A Candle Light Vigil for Daw Aung San Suu Kyi

A multi faith presentation for Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the Victims of the Depayin Massacre on Black Friday 7 June 2003, Westgate Community Church. Also speaking: a priest, a monk and 1990 elected Burmese MP, U Teddy Buri.
 
 
Now, here, this evening it is a time for meditation and a time for prayer. And it is a time for reflection. It is a time for reflection upon the fear and the pain suffered by the supporters of democracy in Depayin Township. They have sacrificed their lives, they have sacrificed their freedom, there are families today in Burma who have lost sons and fathers and mothers and daughters and now they grieve just as many have grieved before. And we pray for them all.
 
And we pray also for Daw Aung San Suu Kyi who has been injured and is now once again in detention in Burma. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, a Nobel Peace Laureate, a woman who has sacrificed so much for her people and for her country, a woman who bears this sacrifice with dignity and grace and acceptance although sometimes this must cause her much pain.
 
And so we pray for Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, for her health, for her safety, and for her release. But just as we sit here tonight and pray for Daw Aung San Suu Kyi there is one thing that we know almost for certain and that is that when she gets up tomorrow morning at 5 o’clock, just as she does every day, and meditates and prays, she wont be praying for herself, she will be praying for her country and she will be praying for her people. And she will be praying for you, the Burmese people in this church here tonight.
 
Last night I lay in bed thinking about this for many hours and I tried to imagine what those prayers of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi might be. And then I thought, maybe they would go something like this…
 
“Burmese people, do not lose hope, do not lose strength, and do not lose focus, not now. When the military kill people in Depayin, this is not a sign of their strength, it is a sign of their weakness and it is a sign of their fear. It is a desperate act. Maybe in the coming months, maybe in the coming years there will be more acts like this but with each act we will grow stronger. Don’t be afraid, don’t lose hope, because each act of this nature shows how weak the military is and takes it one step closer to its downfall. The world, at this time, is not a tolerant place for military regimes committing human rights atrocities. So Burmese people, now is a time for continued strength, continued vigor, and increased, not decreased, hope.”
 
And perhaps Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s also prays, ‘Burmese people, fight for unity because in unity there is strength and in division there is only weakness. Division is the friend of the military and it is a friend that the military encourages: division between religious groups, division between ethnic groups, division between country and city, division between rich and poor. So, Burmese people, remember that when disputes arise, really they are small disputes because in the struggle for democracy and human rights we are in agreement on 90% of all matters. So, Burmese people, please do not let 10% of disagreement outweigh 90% of agreement, respect each others differences, sometimes agree to disagree but do not let this stop you from working together in the future. And sometimes be prepared to compromise even if you think you are right and the other is wrong. Be a good Christian, Muslim or Buddhist. And as Burmese people, if you stand together on the grounds of 90% agreement then the Burmese military, the Australian Government with its policies in Burma, then they will have a very formidable opponent.”
 
And perhaps another prayer that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s might have, a prayer specifically for the thousands of refugees and exiled Burmese people overseas, perhaps it might go like this, ‘Burmese people each one of you who lives in a foreign country, each one of you is a representative and an ambassador of Burma and its struggle for democracy. Be mindful of this, conduct yourself as an ambassador, show maturity, intelligence, compassion, humility, hospitality and also show a gentle determination and a gentle strength. These are characteristics which will make you loved and respected in the International Community and through you, you will also make Burma loved and respected in the International Community. And every individual that accepts this responsibility, in every month and in every year the positive influence that you will be able to generate will be far greater and far stronger than what can be achieved in any two minute news headline or newspaper column. And if there are hundreds of ambassadors acting in this way on behalf of Burma, this again will be something that the military will find very hard to combat. It is difficult for the military to generate favourable opinions about themselves because they do so little that is honest, compassionate, and humane.
 
So for every Burmese who can no longer be in Burma, see yourself as an ambassador in exile and speak to people, forge relationships and act as a representative for all that is good about Burma, its culture and its people.
 
So, these were my thoughts as I lay in bed at 3:30am last night. Maybe I am right, maybe I am wrong. But there is one thing of which I am certain and that is that just as we are here this evening to say our prayers for Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the victims of the Depayin massacre, so too tomorrow morning will Daw Aung San Suu Kyi be saying her prayers for you, the Burmese people. For your strength, for your unity and for your perseverance.