Aung San Suu Kyi Quotes

People ask me about what sacrifices I've made. I always answer: I've made no sacrifices, I've made choices.

As long as there is no law in Burma, any individual here can be arrested at any time.

The Nobel Peace Prize opened up a door in my heart.

The important thing is fear should not control your actions. It should not dictate what you do.

To view the opposition as dangerous is to misunderstand the basic concepts of democracy. To oppress the opposition is to assault the very foundation of democracy.

I was speaking to a writer the other day and he gave me a valuable piece of advice. He said that you may get to where you want to go quicker through violence, but the healing process takes longer. Whereas if you don't use violence, there is not much healing necessary, so you win in the long run.

Agreeing to disagree is a prerogative only of those who live under a democratic system.

People need security of the mind. Why do they want democracy? Because it can give them freedom and security in a balanced way.

If suffering were an unavoidable part of our existence, we should try to alleviate it as far as possible in practical, earthly ways.

I feel that the BBC World Service is not as versatile as it used to be - or perhaps I'm not listening at the right times.

When you think of Buddhism, you're likely to think of peace and tranquility.

If you want to bring an end to long-standing conflict, you have to be prepared to compromise. If either or both sides insist on getting everything that they want - that is to say 100 percent of their demands to be met, then there can never be a settlement.

The search for scapegoats is essentially an abnegation of responsibility: it indicates an inability to assess honestly and intelligently the true nature of the problems which lie at the root of social and economic difficulties and a lack of resolve in grappling with them.

Human beings the world over need freedom and security that they may be able to realize their full potential.

By helping others, you will learn how to help yourselves.

In terms of the history of a far reaching movement, 20 years is not that long.

All right, your knees may be knocking but that shouldn't prevent you from going ahead and doing what you need to do.

We do need great change in Burma. We are trying to build a new society, a society where basic human rights are respected, and where our people enjoy all the benefits of democratic institutions.

I look upon myself as a politician. That isn't a dirty word.

Government leaders are amazing. So often it seems they are the last to know what the people want.

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

I've always said that the more coordinated the efforts of the international community are, the better it will be for democracy in Burma.

The quintessential revolution is that of spirit. Without this, the forces which produce the inequalities of the old order will continue to operate.

I was a prisoner, but I always felt free because I was not frightened So for me real freedom is freedom from fear.

Some believe that the only way to remove the authoritarian regime and replace it with a democratic one is through violent means. I would like to set the precedent of political change through political settlement, not through violence.

Early childhood development has proved to be very beneficial and very cost-effective in societies where this is been tried. So let's not confine ourselves to primary education. Let's think of early childhood development and education as a whole.

With the right kind of institutions, starting with the rule of law, Burma could progress very quickly.

I would like to have seen my sons growing up.

To be forgotten, is to die a little.

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

I always say that one has no right to hope without endeavor.

If you feel helpless, go help someone.

I felt that it was my duty not to senselessly waste my time. And since I didn't want to waste my time, I tried to accomplish as much as possible.

The main aim of the [political] dialogue should be to resolve the problems of the nation, not to find who is the winner and who is the loser. That's not what it's all about. It's to try and find an answer that is acceptable to all parties concerned, which would of course require some give and take.

You have a great many things to do when you are under house arrest. On the one hand, it is more comfortable than sitting in prison; on the other hand, you have to look after a household, which is strenuous under such circumstances.

Where there is no justice there can be no secure peace.

I think sometimes if you are alone, you are freer because your time is your own.

Some of the most relaxing weekends I have ever enjoyed were those I spent quietly with a sense of all work to date completed, and an absorbing mystery.

Even one voice can be heard loudly all over the world in this day and age.

It is his capacity for self-improvement and self-redemption which most distinguishes man from the mere brute.

I was heartened that people everywhere want certain basic freedoms, even if they live in a totally different cultural environment.

Sometimes I didn't even have enough money to eat. I became so weak from malnourishment that my hair fell out, and I couldn't get out of bed.

Because of rampant inflation, living standards have been dropping for the great majority of the population. The people are poorer because standards of health and education have fallen. And conditions in the rural areas are worse off than they have ever been. So, you cannot equate the so-called open-market economy adopted by the SLORC with any real development that benefits people.

It is the love of ordinary people, in Burma, in Japan or anywhere else in the world, for justice and peace and freedom that is our surest defense against the forces of unreason and extremism.

If you're feeling helpless, help someone.

You must remember that democracy is made up not only of the executive, but the legislature and the judiciary.

If I advocate cautious optimism it is not because I do not have faith in the future but because I do not want to encourage blind faith.

The act of willingly subtracting from one's own limited store of the good and the agreeable for the sake of adding to that of others reflects the understanding that individual happiness needs a base broader than the mere satisfaction of selfish passions. From there, it is not such a large step to the realization that respecting the susceptibilities and rights of others is as important as defending one's own susceptibilities and rights if civilized society is to be safeguarded.