FORT WAYNE, Ind. (AP) – Myanmar’s opposition leader reiterated her call for sanctions against the Southeast Asian nation to be lifted, saying it can’t depend on other countries to achieve its goals.

Aung San Suu Kyi (ahng sahn soo chee) addressed an estimated 3,000 people Tuesday at Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne, an Indiana city with one of the nation’s largest Burmese populations.

Myanmar has been subject to tough economic sanctions for years, but the U.S. has been rolling back its restrictions to reward the country for democratic reforms. The administration is considering easing the main plank of its remaining sanctions, a ban on imports.

The 67-year-old Nobel laureate told supporters that Burma is on the road to democracy and “at the most important and most delicate juncture.”

Transcript of Suu Kyi’s Speech:

;;;;AUNG SAN SUU KYI

;;;;on WFWA

>> GOOD DAY.

I WOULD LIKE TO BEGIN BY

EXPRESSING MY GRATITUDE FOR THIS

OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS YOU ON

BEHALF OF THE WELCOMING

COMMITTEE.

I ALSO THANK OUR HIGHLY

MOTIVATED AND ENTHUSIASTIC

AUDIENCE WHO HAVE COME TO THIS

HISTORIC MEETING WITH DAW AUNG

SAN SUU KYI.

THE BURMESE COMMUNITIES HERE IN

ATTENDANCE UNEQUIVOCALLY AND

STRONGLY SUPPORT YOU AND WILL

UNWAIVERINGLY CONTINUE TO

SUPPORT YOU IN THE DAYS TO COME.

I WOULD LIKE TO EXTEND MY

SINCERE AND HEART FELT THANKS TO

THE BURMESE COMMUNITY, THE

COMMUNITIES HAVE WORKED

TIRELESSLY TO ORGANIZE THIS

EVENT, THE MAYOR OF FORT WAYNE

AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST A SPECIAL

THANKS TO THE I.U.P.F.W.

CHANCELLOR, VICE CHANCELLORS,

FACULTY AND STAFF AND OTHER

SPONSORS FOR THEIR GENEROUS

SUPPORT AND ASSISTANCE.

WE BELIEVE THAT OUR UNEQUIVOCAL

SUPPORT WILL CONTRIBUTE TO THE

REFORM AND CHANGE TOWARDS

DEMOCRACY IN MYANMAR NAMING

AGAIN OR BURMA.

WE UNEQUIVOCALLY AND STRONGLY

SUPPORT YOU AND WE WILL

UNWAIVERINGLY CONTINUE TO

SUPPORT YOU IN THE DAYS TO COME.

SO AUNG SAN SUU KYI, YOU HAVE

BRAVELY, PERSISTENTLY AND

PERSEVERINGLY ENDEAVORED TO

BRING ABOUT PEACE, PROSPERITY,

HUMAN RIGHTS AND FREEDOM FOR ALL

PEOPLES OF BURMA AND HAVE STOOD

BEFORE US AS A COURAGEOUS,

ADMIRABLE AND EXEMPLARY LEADER.

ALL OF US WISH YOU AND PRAY FOR

YOUR WELL-BEING AND GOOD HEALTH.

I HUMBLY REQUEST THAT YOU SPEAK

TO THE AUDIENCE WHO ARE LONGING

TO HEAR YOUR VOICE AND WORDS

RESPECTFULLY.

THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR GOOD

WISHES.

MAY THEY ALL COME TRUE.

>> THANK YOU YOU FOR

ENTHUSIASTICALLY WELCOMING,

ESPECIALLY OUR ETHNIC POPULATION

AND ALL THE PEOPLE THAT ARE HERE

HAVE WELCOMED ME HEART FELTLY.

IT IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR US TO

LEARN THAT WE ARE ALL THE SAME,

THAT WE SHOULD NOT DISCRIMINATE

BETWEEN THOSE WHO CAN LEARN AND

THOSE WHO CANNOT LEARN.

WE ARE ALL THE SAME.

THOSE WHO CAN LEARN IS NOT ONLY

FOR A COUNTRY BUT FOR THE WHOLE

WORLD.

IT WILL BE VALUABLE FOR THE

WHOLE WORLD.

WE NEED TO BE HUMBLE AND LEARN.

