May we be able to go forward together in disciplined strength Thakore acceptance speech by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi October 2, 1995 Rangoon, Burma Today we celebrate the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, the "great soul" who demonstrated to the world the supremacy of moral force over force based on the might of arms or empire. To have been chosen, together with the Canadian Friends of Burma, to receive the 5th Annul Gandhi Award is indeed a high public honor. For this I would like to thank the President and members of the congregation of Simon Fraser University on behalf of all of us striving to establish in Burma a genuine democratic system that will guarantee fully to every one of its citizens the rights embodied in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It has never been in doubt that any honor accorded to me for my part in the democracy movement of Burma is in fact an acknowledgment of the courage and sufferings of the many who have been struggling without expectation of reward, or even recognition, to bring peace and prosperity to our country. But in addition to the public honor, to receive the Gandhi award is also a matter of personal joy as it provides me with an opportunity to express my gratitude towards one whom I have long counted among my most revered teachers. The life and works of Gandhiji, as I was taught to refer to him even as a child, are both thought provoking and inspiring for those who wish to reach a righteous goal by righteous means. On this occasion I would like to focus on two short comments by Gandhiji on compulsion and discipline. In the 17 April 1930 issue of Young India he wrote: "We may not use compulsion even in the matter of doing a good thing. Any compulsion will ruin the cause." Gandhiji further wrote in the 20 December 1931 issue of the same publication that "We cannot learn discipline by compulsion". These simple statements reach to the very heart of our attempts to build a strong and united Burma based on the consent and goodwill of the people. It is only through our disciplined efforts that we can achieve the highest norms of human development that cover political stability, sustained economic growth and social harmony. But first the people have to be convinced that it is in their own interests to develop discipline: discipline has to be the result of a general acceptance of the need for all of us to work together in mutual trust and understanding. The Burmese saying "grabbing somebody by the throat to raise him to heaven" is one that has no appeal whatsoever for me. It is most unlikely that anybody would ever reach heaven, or any other state of bliss, through such violent means. The way of democracy is to create mutual trust and understanding through free and open discussion and debate. It is by this way that we can learn to settle our differences without resorting to compulsion or violence and to weld unity out of the diversity that is the wonder of our human world. People may be compelled to act against their inclinations, they may be bribed to set aside their conscience. But they cannot be forced to give their hearts and minds to any cause that they do not truly believe to be worthwhile. Unity and discipline are closely related and as discipline cannot be compelled genuine unity cannot be enforced. It has to come from the conviction that by our joint efforts we shall be able to overcome the obstacles that dispersed attempts fail to overcome. Gandhiji taught that united action by a people armed merely with the principles of justice and non-violence can achieve far greater results than the vast institutions of a state that is not upheld by the consent of the populace. He holds out across the barriers of time and space a blazing torch of hope and courage to those who struggle against overwhelming odds that their people may live in dignity and security. It is auspicious indeed to be able to express gratitude towards those to whom one owes gratitude. And it is most fitting on this auspicious occasion of the 5th Annual Gandhi Award that I should express my gratitude to such organizations as the Canadian Friends of Burma who have given both moral and practical support to the cause of democracy in Burma. We believe in democracy because it is a system that accepts the right of the people to be valued in their own land. We thank all those who likewise believe that the people of Burma should be treated with respect and justice in their own nation. May we be able to go forward together in disciplined strength towards international understanding and universal peace compelled only by the dictates of our conscience. TOP