Silent Courage

"Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, "I will try again tomorrow."

- Mary Anne Radmacher

A friend of mine put up this quote as her status in Facebook. As I reflect upon the meaning of these words, I can't help but be reminded of Ms Aung San Suu Kyi; a Nobel Peace prize winner, pro-democracy leader of Myanmar whose party won a landslide victory during the country's last election. However, instead of being named Prime Minister, she was put under house arrest for a total of 13 years since 1990 when the military junta (military dictatorship regardless of structure) refused to recognized her party's victory. Despite international pressures and calls from Asean to release her, the junta is constantly extending the duration of her detention indefinitely.

Her latest six-year period of detention was due to expire on May 27. However, in the latest turn of events, the Nobel laureate is once again in the limelight when the junta attempt to extend her detention, this time to past the elections on 2010. Her charges? "(she) is accused of breaching the terms of her house arrest after American John Yettaw swam to her lakeside home earlier this month, a charge which could see her jailed for between three and five years." (source: AFP - Tuesday, May 19) I could have exploded in anger and injustice seeing these being done in broad daylight. Added to the fact that Ms Suu Kyi is already at the old age of 63 with "suspect health problems". Not only are they refusing her release, they are also refusing her medical care in a proper hospital. And for whatever dumb reason that American decided that one day he will swim across to the house and get himself a leg cramp, not knowing the trouble he will bring to the occupants within, how can she be blamed for this? They have been doing such a good job isolating her in that crumbling house, how is it possible for her to communicate with anyone? Much less arranging for someone to "breach the terms of her house arrest". It's like you being grounded by your parents in the house and someone pops over to visit you. So, you get caned for it cos you didn't inform him/her not to come, when you don't have access to any external communication device in the first place! Do you really need a court trial to reach that conclusion? Unless they are looking for something more.

Again, this is not a political article on the values of democracy versus autocracy, but I'm touched by Ms Suu Kyi's courage and determination amidst this political furore. In her brief public appearance while in transit to Insein prison, she spoke to affirm and encourage her family members and supporters, telling them not to worry about her health. It is unthinkable that someone who is subjected to such an injustice and suffering such as hers will think of others and put others above her at moments like these. And yet she did. She calmly took upon the charges (which I found to be totally ludicrous) thrown at her and still maintained on using peaceful methods in resolving conflicts. Stark contrast to another Taiwanese politician I know who tried to incite the people against the government. She knows not the date when democracy will eventually arrive in her country. She knows not the date when the junta will finally decide to release her. She knows not even whether she will see her loved ones and family again. However, she has the silent courage to continue living everyday, saying that "I will try again tomorrow".