Quotes By Aung San Suu Kyi

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.

One should mature over 20 years.

Assuming the chairmanship of ASEAN isn't going to do anything about improving the lives of people.

I am prepared to talk with anyone. I have no personal grudge toward anybody.

What I have experienced is nothing compared to what political prisoners in prisons suffer.

I don't understand why people say that I am full of courage. I feel terribly nervous.

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.

I felt that it was my duty not to senselessly waste my time. And since I didn't want to waste my time, I tried to accomplish as much as possible.

In general people feel more relaxed about participating in politics. They aren't frightened as they used to be.

If I was afraid of being killed, I would never speak out against the government.

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.

Humor is one of the best ingredients of survival.

For me, 'revolution' simply means radical change.

All repressive laws must be revoked, and laws introduced to protect the rights of the people.

If I were the blushing kind, I would blush to be called a hero.

I think I was the healthiest prisoner of conscience in the world.

You cannot compromise unless people talk to you.

Books always help.

I was a bit of a coward when I was small. I was terribly frightened of the dark.

I think by now I have made it fairly clear that I am not very happy with the word hope. I don't believe in people just hoping.

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.

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.

All military regimes use security as the reason why they should remain in power. It's nothing original.

In terms of the history of a far reaching movement, 20 years is not that long.

It could achieve a lot if everyone in Burma could stop saying something is good if it is not good, or say something is just if it is not just.

When you decide to follow a certain path, you should follow it to the end and not be diverted from it for personal reasons.

Dissidents can't be dissidents forever; we are dissidents because we don't want to be dissidents.

The Nobel Peace Prize opened up a door in my heart.

Of course I regret not having been able to spend time with my family.

By helping others, you will learn how to help yourselves.