Burma's Suu Kyi Awarded $1 Million

by Ma Nguyen Tong

18-2-2003

Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi was awarded $1 million by a US group in recognition of her democracy struggle. The US-based Freedom Forum foundation said the money was a "personal gift" which "she is free to use... as she sees fit and in any way she wants to". Charles Overby, chairman of the foundation, said it was the first time the full $1 million annual prize had been awarded to just one person.

"Aung San Suu Kyi was selected to receive the award for her free-spirited, non-violent struggle for human rights and democracy," the group said.

Son to collect money

Mr Overby and Al Neuharth, founder of USA Today newspaper, travelled recently to Burma to inform Aung San Suu Kyi that she had won the prize. The leader of Burma's National League for Democracy could not travel to the US to collect the award as she was afraid the country's junta would not allow her to return if she left, so her son Alexander would do so on her behalf.

The Freedom Forum would not say how the money would be transferred to Aung San Suu Kyi.

"But I assure you it will happen," said Mr Neuharth.

The news conference announcing the 2003 winner showed a videotaped statement in which she described a visit outside the capital, which conveyed her legendary strength of character. She told how she defied the authorities when they sent a fire engine to intimidate her supporters.

"I tried to speak to the people who were in charge of the fire engine to ask them to remove the engines and not to intimidate the people, but since they did not remove the engine, I thought I might as well get on top of it to address the people," she said.

The Freedom Forum, based in Virginia, is a non-partisan foundation which promotes free speech.