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.