find out.  
But so far, I am not aware of any different view.
 
Q:      Havn't slorc sent any new people to report what happen within 
last 24 hours.
Ans:    Last 24 hours! Well! you know my old laision officer was hear at 
the press meeting.  I was very happy to welcome.
 
Q:      Why do you think why they are keeping your release as a serect.
Ans:    I really don't like to speculate about other people motive.  I 
might be quite away out.  So, it is better not to.  I don't mind.  It 
doesn't worry me.
 
Q:      Unofficially, some military people are saying that there are 104 
guide-lines with the constitution.  Are these guide-lines will going to 
be problem with your negotiation?  
Ans:    Well!  If there are 104 of them, I can heardly answer 
them...Actucally, I won't really make any decision about what my next 
step is going to be until I have consulant with my colleagues very very 
fully.  I am not in a hurry to rush into anything.  I am not in hurry to 
prove anything.  What ever I do, I wanted to be solid valid to the country.
 
Q:      So, under the new constituion law at the National Convention last 
year will approve the army take part in the politics in the future and in 
the government also.  How do you think about this?
Ans:    It is not the sort of thing that we were working for when we 
started for movenment for democracy. And this is something that most of 
my colleagues will agree about.  This is not our aim when we started 
working movenment for democracy.   But, actually, everything is open to 
negotiation and all problem can be solved through good will and 
compromise.  As long as all of us wish only for the good of the nation, 
we should have no trouble.  But all of us have to waite to do something 
that will benifit the nation as whole.
 
Q:      That you convince the military has the same view when talking to 
the opposisiton forces.
Ans:    You means,  do they have good will to us as nation as whole..
Ans:    Yes.
Ans:    Well!  I'm very mch hopeful.  They always said they do.
 
Q:      Are you getting any information on what happening on border areas 
in the Karen areas.
Ans:    No! I haven't read the paper today.  Is there anything on paper 
about that?
Ans:    I don't think so.
Ans:    I am sorry.  I don't know anything about it.  I though there was 
something in the paper.  I am not sure.
 
Q:      Is there a danger on over expectation from part of your supporters.
Ans:    Yes, of course, there is always a danger.  I would like to take 
this opportunity to warm everybody not to expect too much too quickly.  I 
think there is still long away ahead.  The way is not going to be all 
that smooth.  But as long as we have a will.  As long as we go about 
intelligently, I think we will get there.
 
Q:      In how many years, do you think?
Ans:    That's sort of speculation I don't believe it.  People are always 
saying how many years and how many years.  Doesn't it matter.?  As long 
as we get there.
 
Q:      Did you received any message from organizations which are based 
in border areas?
Ans:    No!  How would they send the messages, through you?  You better 
give me.
 
Q:      What is imporatant thing toward democracy, to progress 
democracy?  What is the most important point?
Ans:    The most important point I think for us is to keep our eyes very 
very statute on our goal.  And must not let ourself get aggressive by 
un-important factors but to be reality.  We may get very statute.  We got 
to keep our eye firmly on our goal and we got to be brave but not hardy.  
I have to say this very very difficult to some of our young supporters 
that courage and hardness are not the same.  Courage means that if you 
have to suffer for something worth sufferinmg for,  then you mush 
suffer.  But there is no point of unnecessary suffering. The whole 
reasons why  we want democracy is because we want to lessing the 
suffering of the people.  We don't want to increase it.
 
Q:      You know how much suffering the people at the border areas.
Ans:    Have you been there?
Ans:    Yes, I have been there?
Ans:    Are they suffering a lot?
Ans:    Do you think you have a chance to go and visit there to see by 
your eye?
Ans:    I don't think I ever had a chance to visit to these areas.  But I 
think such a visit will do any good.  If such a visit will do any good 
for our nation, of course I would like to.  But I don't want to go there, 
just to take a look around.  I want to something possitive to come out of 
my action.
Q:      What your  means understand their sutiaution of daily life of the 
ordinary people outside.  What is your plan?
Ans:    The first thing I have learnt in the last two ..three days..is 
how tramendously inflationess.  That is most people I have been talking 
about. And I myself of course aware of it becuase I also have to buy my 
own food.  This is what a lot of people talk about how prices are goes 
up.     
 
Q:      What sort of leadership role do you see for yourself in the NLD 
in long time future?
Ans:    I think it is very dangrous to talk about your leadership for 
yourself.  I means it is always the people who decide what sort of role 
they want to give you.  That's the essence of democracy.  The people 
should decide who they want as their leader and what kind of leader they 
want and how they want the particular leader to be.  That's the essence 
of democracy.  I don't think it is for me to say I want to be like this 
or  I want to be like that or even I want to be a leader.  It is for the 
people to decide.
 
