Interview with Dalai Lama in Thailand (2/18/93)

THAILAND - BANGKOK TV INTERVIEWS DALAI LAMA (FEB. 18) PAC RIM 
INTELLIGENCE REPORT - (Dalai Lama) This time,the main purpose of my 
visit is organized by some Nobel laureates concerning about human 
rights in general, in particularly, the safety or release of Aung 
San Suu Kyi, the fellow Nobel laureate as a freedom fighter. So that 
is the main purpose of visit. Then, meantime, I feel great honor to 
stay here, and also today the Supreme Patriarch who personally 
visited me when I reached here. So I am extremely happy and feel 
great honor. 

(Correspondent Your holiness, do you think your visit here will 
secure the freedom of Aung San Suu Kyi? 

(Dalai Lama) I don't know. Difficult to say. But, you see, it is 
worthwhile to make every attempt. Basically, I always believe that 
every human being has reponsibility for welfare, or the benefit, or 
happiness of the entire humanity. Now today the world is becoming 
smaller, and everything depends on one another. So therefore the 
others' interest is actually our own interests. If others happy, we 
will be happy. If others suffer, ultimately all suffer. So, in 
reality, things are heavily dependent on one another. So therefore I 
always consider, now because of the reality, now our future much 
depends on our individual involvement or commitment. So for that 
reason, the sense of global responsibility is now very much 
relevant. The sense of global responsibility based on Karuna, based 
on compassion, is now very much relevant in this modern time. 
Sometimes, you see, we feel that with technology, that we are very 
individual or independent, and sometimes we forget about other's 
rights or others' interests. In reality, it is not that way. So 
therefore, each of us we have the responsibility for the benefit of 
the entire humanity. Now here, I think there are about seven Nobel 
laureates now coming together. I think usually we... that also is 
one ... I'm quite sure, through this way, I think we can make some 
contributions. And also I will naturally, I mean obviously, it can 
raise some awareness, some deeper awareness, in public mind. So 
eventually I think we may achieve our goal the release of Aung San 
Suu Kyi. It may take time, I think. (Laughs) 

I personally, you know, I think that December '91, when I was in 
Norway at the one gathering of Nobel laureates, it's a day of joint 
appeal that is made, that I also signed and heartily supported. And 
then last May when some political prisoners (were being) released in 
Burma, then I thought this may be the appropriate time, so I also 
appealed to the authority. I also (?suggested) they starting 
releasing the political prisoner. So with some appreciation about 
their releasing, and then I appealed that Aung San Suu Kyi that she 
should release. So I personally am very much concerned about her. 

First, you know, although I have never been to Burma. But through 
some of my spiritual friends in Burma, I think it's a rich, Buddhist 
country, and especially in the field of the practice of wipatsana 
(meditation). And then second, according to some history of the 
Tibetan- Burma, there are some common things. And even I think the 
linguistically speaking, in Burmese words, some Tibetan words, are 
also there. In fact, some historians say the very word BurmmaBurma 
means the Tibetan word Phama. Phama means middle. Some Tibetan 
historians say that (word indistinct) Phama, that is a Burma. Phama 
means middle. The pronunciation of Burma, the Tibetan word Phama. 
So, in anyway, historically, there seems ... I mean, some close, 
some connection. 

Then, of course, the democracy, freedom, is, I think, one of the 
most important conditions for humanity. For progress, for 
development, for happiness, what is it, democracy and freedom is 
very very essential. Without that we cannot utilize the human 
creative nature. Without that, no progress, no development, either 
in spiritual or in material, in any education, in every field. So 
therefore, the democracy and freedom is so sacred for humanity. Now, 
the freedom of movement, everywhere, it is really worthwhile to 
support. Now in Burma's case, the Aung San Suu Kyi. She, I think, I 
think, some kind of, I think the special blood cells from her 
father, it seems there. (Laughs) Her father, her father, the freedom 
fighter, the first leader. So I have the admiration, naturally. Then 
also her husband. I think I met him once, her husband, and then the 
husband's twin brother. Oh, very similar. I almost made a mistake, 
who is who. Because of this twin brother, he is very very similar. 
It is that brother, the brother of her husband, one Tibetologist, 
who has keen interested in Tibetan culture and Tibetan Buddhism. So 
through that way, I have some connection. So therefore I personally 
feel some kind of personal responsibility to her. 


Ed.: The original creation date of this file was 1993.  We are
inferring that these events took place during that year.