Part 2: Section 14 Summary

This section consists of excerpts from a speech Aung San Suu Kyi gave on December 3, 1988. She begans by telling her audience that although she did not know what would happen, she believed that democracy in Burma is still possible. She also stressed the importance of maintaining a consistent presence, acknowledging the great work that remains to be doneand that people must continue doing what they believe to be right. She noted that life expectancy in Burma under the dictatorship was about sixty, but that, under democracy, living conditions would improve and life expectancy might increase to seventy.-That means that those youth in her audience had over fifty years of struggle before them: "Democracy is a gift one must nourish all one's life .... If each of you keeps in mind you have a responsibility for the welfare of your country, then...