'In spite of everything, the army has treated me as well as they have because I am my father's daughter'
Aung San Suu Kyi
The Guardian,
Aung San, 1947. Photograph: Popperfoto/Getty Images
My father is the most inspirational figure in my life, because my interest in politics came from him. I've always had great admiration for him, and great compassion too, because he was very young when he died. Perhaps this is one reason why I'm very much involved in this movement, because I feel it is mainly for young people.
I don't really remember my father at all. I was two years and one month old when he died. But I have I suppose what might be called re-enforced memories – my mother would always tell me about how he would pick me up the moment he got home. And I seem to remember him picking me up, though I'm not sure whether that's a genuine memory or not.
I think the army has empathy with me because of my father. In spite of everything, I think they have treated me as well as they have because I am my father's daughter. I think it's ingrained respect for him. Just before I was placed under house arrest for the third time, in between house arrests, I made a trip to the states of Rakhine and Chin in the west of Burma. I'd been told that the Chins were ethnocentric and not fond of the Burmese, but I received the warmest response I ever received anywhere in those two states. In both places, people would bring their children when they came to see me – quite often when my car was going by, they would be standing by the roadside, and parents would take their children up in their arms and say, "Look! This is Grandfather Aung San's daughter", which I found very touching.
I think all the ethnic nationalities agree that my father was honest with them, and I think they feel the same about me because I've never made easy promises.
Aung San Suu Kyi is guest director of the Brighton Festival, which runs from 7-29 May.
I don't really remember my father at all. I was two years and one month old when he died. But I have I suppose what might be called re-enforced memories – my mother would always tell me about how he would pick me up the moment he got home. And I seem to remember him picking me up, though I'm not sure whether that's a genuine memory or not.
I think the army has empathy with me because of my father. In spite of everything, I think they have treated me as well as they have because I am my father's daughter. I think it's ingrained respect for him. Just before I was placed under house arrest for the third time, in between house arrests, I made a trip to the states of Rakhine and Chin in the west of Burma. I'd been told that the Chins were ethnocentric and not fond of the Burmese, but I received the warmest response I ever received anywhere in those two states. In both places, people would bring their children when they came to see me – quite often when my car was going by, they would be standing by the roadside, and parents would take their children up in their arms and say, "Look! This is Grandfather Aung San's daughter", which I found very touching.
I think all the ethnic nationalities agree that my father was honest with them, and I think they feel the same about me because I've never made easy promises.
Aung San Suu Kyi is guest director of the Brighton Festival, which runs from 7-29 May.
