“We recognize Daw Aung Sang Suu Kyi’s outstanding and unlimited dedication to the humanitarian values for democracy and human rights.”

On Friday, February 1, 2013, the Ceremony for the Conferral of an Honorary Doctorate Degree for Aung San Suu Kyi was held in the University Cultural Center at SNU.

In her ceremonial lecture Aung San Suu Kyi talked about the theme of Development and Democracy in Asia, and emphasized a humanistic democracy and tolerance. The 430 or so students, staff, and guests who gathered in the auditorium rose to applaud the Nobel Peace Prize laureate and the symbol of Myanmar’s democratic movement.

A Humanistic Democracy that Fosters Goodness in Humans

Dr. Suu Kyi is the third child and only daughter of Aung San, the father of Burma who negotiated its independence from the British. After her father’s assassination, she spent most of her childhood in Burma, and continued her education in India and England where she obtained a degree in politics. Returning to Burma in 1988, Dr. Suu Kyi was put under house arrest for a total of 15 years for leading the pro-democratic movement and was only recently released in November of 2010.

Dr. Suu Kyi began the lecture by stating her belief that democracy has to strike a healthy balance between freedom and security. “All human beings want freedom and at the same time security. Many authoritarian regimes emphasize security and deprive the people of their freedom, but on the other hand unlimited freedom which will threaten the security of the citizens is not what we would wish for.”

Dr. Suu Kyi then moved on to discuss the vision she has for her country. “For us[Burmese], at the moment, democracy means the right to shape the destiny of our nation. The kind of nation I would like to see my country turn out to be is one which emphasizes some of the human values which seem to me have been lost along the way to economic development. I know that it is not fashionable these days to talk of such values as compassion, kindness, and harmony, but these are absolutely necessary for our world today.” She is expected to soon take on supreme leadership in her country in which she might be able to translate her visions into political realities.

“Democracy should be a means rather than an end,” said Dr. Suu Kyi, stressing the necessity of democracy not for “getting ahead on the road to material development”, but for how it may “nurture the better qualities in human nature.” “The best in human nature,” Dr. Suu Kyi continued, “means linking responsibility with rights. Unless we are all able to rule our personal nature, we will not be able to contribute to balance and justice in this world.”

Tolerance as the Solution for Multi-Ethnic Societies

Some Burmese students and students from African or Middle Eastern regions recognized similar concerns as the ones Aung San Suu Kyi discussed in her lecture. One student who introduced herself as a member of the Kachin tribe asked for insight on the issue of multi-ethnicity. Referring to the ongoing peace process in Myanmar, Dr. Suu Kyi warned that, “It is very easy first to criticize what other people are doing, but by criticizing, are we actually helping or are we making the process of negotiation more difficult? In the meantime, what we would like to emphasize is the need for humanitarian access to all the displaced persons because it is the civilians, the unarmed, who suffer most.”

Gaol Bren Nazeera, a student from Uganda who thanked Dr. Suu Kyi for “inspiring many” in his country, drawing a parallel between his country and Myanmar, asked how ethnic conflicts could be resolved. To this Dr. Suu Kyi emphasized tolerance. “Hate is closely linked to fear. Usually people fear what is unfamiliar, what is strange, what is different, what they don’t understand… tolerance is the way you get rid of your fear and your hatred, and that will also help you to resolve the problems of disunity and conflict. Conflict resolution begins from inside, and only then can you work upwards.”

Aung San Suu Kyi became the 110th person to receive an honorary doctorate from SNU. The UN Secretary General BAN Ki Moon, Korean novelist PARK Wan Seo, and the late WHO Director-General LEE Jong Wook are among those who have previously received the honor.

Written By LEE Bo Young, SNU English Editor, bylee0708@snu.ac.kr ?
Reviewed by Eli Park Sorensen, SNU Professor of Liberal Studies, eps7257@snu.ac.kr
Proofread by Brett Johnson, SNU English Editor, morningcalm2@gmail.com