Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, from her acceptance speech as recipient of the 5th Annual Gandhi Award, given Oct. 2, 1995:
It is only through our disciplined efforts that we can achieve the highest norms of human development that cover political stability, sustained economic growth and social harmony. But first the people have to be convinced that it is in their own interests to develop discipline: discipline has to be the result of a general acceptance of the need for all of us to work together in mutual trust and understanding. The Burmese saying “grabbing somebody by the throat to raise him to heaven” is one that has no appeal whatsoever for me. It is most unlikely that anybody would ever reach heaven, or any other state of bliss, through such violent means.
The way of democracy is to create mutual trust and understanding through free and open discussion and debate. It is by this way that we can learn to settle our differences without resorting to compulsion or violence and to weld unity out of the diversity that is the wonder of our human world. People may be compelled to act against their inclinations; they may be bribed to set aside their conscience. But they cannot be forced to give their hearts and minds to any cause that they do not truly believe to be worthwhile.
