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THE NATION: Peace laureates focus o
- Subject: THE NATION: Peace laureates focus o
- From: suriya@xxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Thu, 02 Apr 1998 17:08:00
Politics
Peace laureates focus on
Rangoon, Beijing
LONDON -- Burmese and Tibetan Nobel
Peace prize laureates yesterday urged the
international community to support
democracy in Burma and China, saying the
establishment of democratic rights in the
two countries would be beneficial to the
world at large.
In a video address last night to the
reception for the Unrepresented Peoples of
Asia, the Tibetan spiritual leader -- the
Dalai Lama -- said China is a big country
and in future will also be an important
country. ''So a free and democratic China is
not only advantageous to China, but is
important to the rest of the world as well,''
he said.
Addressing the same forum, Burmese
pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi
sent a similar message, saying the cause
of the people of Burma is a cause of all
those who believe in democracy. ''We are
not working simply for one nation, we are
working for ideas, for principles which apply
to peoples all over the world,'' she said in a
pre-recorded video message recently
smuggled out of Burma.
The 1991 Nobel prize winner said the
Burmese people are encouraged that as
human beings, they have certain principles
and a certain sense of the need for human
dignity and ''that these principles and this
sense of the need of human dignity will help
us achieve democracy in Burma before too
long.''
The Dalai Lama said the world community
should engage China and bring it into the
international circle. But China at the same
time ''must be sincere, with a spirit of true
friendship and have pure and clear
intentions.''
''The lies and mistakes of the past should
be settled clearly and in a friendly spirit.
Concealing the truth about China and
insincere flattery have no place. They will
not help the image of China,'' he said.
Citing Tibetan expression that ''one never
hears praise and appreciation from a true
friend,'' the exiled Tibetan leader urged
those who are a true friend of China to
sincerely point out mistakes to the country.
''It is important that the world knows the
truth,'' he added.
The reception last night was organised by
England-based campaign groups on
Burma, East Timor and Tibet. Representing
East Timor was Jose Ramos Horta, the
1996 Nobel Peace Prize recipient, who
attended the function in person.
In her brief statement, Suu Kyi urged the 25
Asian and European leaders to incorporate
non-trade and investment issues into their
agenda of talks.
She said trade is for the benefit of the
people and ''when you talk about people,
then inevitably you must talk about human
rights.''
''I'm inclined to believe that a free and
secure people have much more to
contribute towards healthy trade relations
than a repressed and insecure people,''
she added.
The reception took place on the eve of the
Asia-Europe Summit (Asem) here today
and was one of the activities organised by
Asian and European non-governmental
organisations.
BY YINDEE LERTCHAROENCHOK
The Nation