From MIZZIMA News Group (r)

[mizzima@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Women must be empowered: Indians and Burmese celebrated Daw Aung San Suu
Kyi's 54th birthday

By Our Staff Reporter

New Delhi: June 19, 1999
MIZZIMA News Group


Women have always been discriminated against and the need to empower
women politically, socially and economically in all levels and fields is
the concern of the panelists who participated in a public discussion on
"Women and Political Reforms: How to make politics worthy of women" in
New Delhi on June 19, 1999.

The occasion, which started at 6:00 p.m this evening at the auditorium
of the India International Centre was to celebrate the 54th birthday of
Nobel Laureate and Burma's democratic leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi who
has been leading a non-violent struggle against one of the world's most
tyrannical military dictatorships. It was jointly organized by Manushi,
an Indian women journal, India International Centre and India-based
Women Rights & Welfare Association of Burma (WRWAB).

The panelists of the discussion were Minister for Social Justice, Power
and Environment Ms. Maneka Gandhi, General Secretary of Samata Party Ms.
Jaya Jaitely, State Minister for Human Rights Development Ms. Uma
Bharati, a senior leader of the Congress Party Mr. Mani Shankar Iyer.

Ms. Thin Thin Aung , General Secretary of the WRWAB opened the
discussion with the role of Burmese women in the democracy movement in
Burma. She said Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is a great woman who has gained not
only domestic but also international recognition for her courageous
leadership, her vision and her determination to bring about democracy
and peace. The Burmese women organizations in exile had dedicated Daw
Aung San Suu Kyi's birthday as Women of Burma Day in 1997 to honour the
contribution of women in the struggle for human rights, democracy and
peace.

Ms. Madhi Kishwar, the editor of the Manushi journal, said Daw Aung San
Suu Kyi's combination of compassion and courage in her politics is very
rare in today's world. "Her essential message of self-responsibility,
rooted in Buddhism, has been developed into a political ideology that
she calls Burma's revolution of the spirit", said Madhu Kishwar. She
proposed to celebrate Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's birthday as Asian Women's
Day as Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is not just a leader of Burma's democratic
movement but also a symbol of inspiration for the women in Asia.

During the course of the open discussion, a participant posed a question
to the panelists about the role India is playing in the international
arena in support of Burma's democracy movement. The participant said
that the people of India and Government of India should do more in
support of her movement rather than celebrating her birthday as it is
today. Ms. Madhu Kishwar, who was moderating the function, responded
that unfortunately Indian government is now supporting the military
regime in Burma.

About 400 Indians, Burmese and other nationals participated in the
celebration of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's birthday. The public discussion

was preceded by a film on Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, in which she appealed to
the international community to impose stricter sanctions against the
ruling military regime for its gross human rights violations. After the
two and half- hour long public discussion, the Burmese women
organization presented Burmese music and dance including a song of Daw
Aung San Suu Kyi to honour her courage and determination in the struggle
for democracy in Burma. Ms. Sandar Lin, a Burmese woman activist taking
refuge in India, sang the song, which was highly received by the
audience.

The final of the celebrations was a special Burmese buffet dinner
prepared by Burmese student activists in India. There are about 500
pro-democracy activists taking shelter in India since 1988.

By MIZZIMA News Group
Tel./Fax. 91-11-5529817