Articles, interviews, speeches, lectures, research notes and video and audio materials documenting Burma's ongoing struggle for democracy

“In an internet age, discourse about complex concerns and events can be reduced to singular attacks on a single individual … discussed through collective revulsion at one individual’s action rather than through systemic facts, cultural practices, legislative failings, or educational shortcomings.” ― Routledge Manual on Character Assassination

“The search for scapegoats is essentially an abnegation of responsibility: it indicates an inability to assess honestly and intelligently the true nature of the problems which lie at the root of social and economic difficulties and a lack of resolve in grappling with them.” ― Aung San Suu Kyi

  • READ The Open Letter from Alan Clements and Fergus Harlow to Muhammad Yunus, Interim Leader of Bangladesh, together with select endoresements
  • READ THE BANKKOK POST: Rohingya Crisis Merits Reconciliation, by Alan Clements, on the proposed repatriation of Rohingya refugees by Muhammad Yunus, September 2024
  • READ THE BANGKOK POST: Dhaka's role in Myanmar's crisis, an op-ed by Alan Clements, a call for the Release of Aung San Suu Kyi and Myanmar's 20,000 prisoners of conscience, August 2024
  • Read an interview with Alan Clements at Banyen Books and Sound, Vancouver, August 2024 here
  • Read a review of Burma's Voices of Freedom in The Irrawaddy here
  • Read a review of Burma's Voices of Freedom in The South China Morning Post books section here
  • Read Derek Tomkin's article, "In Defence of Aung San Suu Kyi", in The Lowy Institute's The Interpreter here
  • Download a concise timeline of events in Rakhine State from 2016-2018, together with public statements on the crisis from Aung San Suu Kyi 2012-2015 here
  • Download a compilation of 80 interviews with Aung San Suu Kyi from her release in 2010 up to her election as State Counsellor in 2015 here
  • Download a compilation of speeches, lectures and presentations given by Aung San Suu Kyi from 2010-2016 here

“The recent four- volume set of books by Alan Clements and Fergus Harlow, Burma’s Voices of Freedom (World Dharma Publications, $28.95, to be distributed in Myanmar by http://www.myanmarbook.com), fills that gap of missing voices from Myanmar. Clements’ rich knowledge about Myanmar’s plight under authoritarian rule, his study and practice of the Buddhist tenets, and his dialogues with the country’s different communities make his books invaluable.” Mon Mon Myat, The Irrawaddy. Read the article here.

This year, an invaluable compendium of documents was published by the American Buddhist scholar Alan Clements and his British colleague Fergus Harlow entitled “Burma’s Voices of Freedom”, which includes interviews, articles and speeches by Suu Kyi and several of her Burmese associates. The four-volume set offers a clear and persuasive narrative of her policies from a Burmese perspective, which would come as a complete surprise to many of her Western critics.

Reflections On the Crisis in Burma: War is Dead & the Power of Revolutionary Reconciliation

Click here to read an Interview with Alan Clements at Banyen Books & Sound, Vancouver, BC, Canada, August 5th, 2024

Some notes on research for Burma's Voices of Freedom, by Alan Clements and Fergus Harlow

“In an internet age, discourse about complex concerns and events can be reduced to singular attacks on a single individual … discussed through collective revulsion at one individual’s action rather than through systemic facts, cultural practices, legislative failings, or educational shortcomings.” ~ Routledge Manual on Character Assassination

Those who became aware of the crisis in Rakhine State through the Guardian's 2017 article headlined “[Aung San Suu Kyi] is under growing pressure to halt “clearance operations” by security forces in Rakhine state” can be forgiven their ignorance of Burma's political landscape. The article fails to describe the limitations on Aung San Suu Kyi's power, as well as the source or nature of this "growing pressure." In reality, neither Aung San Suu Kyi nor her civilian government had any control over the police or military, nor of homeland security or border affairs, and so couldn't halt anything. Control over these forces was held by the dictatorship, which operated as a parallel government throughout Aung San Suu Kyi's term.

A detailed, concise timeline of events in Rakhine State from 2016-2018, together with Aung San Suu Kyi's public statements from 2012-2015, can be downloaded here.

Assumptions, aspersions and inferences are the foundation of the international media's inaccurate reporting. The BBC's Burma Timeline, for example (still available and near the top of Google's search results) reports that many Muslims were jailed as a result of inter-communal riots in Burma but that "no Buddhists are arrested." In reality, dozens of Buddhists were arrested and given sentences as severe as 15 years imprisonment with hard labour. Similarly, Aung San Suu Kyi was repeatedly accused of silence when she had simply not said what the press wanted to report, and a narrative of Buddhist nationalism pushed where it could not be found. Despite the media's persistent  scapegoating of Aung San Suu Kyi, official reports from the UN and from the US State Department barely mention her, focusing instead on the true perpetrators of atrocity - the military.

A compilation of 80 full length interviews given by Aung San Suu Kyi from her release in 2010 until her election as State Counsellor in 2015 can be downloaded here.

By early 2024, with Aung San Suu Kyi silenced by imprisonment and unable to defend herself, observers such as Peter Popham (who never met her, despite writing two books on her) were happy to describe her outright as "an Islamophobe" in the mainstream press. The global indifference this narrative framing created towards the people of Burma enabled and emboldened the military regime and has had direct consequences, like the number of political prisoners who die in jail tripling since the coup in 2021, without outcry, or awareness.

A compilation of speeches, presentations and lectures given by Aung San Suu Kyi can be found here, covering the period 2010-2016. 

