The Perfect Hostage - part 1

PERFECT HOSTAGE : A LIFE OF AUNG SAN SUU KYI

By Justin Wintle

Published by Hutchinson, 450 pages

The image on the cover is an image of the shame that the nations of South-East Asia have to bear. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, or simply known as The Lady nowadays, is under house arrest imposed by the military dictators of Burma. These dictators operate under the guise of the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC), led by Senior General Than Shwe.

The Association of South-East Asia Nations, or just ASEAN, styles itself as a Zone of Peace, Freedom and Neutrality (ZOPFAN).

Peace?

How can there be peace when Burmans are suffering from runway inflation and brutally oppressive rule under a superstitious old man? How can there be peace when a regime guns down unarmed, peace-seeking monks?

Freedom?

How can there be freedom when the Lady, and many others remain captive under the whim and fancy of the junta, without due cause? How can there be freedom when Burmans live in perpetual fear?

Neutrality?

What does that mean? Standing by and doing nothing while your neighbours suffer and cry out for help? Just dismiss Burma’s troubles as “internal matters” and citing the policy of “non-interference”?

The list of the junta’s crimes is endless: from the 8.8.88 massacre to Depayin and the brutal crackdown in October 2007, where unarmed monks were shot. Attempts to create a roadmap to democracy of Burma have been largely ignored by the junta. Countless mediation efforts, led by the United Nations (UN) have led to nothing but frustration. One of those frustrated UN envoys is Malaysia’s own Tan Sri Razali Ismail, who has also served as the President of the UN General Assembly.

Members of the international community, especially ASEAN, seem reluctant to do more to stop the junta’s impunity in face of international pressure. Perhaps this can be easily summed up in three letters: O-I-L. Or G-A-S. Take your pick.

Perfect Hostage : A Life of Aung San Suu Kyi by Justin Wintle is perhaps the latest and most updated biography of The Lady to date. More than that, it is, in a sense, a biography of Burma and its journey from its ancient past to its present dictatorship. It also documents Burma’s struggle against British imperialism and its liberation by The Lady’s illustrious father, Aung San. In fact, The Lady’s story only really begins after about 140 pages. 

(to be continued...)