Q:      Are you going to meet us again?
Ans:    I hope so.  Or I don't know about the next one or two days but if 
there is reason to meet you again, I would like to.  I am very fond of 
the press. 
 
Q:      Would you ask for more dialogue.  Would you waite here the other 
side...
Ans:    I though I've been asking for dialogue all the time.  Did I not 
make you clear?  More dialogue!   More dialogue!   More dialogue!
 
Q:      How would you feel the role of the UN in Myanmar?
Ans:    I think the United Nations should be given an important role in 
every country they belong to.  I think so the United Nations role in 
Burma also should  have some significent.
 
Q.      When a ...have you been most disappointed and also the most 
happiest in this 6 years?
Ans:    I don't think I had ever been very very disappointed and very 
very harsh.  I had adopt the Buddhist scence of equanimity. All the 
whole.  Not all the time.  But actually, sometime, I was depressed. But 
not so much that I can remember it.  I had no time that I can find out I 
was very very depressive.
 
Q.      Do you have any plan to see Gen Khin Nyunt and high officials 
from Slorc?
Ans:    Well, I always said I plan to see them any time. So, my door is 
alwsys open.
 
Q.      Why didn't you had such a meeting?
Ans:    I think this is something you got to ask the Slorc.
 
Q:      ??
Ans:    I don't know about soon, I do believe that democracy will come to 
Burma.  Because it is something that people want.  And I think in the 
long run, they really cannot resist the people.
 
Q:      You mentioned involvement of all political groups in Thailand.  
You means that governmet of Dr Sein Win should take part in the meeting.
Ans:    Dialogue should be extended to include as many people as possible 
which will represent verious political cultural.
 
Q:      Do you have any plan to attend the Marty's day ceremomy?
Ans:    Do you know I haven't in fact time to think about it.  I know it 
is next week but I think I need to sit down and discuss with this collagues.
 
Q:      When do you think the Democracy will come?
Ans:    I am not a fortune teller, you know. I never encourage people to 
go to fortune tellers.  And this not a sort of thing that I ever encourage.
   
Q:      ..... Is there any depression on your part any side or any fear 
that you would not be released.
Ans:    Absolutely sometime.
 
Q:      Have you asked about help
Ans..   Oh! Ya! health is of course,  ...security arrangement.   I felt 
that they have done with genuine will.  I asked them when they talked 
about it.  And, they suggested that there would be better to have a few 
guards at the gate.??
 
Q:      Can you describe the first few menutes of you and former 
colleagues of NLD, what you would like to see of all this year of many 
days in prison.
Ans:    Oh! feel hostages.
 
 
 
 
Q:      Here is a natural gas pipeline that being built between Burma and 
Thailand.  I don't know its already been asked.  What is your view on 
this.  Do you think it is good idea to continue building this pipeline.
Ans:    I want to look further into what this natural gas pipeline is 
meant to achieve the people of Burma.
 
Q:      So, you don't have a d.....
Ans:    No, I don't know that much about the gas pipeline apart from what 
I heard from radio.  I don't think that suffcient.
 
Q:      What do you think about the cease-fire between the rebels and the 
Slorc?  Have you support about this peace?
Ans:    Cease-fire is a cease-fire.  What we want is a permanet peace 
settlement.  I don't think this is just my openion.  I think this is the 
openion of everybody in Burma.
 
Q:      about NLD ???
Ans:    Have I ever sent my resignation? 
----------------------------------------------
Q:      What do you think about Col Kyaw Win?
Ans:    Col Kyaw Win is just as charming as Gen Khin Nyunt.
 
Q:      How did you keep your spirit up during last 6 years?
Ans:    Thinking of my colleagues, my father and ? ?
 
Q:      Do you think you can restore the NLD as in 1989?
Ans:    Absolutely don't want! We don't want the NLD to be just exactly 
as it is in 1989.  We want the NLD to be what it ought to be in 1995.
 
Q:      What do you think about the National Convention?
Ans:    I have to study further.  That was in February when I met the 
United States Congressman Bill Richardson.  That I don't like the way 
that convention is going.  And I still have reservation about it.  And I 
keep in open mind.  I think it should be there are a lot of changes 
necessity. 
Q:      But what changes, would you be willing to participate in it?
Ans:    If there is changes acceptable to the people, I don't see why I 
should resist the will of the people.
Q:      What is acceptable to the people? What is the will of the people?
Ans:    Guarranttee democracy!
 
