Government leaders are amazing. So often it seems they are the last to know what the people want.

To view the opposition as dangerous is to misunderstand the basic concepts of democracy. To oppress the opposition is to assault the very foundation of democracy.

If ideas and beliefs are to be denied validity outside the geographical and cultural bounds of their origin, Buddhism would be confined to north India, Christianity to a narrow tract in the Middle East and Islam to Arabia.

The democracy process provides for political and social change without violence.

Human beings the world over need freedom and security that they may be able to realize their full potential.

I've always said that the more coordinated the efforts of the international community are, the better it will be for democracy in Burma.