WE MUST KNOW THAT WE HAVE TO

LEARN AND THERE IS STILL MORE TO

LEARN.

THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE HERE NEED

TO KNOW AND PUT IN YOUR HEART

THAT WE HAVE MANY MORE TO LEARN

AND GAIN KNOWLEDGE AND TO

CONTINUE PURSUING KNOWLEDGE.

WE ARE NOW AT THE BEGINNING OF A

PATH OF DEMOCRACY AND WE SHOULD

ENDEAVOR TO CONTINUE TO WALK

THROUGH THIS PATH TO ATTAIN

THIS.

WE ALL LEARN TO GET AN EDUCATION

NOT ONLY FROM THE PLATFORM BUT

FROM OUR LIFE, TO LEARN FROM OUR

LIFE EXPERIENCES, LEARNING FROM

A CLASSROOM WOULD JUST BE A PART

OF THE EDUCATION BUT NOT THE

WHOLE EDUCATION OF LIFE.

THERE MAY BE SOME OF US WHO

ALREADY CITIZENS OF THIS COUNTRY

AND SOME OF US WHO ARE STILL

BURMESE CITIZENS AND WE WELCOME

BOTH.

WE DID NOT THINK THAT YOU HAVE

SEPARATED FROM US BECAUSE YOU

HAVE BECOME CITIZENS OF ANOTHER

COUNTRY.

WE KNOW THAT YOU ARE STILL

CONNECTED TO US AND STILL PART

OF OUR COUNTRY.

WE DO NOT SEPARATE OR

DISCRIMINATE BETWEEN PEOPLE WHO

ARE DIFFERENT.

WE HAVE TO BE LOYAL TO THE

COUNTRY WHERE WE ARE AND WE

SHOULD ALL BEHAVE IN A WAY THAT

PEOPLE OF THE COUNTRIES THAT WE

RESIDE WOULD HAVE RESPECT

FOREVER.

BECAUSE I LISTEN TO THE RADIO

QUITE OFTEN, I OFTEN HEAR THE

TERM “FORT WAYNE.”

I LEARN THAT THE PEOPLE HERE

FROM BURMA IN FORT WAYNE ARE

VERY, VERY ENTHUSIASTIC AND I

KNOW THAT SOMETIMES THERE ARE

CONFLICTS BETWEEN PEOPLE.

THAT IS A VERY HUMAN TRAIT BUT

WE CAN ALL RECONCILE AND

OVERCOME ANY CONFLICT.

I WOULD LIKE TO ASK EVERYONE TO

BE UNITED.

I ALSO WANT TO SAY TO YOU NOT TO

BE JEALOUS, NOT TO HAVE ENVY.

WE NEED TO CONTROL OUR FEELINGS

OF ENVY AND JEALOUSY SO THAT WE

CAN UNITE, JOIN HANDS, AND WORK

TOWARDS OUR GOALS.

I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST THAT YOU

SHOULD NOT HAVE FEELINGS THAT

WOULD CAUSE DISCORD.

THESE FEELINGS ARE NOT SOMETHING

THAT CANNOT BE CORRECTED.

WE CAN CHANGE AND CORRECT THESE

BAD FEELINGS.

TAKE PRIDE IN EVERY ONE OF US.

DO NOT FEEL ENVY FOR THOSE THAT

ARE MORE SUCCESSFUL THAN YOU.

SHOW RESPECT AND KINDNESS TO

EACH OTHER.

I WOULD APPRECIATE AND BE VERY

GRATEFUL IF YOU COULD LOOK BACK

TO YOUR HOME COUNTRY, WHICH IS

BURMA, AND I WILL– WE CANNOT

DEMAND THAT YOU COME BACK TO

BURMA AND I DO NOT ASK THE

AUTHORITIES HOWEVER I WILL TRY

MY BEST FOR ANYONE WHO WISHES TO

RETURN TO BURMA TO BE ABLE TO

COME BACK AND WE SHOULD ALL WORK

TOGETHER TO ACHIEVE THIS GOAL.

I SUPPORT– NOW AT THIS TIME I

WOULD BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY

QUESTION AND ANSWER.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>> FROM EVERY COUNTRY THAT HAS

DIFFERENT INDIGENOUS RACES SOME

MAY NOT BE TREATED THE SAME.

