Aung San Suu Kyi read the following statement on 11 July 1995 at her first press conference after nearly six years of detention. She had been notified of her release the day before.
The official intimation of the end of my house arrest was conveyed to me verbally by Colonel Kyaw Win in the form of a message from Senior General Than Shwe which was signed and ordered. There were three points to the message apart from the ending of my house arrest:
• They would be happy to help me in matters of personal welfare.
• If I wished, the authorities would continue to take care of security arrangements.
• He would like me to help towards securing peace and stability in the country.
First of all I would like to say that I appreciate deeply both the tone and the content of the message. I have always believed that the future stability and happiness of our nation depends entirely on the readiness of all parties to work towards reconciliation. During the years that I spent under house arrest many parts of the world have undergone almost unbelievable change, and all changes for the better were brought about through dialogue. So dialogue has undoubtedly been the key to a happy resolution of long-festering problems.
Once bitter enemies in South Africa are now working together for the betterment of the people. Why can’t we look forward to a similar process? We have to choose between dialogue and utter devastation. I would like to believe that the human instinct for survival alone, if nothing else, would eventually lead all of us to prefer dialogue.
You may ask: ‘What are we going to talk about, once we reach the negotiation table?’ Establishment of certain principles, recognition of critical objectives to be achieved, and joint approaches to the ails besetting the country will be the main items on the agenda.
Extreme viewpoints are not confined to any particular group, and it is the responsibility of the leaders to control such elements as threaten the spirit of reconciliation. There is more in common between the authorities and we of the democratic forces in Burma than existed between the black and white peoples of South Africa. The majority of the people of Burma believe in the market economy and in democracy, as was amply proved by the results of the elections of 1990.
Those of you who read the Burmese newspapers will know that it is the main aim of the State Law and Order Restoration Council to return power to the people. This is exactly our aim as well.
I would like to take this opportunity to urge the authorities to release those of us who still remain in prison. I am happy to be able to say that in spite of all that we have undergone, the forces for democracy remain strong and dedicated. I, on my part, bear no resentment against anybody for anything that has happened to me during the last six years.
This statement can only end in one way – with an expression of sincere thanks to people all over the world, especially to my countrymen, for all they have done to strengthen my resolve and effect my release.