53 Famous Quotes by Aung San Suu Kyi
Aung San Suu Kyi is a Burmese politician and democracy activist who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991. She has been a key figure in the struggle for democracy and human rights in Myanmar, and her work has had a significant impact on the political and cultural landscape of the region. Suu Kyi's legacy as a leader and advocate for democracy and human rights continues to inspire activists and politicians around the world. (Aung San Suu Kyi Biography).
Aung San Suu Kyi Famous Quotes
1. "It is not power that corrupts but fear. Fear of losing power corrupts those who wield it and fear of the scourge of power corrupts those who are subject to it." (Meaning)
2. "The best way to help Burma is to empower the people of Burma, to help us have enough self-confidence to obtain what we want for ourselves."
3. "Democracy is when the people keep a government in check." (Meaning)
4. "The struggle for democracy and human rights in Burma is a struggle for life and dignity. It is a struggle that encompasses our political, social and economic aspirations."
5. "Humor is one of the best ingredients of survival." (Meaning)
6. "I was a bit of a coward when I was small. I was terribly frightened of the dark."
7. "My attitude to peace is rather based on the Burmese definition of peace - it really means removing all the negative factors that destroy peace in this world. So peace does not mean just putting an end to violence or to war, but to all other factors that threaten peace, such as discrimination, such as inequality, poverty."
8. "The value systems of those with access to power and of those far removed from such access cannot be the same. The viewpoint of the privileged is unlike that of the underprivileged."
9. "Sometimes I think that a parody of democracy could be more dangerous than a blatant dictatorship, because that gives people an opportunity to avoid doing anything about it."
10. "If you do nothing you get nothing."
11. "There is a time to be quiet and a time to talk." (Meaning)
12. "The judiciary must be strengthened and released from political interference."
13. "Sanctions are not really an economic weapon."
14. "Human beings the world over need freedom and security that they may be able to realize their full potential."
15. "Of course I regret not having been able to spend time with my family."
16. "By helping others, you will learn how to help yourselves." (Meaning)
17. "More people, especially young people, are realising that if they want change, they've got to go about it themselves - they can't depend on a particular person, i.e. me, to do all the work. They are less easy to fool than they used to be, they now know what's going on all over the world."
18. "Human beings want to be free and however long they may agree to stay locked up, to stay oppressed, there will come a time when they say 'That's it.' Suddenly they find themselves doing something that they never would have thought they would be doing, simply because of the human instinct that makes them turn their face towards freedom."
19. "The Nobel Peace Prize opened up a door in my heart."
20. "Freedom and democracy are dreams you never give up."
21. "It is often in the name of cultural integrity as well as social stability and national security that democratic reforms based on human rights are resisted by authoritarian governments."
22. "I don't want to be president, but I want to be free to decide whether or not I want to be president of this country."
23. "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."
24. "I think I should be active politically. Because I look upon myself as a politician. That's not a dirty work you know. Some people think that there are something wrong with politicians. Of course, something wrong with some politicians."
25. "We always think that everybody can do a little bit more, if not a lot more."
26. "I think when the people in Burma stop thinking about whether or not they're free, it'll mean that they're free."
27. "One person alone can't do anything as important as bringing genuine democracy to a country."
28. "I do not hold to non-violence for moral reasons, but for political and practical reasons."
29. "Since we live in this world, we have to do our best for this world."
30. "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."
31. "When the Nobel Committee chose to honor me, the road I had chosen of my own free will became a less lonely path to follow."
32. "I don't understand why people say that I am full of courage. I feel terribly nervous."
33. "To be forgotten, is to die a little."
34. "I don't think of myself as unbreakable. Perhaps I'm just rather flexible and adaptable."
35. "We will not change in matters of policy until such time as dialogue has begun."
36. "I don't want to see the military falling. I want to see the military rising to dignified heights of professionalism and true patriotism."
37. "The judiciary in Burma is not independent. It's widely known, everybody knows that."
38. "I am not unaware of the saying that more tears have been shed over wishes granted than wishes denied."
39. "I only used a cell phone for the first time after I was released. I had difficulty coping with it because it seemed so small and insubstantial."
40. "There is so much that we need to do for our country. I don't think that we can afford to wait."
41. "History is always changing."
42. "If you look at the democratic process as a game of chess, there have to be many, many moves before you get to checkmate. And simply because you do not make any checkmate in three moves does not mean it's stalemate. There's a vast difference between no checkmate and stalemate. This is what the democratic process is like."
43. "A family is very special. So when a family splits up, it's not good, it's never good."
44. "The democracy process provides for political and social change without violence."
45. "If you choose to do something, then you shouldn't say it's a sacrifice, because nobody forced you to do it."
46. "I don't want Burma to be a basket case forever."
47. "I think I was the healthiest prisoner of conscience in the world."
48. "Confidence-building is not something that can go on forever. If it goes on forever then it becomes counterproductive."
49. "Fires of suffering and strife are raging around the world."
50. "You should never let your fears prevent you from doing what you know is right." (Meaning)
51. "The only real prison is fear, and the only real freedom is freedom from fear" (Meaning)
52. "If you are feeling helpless, help someone." (Meaning)
53. "If you're feeling helpless, help someone." (Meaning)
― Aung San Suu Kyi Quotes
* Want to explore more inspiring quotes and their meanings? Head over to this quotes page and discover a treasure trove of motivational phrases.
Chief Editor
Tal Gur is an author, founder, and impact-driven entrepreneur at heart. After trading his daily grind for a life of his own daring design, he spent a decade pursuing 100 major life goals around the globe. His journey and most recent book, The Art of Fully Living, has led him to found Elevate Society.