BUT AS MINORITY THAT IS TRUE.

HOWEVER WE NEED TO TAKE THIS, WE

HAVE TO BASE EVERYTHING ON THE

RULE OF LAW AND THERE WILL BE NO

DISCRIMINATION IN THE RULE OF

LAW, THERE WILL BE JUSTICE.

EVERY INDIGENOUS RACES AND

ETHNIC GROUP HAS SOMETHING THAT

IS VERY GOOD IN THEIR TRADITION

AND CULTURE SO DO NOT BE

DISHEARTENED.

WE DO NOT INTEND TO LOOK DOWN OR

OPPRESS ANY INDIGENOUS RACE OR

ANY OF OUR ETHNIC GROUPS.

WHY HAVEN’T THE PARENTS TAUGHT

THE CHILDREN BURMESE?

I DO NOT THINK IT WOULD BE VERY

DIFFICULT TO HAVE SOME BURMESE

CLASSES HERE FOR THOSE CHILDREN

WHO HAVE COME WITH THEIR PARENTS

WHEN THEY WERE VERY YOUNG.

I THINK THAT THE EDERS HERE CAN

MAKE ARRANGEMENTS FOR BURMESE

LANGUAGE CLASSES.

PLEASE DO NOT FORGET YOUR

TRADITIONAL NATIVE LANGUAGES.

LIKE WISE, I WANT TO ASK THESE

INDIGENOUS RACES, ETHNIC GROUPS

TO ALSO KEEP THEIR LANGUAGES AS

WELL AS LEARN THE BURMESE

LANGUAGE, WHICH IS NOW THE

OFFICIAL AND HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE

OFFICIAL LANGUAGE OF BURMA.

PLEASE TAKE PRIDE IN YOUR

CULTURE.

PLEASE REMEMBER YOUR TRADITIONS

AND HERITAGE AND TO LEARN YOUR

LANGUAGE.

WE SHOULD ALL PRESERVE THE

CULTURE AND HERITAGE TRADITION

OF ALL THE RACES OF BURMA.

FOR THOSE YOUNG PEOPLE WHO WISH

TO RETURN NOW AND GO GO TO

SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES AT BURMA,

AT THE BEGINING THERE THERE MAY

BE SOME CHALLENGES AND

DIFFICULTY BECAUSE OF THE

CLASSES ARE TAUGHT IN BURMESE

AND YOU HAVE TO TAKE THE METRIC

EXAMINATION OR COLLEGE

EXAMINATION IN BURMESE.

SO WE HAVE TO TRY TO WORK HARD.

I’LL ANSWER THIS QUESTION IN TWO

PARTS.

FIRST PART HAS TO DO WITH

EDUCATION.

CURRENTLY WE NEED TO DO A LOT OF

REFORM WITH OUR EDUCATIONAL

SYSTEMS.

WE HAVE LEARNED THAT MOST OF THE

YOUNG CHILDREN CANNOT GO TO

SCHOOL BECAUSE OF THE COST, EVEN

THOUGH EDUCATION MAY BE FREE

THERE ARE OTHER COSTS WHICH SOME

PARENTS CANNOT AFFORD.

THEY ARE ABOUT 15% YOUNG

CHILDREN THAT CANNOT AFFORD TO

ATTEND SCHOOL AT THIS TIME.

I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THE SUPPORT

OF EVERYONE AND THANK EVERYONE

WHO WISHED TO SUPPORT THE

EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM THERE.

WE SHOULD ALL HAVE A CONSCIENCE

AND NOT EXPLOIT OUR ROLE IN

POLITICS.

POLITICS HAS GREAT

RESPONSIBILITY.

AND IF YOU ARE IN POLITICS IT

MUST BE FOR A SENSE OF

RESPONSIBILITY, WHETHER YOU GET

A NAY OR NOT.

EVEN IF YOU FAIL, YOU MUST HAVE

THE COURAGE TO GO ON.

UNLESS YOU HAVE THE STRENGTH AND

ENERGY AND THE WILLINGNESS TO

TAKE FIT, YOU SHOULD NOT BECOME

A POLITICIAN.

HOW CAN WE PROTECT OURSELVES?

WE CAN PROTECT OURSELVES BY

STRENGTHENING OUR COUNTRY.

