AFP-Aung San Suu Kyi says no quick

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Subject: AFP-Aung San Suu Kyi says no quick fixes for the problems of

Myanmar's youth
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Aung San Suu Kyi says no quick fixes for the problems of Myanmar's youth
YANGON, Aug 25 (AFP) - Myanmar Opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi has
acknowledged any future civilian government would face major obstacles
meeting the expectations of the country's young people.
With universities closed since 1996, the Nobel peace laureate said providing
young people with adequate educational opportunities would take years of
hard work.

"We'll have to work very hard to make up for all the lost years," Aung San
Suu Kyi told AFP during an interview here late Monday.

"The dictatorship didn't really care to educate the people because they
prefer to keep the people ignorant and subdued," she added.

Universities have traditionally been hotbeds of political opposition to
military rule and students have been at the forefront of the democracy
movement for decades.

Only selected faculties at certain universities have been allowed to reopen
since 1996 unrest, and they are closely scrutinised for any signs of
political activity.

Aung San Suu Kyi said a democratically elected government would need to
ensure young people understand that there will be no quick fixes to the
country's educational, economic and social problems.

"A democratic government will have to make the people understand that
certain measures are necessary ... measures that may not have brilliant
short term results but in the long run will give solid benefits," she said.

Aung San Suu Kyi said meeting the expectations of the people of Myanmar,
particularly the young, "would not be a fairytale."

The leader of the National League for Democracy (NLD) said television
advertisments for luxury goods had created unrealistic expectations, and the
public would need to adopt a frugal or "buddhist" approach to rebuilding the
country.

"I have watched some of the advertisements on television and this is quite
inappropriate for a country like Burma where the majority of people are
hardly living above the starvation line," she said.

Funding improvements to the education system would be a difficult task for
any future democratic government.

Diplomats say Myanmar's economy has reached crisis point, with Asia's
financial crisis aggravating the impact of international sanctions imposed
to punish what foreign critics say are flagrant human rights abuses.

But Aung San Suu Kyi said she was confident the NLD could restore the
education system and the stagnant economy.

"I think with a government that is accountable and that is supported by the
people and by the international community , we will be able to overcome our
difficulties," she said

Aung San Suu Kyi led the NLD to an overwhelming victory in 1990 elections,
but the results were ignored by the military rulers.