Maybe it is something to do with age, but I have become fonder of poetry than of prose.

A lot of the roads, bridges, railways, and such are built through the use of forced labor, and that is causing the people great suffering. What we put into this in the form of human suffering is not worth what comes out of it.

How can you call it a sacrifice when you choose to do something because you believe in it?

We cannot be caught in the bond of suspicion. We have to carry out what we should be doing with a firm determination.

When I was under house arrest, it was the BBC that spoke to me - I listened.

My attitude to peace is rather based on the Burmese definition of peace - it really means removing all the negative factors that destroy peace in this world. So peace does not mean just putting an end to violence or to war, but to all other factors that threaten peace, such as discrimination, such as inequality, poverty.

After all it was my father who founded the Burmese army and I do have a sense of warmth towards the Burmese army.