"Iron Butterfly: about Aung San Suu Kyi and Burma's gritty history" (1998)

[Cosmos10]

"Iron Butterfly: about Aung San Suu Kyi and Burma's gritty history" (1998)

When freedom fighter Aung San was assassinated in a military coup in 1947, he left a legacy in the form of an indomitable will and belief in the freedom of his daughter Aung San Suu Kyi. Despite the loss of family members, comrades and their own freedom, Aung San Suu Kyi continued to struggle with an incredible inner strength. That is why the Burmese call her Iron Butterfly.

The author Chee Soon Juan is Singapore's most prominent democracy activist and one of very few journalists who got to meet Aung San Suu Kyi during her time under house arrest. He portrays this well the background of the military coup that bloody massacre and the struggle still in progress for freedom.

 

[Cosmos10]

https://www.facebook.com/yoursdp?fref=ts

Added today, 25 September 2013

[Chee Soon Juan]: It would have been nice to see Daw Aung San Suu Kyi again but there are, understandably, constraints. I'm just glad I had the chance to meet her in 1998 when she was still a prisoner. I was interviewing her for my book "To Be Free: Stories from Asia's Struggle Against Oppression".

It was the strangest experience I've ever had in a foreign country. After I left the meeting, I was immediately spotted by an intelligence guy clad in his longyi outside the house who proceeded to take pictures of me. I returned the compliment. It turned out to be a quite comical scene with me taking pictures of him taking pictures of me.

As I moved off, he started trailing me. I got into a cab and subsequently alighted at a crowded market place where after some skillful in-and-out weaving managed to shake him off.

When I got back to my hotel room, I went to one of those one-hour service photo studios and developed the film (it was the pre-digital era). I discarded the prints and hid the negatives under my collar. I put on my tie and headed for the airport looking like Elvis.

Sure enough at the customs desk, officials pulled me aside, patted me down and searched my bag. But they missed the collar. I got the pictures out safely and reproduced some of them in the book. As I made my way to the plane, an official was frantically taking pictures of me. Needless to say, I was blacklisted from entering the country (the ban was lifted in 2012).

I am really happy to see ASSK free. It was a privilege for my colleagues and I to do the little that we could to speak up for our Burmese counterparts. Along the way, we made some every special friends: Han Thu Lwin, Aung Naing Moe and others. It's important to speak up for others who are oppressed just as others have spoken up for us. A free and democratic Burma benefits Singapore too.

I wish the Burmese people and ASSK all the very best and that they continue to make progress towards democracy and freedom which they so richly deserve.

 

[tonychat]

Well done Dr Chee!!!!!

 

[Cosmos10]

Well done Dr Chee!!!!!

Hi bro tonychat, thank you for your kind and encouraging words for Dr CSJ.

 

[AktifSingh]

Bhai, I find it strange that Madam Aung San hinted very strongly for her Myanmese compatriots to pack up and leave Singapore with their hard earned money for Myanmar as an act of diplomacy. Even the premier of the much hated Red China during the 60s advised all overseas Chinese to remain loyal to their adopted land where they earned their living. Namaste.

 

[looneytan]

Well done Dr Chee!!!!!

I thought you are vegetarian

 

[GOD IS MY DOG]

Bhai, I find it strange that Madam Aung San hinted very strongly for her Myanmese compatriots to pack up and leave Singapore with their hard earned money for Myanmar as an act of diplomacy. Even the premier of the much hated Red China during the 60s advised all overseas Chinese to remain loyal to their adopted land where they earned their living. Namaste.

China different mah.................population too big = headache for Govt.................

so more Chinamen go abroad and stay abroad better.................

 

[AktifSingh]

Bhai, I'm thankful that your government has accommodated us and looking to expand the population further despite this island being compared to a nose snot by some daft fly by night Taiwanese politician. Namaste.

China different mah.................population too big = headache for Govt.................

so more Chinamen go abroad and stay abroad better.................