In behalf of the students from 11 countries of MAINS (Masters of Arts in Inter-Asia Ngo Studies) at Sungkonghoe University, I am honored and privileged to be one of the well-wishers on the occasion of your 62nd birthday celebration.
Conveying our warmest greetings to you has always been a prelude to speak about your passionate fight for democracy in Burma. Your resilience continues to keep the faith of Burmese and other ethnic nationals, both inside and outside Burma that one day freedom from junta will come. Moreover, you have also kept our spirit of solidarity from many countries in the world.
As a human rights activist myself, I would like to share with you that we have our little contribution to support your struggle; I was founding member of the Free Burma Coalition based in the Philippines and the ALTSEAN which is based in Bangkok. I had also the opportunity to visit your country to interview the vice president of National League for Democracy (NLD) in late 1999.
I would remember marching the streets of Makati City leading to the Myanmar embassy in the Philippines while chanting, "demokrasiyesiye, doe, doe"! no end. I thought that my coming to Korea to study will cut off my links to the Burmese people but on the contrary; I have met more of them and have inspired me again.
I am sure that you would be more delighted if I/we are also wishing your countrymen all the best to continue the fight for democracy and human rights and I believe in my heart that there is no greater gift that you want for your birthday but a real democracy in Burma now.
Let me end my greetings by reading a poem entitled “leading light” composed by Moe Yu May in 2005 and translated to English by Dr. Maung Maung Hla Kyaing;
How brave the star leads upon the darkness sky
Here we will wait until see the sun
Though evils are creeping and filling up with their lies
Sit, comrades: look her sky, how bright with the light of freedom
We join, we sing and we pray for her brighten days
As great as she devotes for our soil
We vow, we unite and we build up for a country of our dream
As deep as she dedicates her life for our soil
Here we will wait until see the sun
Though evils are creeping and filling up with their lies
Sit, comrades: look her sky, how bright with the light of freedom
We join, we sing and we pray for her brighten days
As great as she devotes for our soil
We vow, we unite and we build up for a country of our dream
As deep as she dedicates her life for our soil
Happy Birthday Daw Aung San Suu Kyi!
[photos to follow]
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