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An Opportunist makes snide remarks (r)



Subject: Re: An Opportunist makes snide remarks about Burma's democratic leader 



On 17 Sep 1995 kkay@xxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:

> Subject: Re: An Opportunist makes snide remarks about Burma's democratic
> From: Kendrick Kay <kkay@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> 
> >"She had an aristcratic air about her," he said.  "She always thought of
> >>herself as part of the Burmese aristocracy, and that she had a right to
> >>Burma's throne because of her father...She was charming, intelligent, but
> >>very stubborn, very authoritarian.  She was in favor of overthrowing the
> >>military, but she was personally authoritarian herself.  Once, I remember
> >>her her saying,'It is my destiny to rule Burma.' I said,' You should have
> >>a relatively easy time because of your father's name.' She bristled. 'I
> >>will do this myself," she said.  'It won't have anything to do with my
> >>father.' 'Then why do you use your father's name?' I asked.  But she just
> >>repeated, 'I will do it myself.'"
> 
> In high school, she was a very quiet, reserved student. No signs of 
> autocratic behavior, no haughtiness because of her famous name. In fact, 
> she was too quiet. She was well-liked. 
> 
> She may have changed since then; I don't know.
> 
Anything that Michael Aung-Thwin claims that someone told him in a 
private conversation should be taken with a truckload of salt. Michael 
Aung Thwin is the only academic I know who quotes (or rather misquotes) 
what people told him over a cup of coffee or beer somewhere. I was myself 
victim of this when I met him during the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony in 
Oslo; we met, chatted for a while and he has then both verbally and in 
writing presented his own imaginative version of what I told him. The 
best thing is to stay clear of this character until he ceases these 
unsavoury, and totally unacademic, practices. Bertil Lintner, Bangkok