The Path to Lasting Peace: Choosing Dialogue Over Destruction

In a world fraught with conflict and division, the choice between dialogue and diplomacy versus war and violence remains ever crucial. Throughout history, we have seen powerful examples of both approaches, and the outcomes they yield could not be more starkly different. As we navigate contemporary challenges, it is imperative to recognize that those who believe in killing for truth are consumed by a delusion; it is only through dialogue and diplomacy that we can achieve lasting peace and justice.

Bodhisattva Presence: Freedom in Action, World Dharma, and Finding Liberation Through Living

Burma's struggle for freedom—a revolution of the spirit—taught us, in essence, to foster the courage to feel another person as self and the courage to act upon that feeling as if that person were self, for the purpose of elevating their freedom as your own.

Essentially, having the courage to stand up for what you know to be true and to care for things larger than your own self-interest. As Aung San Suu Kyi once said to me, "We must see the truth, know it as true, feel it deep within, then act upon that truth. And if we all do this one person at a time, our revolution will be successful."

Mutual Respect and Open Communication: Foundations of Peace

One of the most compelling examples of mutual respect and open communication is the Camp David Accords of 1978. When Egypt and Israel sat down to negotiate, they acknowledged each other’s sovereignty and humanity, leading to a historic peace agreement. Yitzhak Rabin’s words resonate deeply: “Peace is not made with friends. Peace is made with enemies.”

Similarly, during the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962, the open channels of communication between the United States and the Soviet Union prevented what could have been a catastrophic nuclear war. Peter Drucker’s insight that “the most important thing in communication is to hear what isn’t being said” underscores the critical role of dialogue in averting disaster.

Compromise and Patience: Keys to Resolution

The Good Friday Agreement of 1998 in Northern Ireland stands as a testament to the power of compromise. All parties involved made significant concessions to achieve a lasting peace. As John F. Kennedy wisely noted, “Let us never negotiate out of fear. But let us never fear to negotiate.”

The end of apartheid in South Africa was not achieved overnight. It required patience and persistence, exemplified by Nelson Mandela’s belief that “it always seems impossible until it’s done.” These qualities are indispensable in resolving deep-seated conflicts.

Cultural Sensitivity and Trust Building: Bridging Divides

Post-genocide Rwanda embraced cultural sensitivity through traditional practices like Gacaca courts, which facilitated reconciliation and healing. J.K. Rowling’s words remind us that “understanding is the first step to acceptance, and only with acceptance can there be recovery.”

The formation of the European Union, transforming historical adversaries into partners, highlights the importance of trust building. Stephen Covey aptly described trust as “the glue of life... the foundational principle that holds all relationships.”

Empathy and Legal Frameworks: Ensuring Justice

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission in South Africa emphasized understanding and forgiveness, proving that empathy can transform societies. Alfred Adler’s assertion that “empathy is seeing with the eyes of another, listening with the ears of another, and feeling with the heart of another” encapsulates this principle.

International institutions like the United Nations provide frameworks for dialogue and cooperation, reinforcing Martin Luther King Jr.’s conviction that “injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”

The Destructive Path of War and Violence

Contrasting these examples with the requisites of war and violence reveals a bleak picture. Military strength, strategic planning, resource allocation, and mobilization are all prerequisites for war, yet they invariably lead to suffering and destruction. As José Narosky said, “In war, there are no unwounded soldiers.”

Propaganda, psychological operations, and alliances may bolster a war effort, but they also perpetuate falsehoods and divisions. Noam Chomsky’s observation that “propaganda is to a democracy what the bludgeon is to a totalitarian state” highlights the manipulative nature of war rhetoric.

Command and control structures, while necessary in warfare, often result in rigid hierarchies and dehumanization. Martin Luther King Jr. poignantly stated, “Wars are poor chisels for carving out peaceful tomorrows.”

Even norms of warfare, such as those outlined in the Geneva Conventions, are frequently violated, leading Aeschylus to remark, “In war, truth is the first casualty.”

Choosing the Path of Peace

The contrast between these approaches is stark. Dialogue and diplomacy seek to create understanding through peaceful means, aiming for sustainable, mutually beneficial resolutions. Albert Einstein’s wisdom that “peace cannot be kept by force; it can only be achieved by understanding” serves as a guiding light.

War and violence, on the other hand, enforce outcomes through destruction and death, resulting in temporary victories at best and long-term resentment at worst. As Bertrand Russell observed, “War does not determine who is right – only who is left.”

Dialogue and diplomacy prioritize the well-being and dignity of all individuals, building lasting peace and cooperation. Indira Gandhi’s insight that “you cannot shake hands with a clenched fist” captures the essence of this approach.

Urgent Dialogue in Burma: A Path to Peace

In Burma, the necessity of urgent dialogue cannot be overstated. The release of Aung San Suu Kyi, President Win Myint, and the 20,000 additional prisoners of conscience is crucial for the nation’s future. The global campaign by useyourfreedom.org emphasizes the importance of dialogue and diplomacy over violence and repression.

The international community must support Burma in its quest for freedom and justice. By choosing dialogue over destruction, understanding over hatred, and peace over war, we can build a future worthy of our highest ideals. As Nelson Mandela said, “No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.”

The choice is clear. We must embrace dialogue as the only path to lasting peace and true liberation.

Your support is deeply appreciated.

With gratitude,
Fergus Harlow, Alan Clements
and All Other Team Members