Zoya Phan, Campaigns Manager at Burma Campaign UK, gave this speech at the opening of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s Park in Froland, Norway on 19 June 2016, Aung San Suu Kyi’s birthday:
Ladies and gentlemen,
I can’t tell you how much it means to me to be here today and to see people so many thousands of miles from our country would create a park like this and name it after our leader. It really gives us hope and encouragement. Everyone involved in the creation of this park has our thanks.
Ever since I came to Europe more than ten years ago, I have been attending events for Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s birthday.
Most of those times the events were held while Aung San Suu Kyi was under house arrest. They were not really celebrations. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s birthday was an opportunity to remind the world that she and many hundreds of other political prisoners remained in jail. It was a time when the media, mostly banned from entering Burma, would report on what was going on.
So it is really wonderful to be here today, to celebrate Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s birthday with the opening of this park, at a time when she is not only free, but running the Burmese government.
The role Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has played in our struggle for freedom has been so vital. Within Burma she has been an inspiration to people, a brave and courageous woman who stood up to the half million strong army which we all feared.
And around the world, she was able to draw attention to what was going on in our country, to reach out to politicians, to media, to campaign organisations and to ordinary people, and mobilise international support.
That international support has been essential in bringing about the change we have seen in Burma so far. Never doubt the critical role that it played. And the government of Norway played a leading role in providing that support. For that, we are very grateful.
And we still need that support. As people from Burma, we are so happy to see the changes in our country so far. Aung San Suu Kyi and the NLD are finally in government. Already there are plans to increase spending on health and education.
But at the same time we know the generals haven’t given up complete control. Far from it. The 2008 constitution they introduced gives them power and influence over every level of government. As far as they are concerned, the reform process is over. They don’t want to see any more change.
The Burmese Army is not under government control, and it is still attacking ethnic civilians. It breaks my heart that today in Burma, children are still forced to run for their lives as their villages are attacked by the Burmese Army, just as I was forced to run for my life 20 years ago. Until this is stopped, none of us can rest and we still need Norway’s support.
Naming this park after our leader means many things to us. It is a sign of acknowledgement and respect for a very special person who has made many sacrifices for her people. It is an import symbol of support and acceptance to the people from Burma who have been given a safe place to live here in Norway. And it is an act of solidarity with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and everyone from Burma, as we continue our struggle for freedom, democracy and human rights. Finally, I would like to say happy birthday Daw Aung San Suu Kyi!
Zoya Phan with former Norwegian PM Kjell Magne Bondevik at the opening of the Aung San Suu Kyi park,Norway, 19 Juen 2016