Q:      Japan has stopped ODA aid to Maynmar since 1988 because of 
military crack down in your gorup.  Now, do you agree to reopening of the 
ODA of Japan to your country.
Ans:    I think aid donor country should depend more than the faith of 
one person.  I am just one person.  And I think my release is not as 
important as the a lot of Burmese people in general.  And so the 
resumption of aid to be base on what changes are broad about to better 
the condition of the people.  Rather than on my release alone.
 
Q:      ???
Ans:    I do not agree to hesitate step.  I think, I would like the 
Japanese Government to look at the situation and to save for the in fact 
situation of the people has inproved.
 
Q:      In your statement, you have Gen Than Shwe ask you to help toward 
achieving peace and stability in Myanmar.  But how will you do it?
Ans:    This is something that we will got to talk it over.  I cannot do 
it alone.  If the autorities wish me to help peace and stability, they 
also have to make possible for me to help.   You cannot just say "help."  
You've got to make or create a situation which the help can be given 
effectively. 
 
Q:      And also you said your aim is to return power from military to 
the people.  And the same time you said the importance of dialogue.  So 
how will you make military to return power to the people through dialogue.
Ans:    It was the military who said their aim was to return power to the 
people.  This is the Slorc that you see in the Burmese newspaper it is 
the aim of the Slorc is to return power to the people.  And since we want 
to return power to the people. We see this is very good basic for 
negotiation.  Since this is the common aim.
 
Q:      But if they refuse to do it.  How will you achieve your aim?
Ans:    We have to think other ways.
 
Q:      Other way!  What do you means?
Ans:    Well! If they refuse to negotiate, do you means if they refuse to 
negotiate, then we got to find and think of the way to persuding them.  
The negotiation is the best way.  Perhaps, we can provide enough reasons 
for them to see that the best thing for the people is all of us concernd 
to sit around the table and find the common way of solving the problem.
 
Q:      Are you confidence that you can persude them?
Ans:    I am confidence that we will reach our goal in the end. I am not 
saying that it is going to be easy.  I said it will be very long.  It is 
not going to be easy.  We are always saying in the movement for democracy 
is not just that the road is hard.  It is that there is no road at all.  
We got to build the road as we go along.   
 
Q:      And the Slorc always inisit that the military must have a special 
role in Myamar.  So, Could you tell us your opinion about the role of 
military in Myanmar?
Ans:    We all have the special role to play.  I don't think just one 
single group has special role to play in the nation.  Each group in the 
nation has special role to play just as every single person has it own 
value as a human being in the world.  Even those there are billion of them.
 
Q:      Last year I think you said National Convention was something like 
rumber stamp for the Slorc.  So, what do you think of the national 
convention now?
Ans:    I donot think that the national convention has changed 
subsentially since I make this remark.  So, untill there are subsentially 
changes I propably have no reason for making any subsentially changes 
either in my opinion toward the national convention.  But I think 
everything is open to compromise and negotiation.  Between those who are 
reasonable and senseble.
 
Q:      The election in 1990, the main subject was the dialogue with the 
government.
Ans:    I'm sorry! Oh! the election of 1990!  The most important thing of 
the election of 1990 is express the will of the people, very clearly.  
And that should would be one of the main subject of the dialogue with the 
government. The Will of the People.  Because, true democracy mean 
respecting the will of the people, identifying it and respecting it.  
 
Q:      Could you describe as precisely as possible your daily life?
Ans:    Under house arrest!  I was get up at 4:30 in the morning.  I was  
medidate for an hour.  Then I would listen to the BBC world service, then 
I would listen to the VOA news in the Burmese, and then the BBC news in 
Burmese.  If I could hear it, I would listen to the Democratic Voice of 
Burma but that always not very clear, sometime I couldnot hear it.  Then 
of course, take bath, breakfast, and then the rest of the day I divided 
into period for reading, for walk around the house, for soring and for 
playing a bid of music.  My younger son taught me to play a guitar last 
year.  So, I tried to play, but not very good at.
Q:      How about piano?
Ans:    Paino went out of order long time ago.  And I must try something 
done.
 