WE SHOULD HAVE THE ENERGY AND

STRENGTH IN OUR MINDS.

REVOLUTION, I’VE ALWAYS SAID, IS

THE REVOLUTION OF OUR MIND AND

HEART.

EVEN THOUGH WE ARE FACED WITH

CHALLENGES AND DIFFICULTIES IN

LIFE WE MUST CONTINUE BRIEFLY

AND PERSISTENTLY, PERSEVERING.

EVEN THOUGH WE ARE BETWEEN TWO

GREAT COUNTRIES, I BELIEVE THAT

WE CAN STAND WITH OUR HEAD HIGH

AND WITH GREAT PRIDE AND

STRENGTH.

IF ALL THE PEOPLE, WHETHER THEY

ARE IN BURMA OR OUTSIDE BURMA,

IF WE ALL JOIN HANDS TOGETHER

AND WORK TOGETHER WE CAN

DEFINITELY ACHIEVE A PLACE IN

THE WORLD:.

SINCE I WAS UNDER HOUSE ARREST I

HAVE ALWAYS THOUGHT OF HAVING A

CONFERENCE A PIN LONG

CONFERENCE, A SECOND PIN PIN LON

CONFERENCE.

WE HAVE TO PLAN THIS AT THE 21st

CENTURY PLAN.

WHATEVER DIFFERENCES AND

PROBLEMS WE MAY HAVE AMONGST

OURSELVES I THINK WE CAN

DEFINITELY JOIN HANDS AND

RECONCILE AND MOVE FORWARD AND

SOLVE ANY PROBLEMS AND BASIC

ROOTS OF CONFLICT AND

DIFFERENCES.

I HAVE DISCUSSED WITH MANY

LEADERS OF THE ETHNIC GROUPS AND

INDIGENOUS RACES ABOUT EQUALITY

BETWEEN ALL GROUPS.

WE HAVE TO HAVE ALL– EQUAL

OPPORTUNITIES.

THESE ARE ALL DEPENDENT ON OUR

CONSTITUTION.

WE HAVE ASKED FOR THREE POINTS,

ESPECIALLY THE RULE OF LAW,

JUDICIARY BRANCH SYSTEMATICALLY

ESTABLISH.

TO HAVE LONG LASTING, WE NEED TO

MAKE CHANGES OR AMEND OUR

CURRENT CONSTITUTION FOR PEACE,

FOR LONG-LASTING PEACE.

THIS CANNOT BE ACHIEVED

INSTANTLY, WE HAVE TO GO BY

STATUS AND STEPS AND WE ARE

TRYING VERY HARD TO ACHIEVE

THESE GOALS.

I BELIEVE THAT IF WE CONTINUE TO

ENDEAVOR CONSISTENTLY WE WILL

REACH THOSE GOALS OF PEACE AND

PROSPERITY.

THE MOST DIFFICULT CHALLENGE IS

PERSEVERING AND TO NOT DESPAIR

IN THE FACE OF FAILURE BUT

CONTINUE TO WORK HARDER TO

ACHIEVE OUR GOALS.

>> I WILL RESPOND IN TWO

SECTIONS.

TWO PARTS.

IF YOU WISH TO JOIN THE N.L.D.,

WE WILL– YOU WILL NEED TO DO SO

WE WILL ON OUR RULES AND

REGULATIONS– OUR RULES,

REGULATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS.

OF COURSE YOU CAN BE PART OF

THIS PARTY.

WE NEED TO REMEMBER THAT

SOMETIMES WE WILL BE CRITICIZED

BUT DON’T PUT TOO MUCH INTEREST

IN GETTING A NAME.

DON’T THINK ABOUT GETTING A

PLACE OR A ROLE BUT TO TAKE

RESPONSIBILITY.

WE NEED THE PEOPLE OF THIS

COUNTRY, BURMA TO CONSIDER VERY

CAREFULLY WHETHER THE PEOPLE WHO

WANT TO BE PART OF THE GOVERNING

BODY ARE TRULY INTERESTED IN THE

FUNCTION AND RESPONSIBILITY

RATHER THAN IN GETTING ANY

POSITION.

I DO BELIEVE THAT EVERY ETHNIC

LANGUAGES SHOULD BE TAUGHT IN

ALL THE DIFFERENT ETHNIC PLACES.

