China has nothing to say to Aung San Suu Kyi
A friend alerted me recently to the this site, where well-wishers were invited to voice their support – in no more than 64 words - for one of the world’s most inspirational figures for her 64th birthday. Aung San Suu Kyi, whose 19th year of on-off incarceration was recently extended through a sham trial, had, at time of writing, received in excess of 11 000 messages. These included contributions from Bono, Yoko Ono, George Clooney, many world leaders, MP’s, and fellow Nobel Laureates.
Despite attempts by Burma’s junta to bring down the site, words of solidarity continue to pour in; from Morocco to Sweden, Malaysia to Finland, Indonesia to Mexico, Australia to India, Britain to Bhutan – and on and on - words of support have arrived from all walks of life and nearly every corner of the globe.
Nearly.
I haven’t read all 11 000 messages, but among the numerous pages I flicked through not one response emanated from China. Not a single word of encouragement or vestige of hope for Aung San Suu Kyi and her people; and not one shred of evidence that Burma’s powerful neighbour has the will, the integrity, or the moral responsibility to change or educate its people about the suffering going on in her own backyard.