Q:      The present Government is writing a new constitution.  How do you 
think about their draft constitution?
Ans:    They draft constitution as a stamp.  It is not my idea of the 
democratic constitution.
Q:      So, what your opinion on how to write democratic constitution?
Ans:    I think any constitution for any country should be written by 
consultating the will of as wide coverage of the people as possile.  Of 
course, every single person in the nation cannot sit down at the 
conference table and say this is the way they want our constitution to 
be.  But as wider range of the opinon as possible should be taken into 
consideration.     
 --------------------------------
Q:      ???
Ans:    I believed that most of this minorities groups who have reached 
the cease-fire, also want the democracy.  So, I would not let to think of 
it as my movenment.  I would like to think of it as the movenment of 
people in general.
 
Q:      But you are symbol of the democratic movement of Myanmar?
Ans:    Perhaps, perhaps, I am symbol, but symbol is not enough. Symbol 
does't get any work.  It really work that get suite.  Where you want to 
get to.  I think to achieve we need the support and cooperative of the 
people. 
 
Q:      It seems to me that the you are very, you want the people refarim 
from over action in the democracy movenment.  Do you fear some bloody 
reaction from the government?
Ans:    I would not primarily thinking about bloody reaction, as you put 
it.  But in the sense that I don't want them to have too high 
expectation.  This is not very healthy.  We got to understand that there 
is too a lot to be done.  I don't want them to think that this because I 
have been released, we certainly gone forward several steps. No! We've 
gone for one small step.  I am just one person.  My circumstances have 
changed.  The fact that circumstances of one person in this country has 
changed.  This not means that much.  What we want to see is subsential 
changes of the circumstances of the people as a whole.
-----------
Q:      ????
Ans:    Well, if they are resuming ODA because of my release, I don't 
think that is sufficent reason.  Because as I have explained my release 
means change in the condition of one person, ME!  It doesn't mean that 
change in the condition of people of Burma.  So, should the resumption of 
ODA depend entire on the change in the condition of one single 
individual?  That's not seem to me right.
 
Q:      ???
Ans:    I think the question should be put a little more differently. Why 
did they feel that beacuse of  my release.  It is the good reason for 
increasing investment.  It is the same things as about ODA.  Why should 
the different in the condition of one single person make them feel that 
the country has now changed and enough for them to increase investment.  
It seems to rather narrow way of looking at it.  It is not the conditon 
of one person.  We must consider.  It is the condition of the whole 
country.  After when any companies is making an investment, they would 
like to study the whole situation.  They are just going to one house and 
ask them.  How do you like our good?  They are just going to find out 
from situation of one house whether or not their investment will be 
successful.  In the same way, the change in my situation, this not seem 
to me as suffcient reason why they think they should be changed in their 
policy.
 
Q:      The government control the information.  So, how do you inform 
your idea to your people?
Ans:    Through people like you!
 
Q:      Under this circumstances, how do you do for democracy?
Ans:    Well! I do, what ever I can and what I see to be my duty.  And I 
feel that all the Burmese do that.  If  as many as possible do what ever 
they can toward achieving democracy, we will get there.  It is not going 
to be easy.  I have never said it will be easy.  And perhaps, it better 
that it is not easy.   Because we will them value it much more.  If it is 
too easy, people intent to think that it is cheap.  We don't want cheap 
democracy.  We want the democracy that is solid and that will benfit the 
democracy for many many generation to come.
 
 
 
Q:      What kind of democracy do you want?
Ans:    I've just said you know for me, genuine democracy means genuine 
respect for the will of the people.  The will of the people must be 
respected.  Not just lip service.  By word and by action, the people must 
be valued to respect.
Q:      ????            
Ans:    Basically, most unhappy thing about Burma is lack of trust.  Lack 
of trust between the various ethnic groups.  Lack of trust between the 
government and the people.  This is not going to get our country to a 
situtation where we can achieve peace and prosperity.
Q:      How can we get trust each other?
Ans:    We have got to make yourself trust worthy.  You know, you got to 
be honest and sincere.  And you got to keep your word.  I am very very 
much afarid of making promises to the people because I don't want to 
break my promises.  This is why I don't like to break make promises.   I 
don't want to say I am going to do this for you and then find that I 
cannot do.  So, I always say I do what I can, I do my best.  More than 
that I cannot do.  I cannot say I promise you democracy in so many 
years.  I promise you this, I promise you that.  I promise you security.  
I cannot promise any of this thing.  All I can promise is that with their 
love and their support, I will go on and I will go on till we reach our goal.
 