OR IN ALL THE DIFFERENT

INDIGENOUS PROVINCES AND

REGIONS.

WE SHOULD MAINTAIN OUR HERITAGE

AND LANGUAGE.

IN THE NEXT ELECTION TO CARRY

OUT ALL THESE GOALS WE NEED TO

HAVE ALL N.L.D. MEMBERS AS A

MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT.

TO ELECT ALL N.L.D. MEMBERS OR

MORE N.L.D. MEMBERS.

REGARDING SANCTIONS, THEY HAVE

BEEN VERY EFFECTIVE.

IT’S NOW FOR ECONOMIC SITUATION

AND DEVELOPMENT THEY SHOULD NOW

BE LIFTED.

TO SUCCESSFULLY WALK THE PATH OF

DEMOCRACY LIES IN THE PEOPLE OF

BURMA– ALL OF US.

WE CANNOT ONLY DEPEND ON

EXTERNAL SUPPORT AND SUPPORT OF

OUR FRIENDS FROM OTHER NATIONS,

WE SHOULD ALSO DEPEND ON

OURSELVES TO REACH THIS GOAL.

IF I WERE TO ANSWER THAT

QUESTION BRIEFLY, IN THE BRITISH

PARLIAMENTARY SYSTEM THEY DO NOT

TAKE VOTES TO MAKE DECISIONS.

BUT IN OUR COUNTRY WE HAVE THE

DIFFERENT HOUSES ALL THE

REPRESENTATIVES FROM EVERY

REGION OF PROVINCES AND HOUSE

HAS THE RIGHT AND ABILITY TO

VOTE IN OUR PARLIAMENT.

ALL OF US SHOULD BELIEVE IN

OURSELVES.

WE SHOULD HAVE CONFIDENCE IN

<p>

OURSELVES.

IF YOU BELIEVE IN YOURSELF AND

HAVE CONFIDENCE IN YOURSELF YOU

WILL NOT ENVY OTHERS OR BE

JEALOUS OF OTHERS.

WHEN YOU DON’T BELIEVE IN

YOURSELF YOU FOLLOW OTHER

PEOPLE’S BEHAVIOR.

BELIEVE IN YOURSELF TO BE ABLE

TO OVERCOME ANY DIFFICULTY AND

CHALLENGES.

WHY WE ARE IN THIS SITUATION IS

LACK OF BELIEF IN ONE’S SELF AND

CONFIDENCE IS DEPENDENT ON THE

WAY WE BRING UP OUR CHILDREN.

DON’T MAKE COMPARISONS BETWEEN

SIBLINGS.

DON’T LOWER THEIR SELF-ESTEEM.

ENCOURAGE THEM TO BELIEVE IN

THEMSELVES AND NOT JUST PATTERN

THEMSELVES ON OTHERS.

DON’T TAKE PRIDE IN ENVYING

OTHERS.

ONLY THOSE WHO BELIEVE IN

THEMSELVES AND HAVE CONFIDENCE

IN THEMSELVES CAN DETERMINE

WHICH PRIDE THEY SHOULD HAVE,

WHAT TYPE OF PRIDE THEY SHOULD

HAVE.

WHAT CONFIDENCE AND BELIEF THEY

SHOULD HAVE IN THEMSELVES.

THEY MUST HAVE THE COURAGE TO

RECOGNIZE OUR WEAKNESSES AND

FACE THESE DIFFICULTIES AND

CHALLENGES BRAVELY.

NOW THAT WE HAVE A PARLIAMENT WE

CAN SEND IN OUR OPINIONS AND

GIVE ADVICE, SUGGESTIONS FOR THE

IMPROVEMENT OF OUR RULES AND

REGULATIONS REGARDING OUR

ECONOMY, IMPORTS AND SO ON.

ALSO, REGARDING ONLINE DONATION,

WE NEED TO ALLOW THAT VERY

SYSTEMATICALLY WE HAVE TO HAVE

RULES AND LAWS REGARDING.

REGARDING THAT.

THANK YOU, EVERYONE, AND THANK

YOU FOR YOUR QUESTIONS.

I HOPE THAT WE CAN MEET AGAIN

AND AGAIN IN THE FUTURE.

>> WE THANK AUNG SAN SUU KYI

GREATLY.