The speech from which only excerpts are given here was delivered by Aung San Suu Kyi on the National Day of Burma, 3 December 1988. These excerpts were translated by Thant Myint-U and Lewis Woodworth.
Even though we don’t know what will happen, we need to carry on as best we can, without wavering, along the correct path. Even though we don’t know what will happen, it is right that we take part in this struggle. Because we believe that it is proper, we have all joined in. If you ask whether we shall achieve democracy, whether there will be general elections, here is what I shall say: Don’t think about whether or not these things will happen. Just continue to do what you believe is right. Later on the fruits of what you do will become apparent on their own. One’s responsibility is to do the right thing.
We have all entered this struggle for democracy because we believe that we can win. For example, a person enters a race or buys a lottery ticket because he believes it’s possible to win. So also if someone were to ask me whether I believe we can win in our fight for democracy, I should reply honestly, ‘Yes, we can’, and because I believe we can, I have chosen to take part. I should like the students and young people to continue their work while keeping in mind that we can win. We still have great struggles ahead of us; we still have work yet to do, and not merely for months. We are going to have to work and struggle for years. Even if there are elections and the forces of democracy win, the movement is not yet finished with its work; we still have to continue. Today the students and young people are around twenty years old. Life expectancy in Burma is about sixty, and maybe under democracy and improved living conditions it will become seventy. That means that the youth of today will have possibly fifty years of struggle ahead of them. Democracy is something one must nourish all one’s life, if it is to remain alive and strong. Like the health of a person: even if his parents have raised him to healthy adulthood, if he fails to take care of himself, his health will deteriorate. If each of you keeps in mind all your life that you have a responsibility for the welfare of your country, then we shall have no reason to worry that our country’s health will deteriorate. We want to work hand in hand with everyone working for democracy. I don’t mean working together halfheartedly – we want to work together heart and soul.
This is National Day. I should like everyone to decide, beginning today, that you will work for the nation’s interest, meaning your fellow countrymen, for the stability of the Union and the good of all the people. When working for the national interest, we must not have loyalties to particular people or to short-term objectives. Don’t keep these personal loyalties. I should like us to continue our journey with genuine sympathy and a clear mind. I always tell people to have high aspirations – have the highest aspirations.