"Aung San Suu Kyi [purple dress, says] "Attacks on Muslims, Not Ethnic Cleansing" (BBC News Interview, posted Oct.24, 2013] go to:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNVE_Ch_Q18
For a long time I have followed the oppositional leadership struggles of a political leader who espouses (Buddhist-based) fearlessness in much of her writing and speeches, of which she also won a Nobel Peace Prize for. She has always said that until we manage fear well, individually and collectively, including a healthy rule of law and democracy, there will be no real peace in her own country Myanmar (formerly Burma) or anywhere else for that matter. So, in that light I have written about her as one of the important leaders today of the Fearlessness Movement.
In the last four or five years, and since she was released from house-arrest (for many years) to be in the public and run as head of the opposition party again, now she is being severely criticized by many in her own country and in the world, due to her seeming inability to stop what some call "ethnic cleansing" (referring to Muslims being targeted in this mostly Buddhist country). She has herself given a BBC interview on this topic (2013), which I recommend, as the interviewer pressures her to admit something she is not willing to admit nor agrees with the interviewers perspective. I am interested in this debate and how she handles it, and especially how she talks about "fear" and its role in this ethnic conflict in her country (which, could apply most anywhere with such conflicts, hatred and violence). I quote the poignant part of this interview below, and note how the interviewer pretty much disregards the impact of "fear" and wants to talk about disproportionate "numbers of victims" (especially on the Muslim side) as Kyi tries to emphasize a deeper issue--and ultimately, it is build social mistrust chronically because of the problem (I believe she would agree) from decades of dictatorship ruling in her country, and the violence between the two religions is really a symptom of this deeper Fear Problem. Here is her response (an excerpt):
KYI : "The [radicalization of religion, violence, and ethnic hatred] problems arose last year, and I think this is due to fear on both sides, and this is what the world needs to understand, that the fear is not just on the side of the Muslims [victims], but on the side of the Buddhists [victims] as well.... There's fear on both sides and this is what is leading to all these troubles..."
When Kyi is asked about all the "friends" who abandoned her during her coming out as a political leader over 25 years ago, she is gracious to accept this betrayal, and disassociation because of the danger of aligning with her, and she says, "... you cannot expect people to be brave and outspoken all the time." As much as I understand her position, I truly was disappointed in this interview clip that she did not teach about what fearlessness is... no, it wasn't even mentioned, as it should be, and as is core to the best of Buddhist teachings. Now, on the other hand, if you investigate what is going on in Myanmar today, there are conflicts between Buddhist senior monks and leaders, as to how to fight back against what is a perception (true or not, fear-based or not) of radical Islamic movements in Myanmar. I think this whole situation politically, religiously, culturally, in this country is one to watch in the future as it unfolds, because therein is a story of what happens when fear meets fearlessness, and the true Buddhists involved are going to be challenged by the Buddhist teachings of fearlessness--so, will they actually give in to fear and not utilize the teachings of fearlessness as their spiritual leader and others leaders have taught for millenium. This is a good test case for the world to watch. I encourage all, Buddhists included, to pay attention and return to the basics of the path of fearlessness, albeit, recognizing that fear(s) are going to increase in Myanmar but everywhere in the world. The spirit of the Fearlessness Movement must not be abandoned. I think general immature ("traditionalist" and "tribal") versions of ethnocentric consciousness (largely fear-based in "protectionism" of cultural and religious identities and institutions) will be showing up, and showing this consciousness is non-adaptive to a globalizing 21st century world.
