June 2 – Author: Saw Mort,Posted in Karen News Articles, Recommended
see also the video link here: http://vimeo.com/karennews/aungsansuukyiatmaela
Burma’s pro-democracy leader, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has arrived at Mae La refugee camp, home to 45,000 refugees from Burma.
Thousands of refugees have packed the muddy football field in the hope of seeing and hearing the Nobel Peace Prize laureate.
Refugees gathered in the camp’s football ground to hear Suu Kyi told Karen News.
“Of course all us refugees want to return to our country. But only when the conditions are right to do so –it has to be safe, with dignity, it’s voluntary and we are not forced back.”
Aung San Suu Kyi is on her first trip outside Burma in 24 years. She has attended the World Economic Forum in Bangkok and visited a migrant workers centre in Samut Sakhon before heading to Tak province to visit refugees.
While in Samut Sakhon she spoke from the library balcony of the Migrant Workers Rights Network and told the thousands of Burmese workers packed into the narrow street she was there to hear about the difficulties they faced.
“I will never forget you and I will discuss your troubles with the Thai government to help improve your well-being.”
Speaking at the WEF in Bangkok yesterday Aung San Suu Kyi urged the international community to exercise caution” towards the reform process now happening in Burma.
“ A little bit of healthy scepticism I think is in order.” The National League of Democracy leader later added that she did not want investment to mean corruption and the nation had to be careful of what she called “reckless optimism”.
Following her trip to Mae La refugee camp Suu Kyi will meet with local based ethnic leaders and women’s groups afterwards she will fly Europe where she is expected to accept the Nobel Peace Prize she was awarded in 1991.
Please see the original link here: http://karennews.org/2012/06/suu-kyi-at-mae-la-refugee camp.html/