Q:      ??
Ans:    If Japan want to help excellarate the economic process in Burma, 
it must study the very very carefully not just from an official pot of 
view but from the point of view of the people.  You know, is the people 
who are important.  Govenment is not the important part of the country.  
It is the people.  From the people, araise the strength of the nation. 
And unless you can watch what is happening among the people, and unless 
you can study the expectation and asperation of the people, you will not 
be able to help the country.  If you really want to help the country, if 
you ought to excellarate the democratic process which the people of Burma 
want, you must study the people more closely.  You must go out among the 
Burmese people.  You must able to do that. Are you able to do that?  Are 
you people from Japan able to go out among the Burmese people, ordinary 
Burmese people and find out how they feel and what they want?  You are 
not able to do that.  Can you claim that they have been able to that?  
Unless you are able to that, unless there is situaiton in which you can 
do that, how can you know that you have found the answer to the problem 
that you have found the best way of Burma toward democracy.  And so, you 
should listen to the voice of ordinary of people of Burma and find out 
what it is that they want.
 
Q:      ??
Ans:    Why is there conflit between the ethnic groups of Burma because 
we don't trust each other.  We think that the other group doesn't care 
our warefare.  Therefore we were always in conflit.  We were each working 
for our own warefare.  Instead of working for common warefare.  But if 
there will be still trust,  if we felt that we could work together as 
nation, as brother, there would be no need for conflit.  This is one of 
the reason why dialogue is so important.  Because, we want to get people 
into the habit of talking over the problem rather fighting them out.  If 
you have problem, if you have something about which you disagree, the 
best thing to do is sit down and talk about.  It is no use shooting each 
other.  That's not the way to solve the problem.  It would kill both of 
you but it is not the way to solve the problem. So, that is why democracy 
is important.  Democracy is not just the will of the people.  It firstly 
will of the people and it is about resolving problem through political 
means not through violent means.  If we have all the chance to resolute 
problems through political means there would have been no conflit between 
the Karen and the Burmese, the Mon and the Kachin and anything like 
that.  If the Karen didn't like what Mon were doing, they could sit down 
and talk about it.  If we have established such a tradition, this is why 
we want democracy.  We want the system where people sit and talk about 
their problem and meet the conclusion which is best for the nation and 
which is in keeping the will of the people.
 
Q:      Do you think that the Slorc governmnet would change and dialogue 
with you?
Ans:    I hope that they will change to do what ever they see to be the 
will of the people.  I hope that they will study the will of the people.  
I hope that they will listen to the voice of the people and act 
accordingly.  .?? I am sure that they aslo desire what is good for the 
nation.
 
Q:      Are you optimastic about the future of Burma?
Ans:    Yes, I am causiously optimastic about the future of the country.  
Because I believed in the people.  I believed in the people.  I think 
they have some way to go.  I think we all have to change.  I think we all 
need to imporve ourselves.  But I think basically there is a lot of good 
stuff in Burma.
 
Q:      Would you mind telling me your body weight?
Ans:    106 pound.                
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Q:      First of all there are more than 7 thousands Burmese expatriates 
in Japan and ten of thousands in Thailand.  They have been waiting for 
your leadership and instruction, may be.  So, would you give them some 
message.
Ans:    First of all, I want to thanks them for keeping me in their heard 
for so long and for helping me for keep up my spirit during the year of 
detention.  I think one of the thing which is helping most during this 
year is feeling that I have their support and and their love.  It have 
make a greate deal to me.  Now that I released.  It means that we have 
got to start working harder than ever.  It doesn't mean that we reach our 
goal.  It just means that we have been allowed to take one small step 
forward.  And we've got to make best of it  so that we can go on forward, 
forward, forward all the time.
 
Q:      Are they really looking forward to coming back to Burma?  But do 
you think it could be near future?
Ans:    I hope it could be as soon as possible.  Because I know that they 
want to come back to their own country.  And one of the reason why we 
started engaging this movenment for democracy is because we want Burma to 
be in country where all the citizens can live in peace and security, 
financial, political and social.
 
Q:      Japan govenment, they have set the small loan to the Burmese 
government.  And then, they will start big loan about may be airport 
construction and so on.  What do you think about this idea?
Ans:    I think it will be very good if the Japanese government study the 
situation very carefully.   And take more time before they make such 
decision.  Because what we want is aid that will be of direct help to the 
people of Burma.  Which will be best for the common people, the one who 
needed most.  And in order to decide what kind of help would most benifit 
people it need time.  It need real intense of study and that is what I 
would like to very humbly advise the Japanese government to do.  To study 
the situation first.
 
Q:      Give me some more idea about your near future plan and your final 
aim?
Ans:    My final aim of course very simple, democracy for Burma.  Such a 
democracy is benifit all the people of Burma, not just one section or 
two.  And the my immediate aim to work out the best way in which we could 
forward to this goal.
 
Q:      There are still w