[T]here is a vast difference in the attitude of a man with a gun in his hand and that of one without a gun in his hand. When a man does not have a gun in his hand, or a woman for the matter, he or she tries harder to use his or her mind, sense of compassion, and intelligence to work out a solution.

Unless there is free and fair competition, there can't be healthy economic development. And what we have in Burma now is not an open-market economy that allows free and fair competition, but a form of colonialism makes a few people very, very wealthy. It's what you would crony capitalism.

If you are feeling helpless, help someone.

My attitude is, do as much as I can while I'm free. And if I'm arrested I'll still do as much as I can.

I don't understand why people say that I am full of courage. I feel terribly nervous.

Every kindness I received, small or big, convinced me that there could never be enough of it in our world... Kindness can change the lives of people.

It is often in the name of cultural integrity as well as social stability and national security that democratic reforms based on human rights are resisted by authoritarian governments.