Thousands of people on Tuesday gathered in front of the City Hall in downtown Yangon of Myanmar to show their support for the State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi as she addressed for the first time issues related to the violence in the Northern Rakhine State, reports The Myanmar Times.
A huge crowd of people, some wearing yellow t-shirts printed with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s photograph and motto - “We Stand With You.” - stood before a giant LED television screen which broadcast live her speech from Nay Pyi Taw.
Some supporters were carrying red balloons and vinyl photos of the Myanmar leader while others were dancing and singing nationalist songs.
Some people were chanting, “We love you, Mother Su”.
One group was wearing traditional Karen dresses and other Myanmar traditional clothes, while others were carrying ballons as if they were going to attend a celebration.
The people could barely control their anticipation of the State Counsellor’s speech, hoping to hear from their leader after weeks of being pilloried in the international media for allegedly failing to address the plight of the Muslim minority in the Rakhine region.
The United Nations estimated that nearly half a million refugees from the restive Rakhine province have fled to nearby Bangladesh to escape the alleged wrath of the Myanmar security forces.
Yangon Chief Minister U Phyo Min Thein and other parliament members led the crowd in front of the City Hall.
The regular session of the regional parliament, which usually starts at 10am, was pushed back to 1pm so people can listen to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s speech in, perhaps, the most controversial issue facing Myanmar today.
When the State Counsellor appearedon the giant screen and people broke into cheers and chants, calling her name, “Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.” The red balloons were sent flying to the sky. Then everybody fell silent as Daw Aung San Suu Kyi began her speech.
The State Counsellor’s address was broadcasted live at 10am. Another large group of supporters were waiting at the center of Yangon to show their support for Daw Aung San Su Kyi who delivered her speech in English.
“I don’t understand her speech as well but I trust and support her,” said U Kyaw Nyunt, 60 years old, from Kamayutt Township.
He said that he was waiting for her speech in the park in front of the City Hall for about two hours.
“I just came and to show my involvement as a Myanmar citizen on Rakhine issues. She stands for Myanmar and we stand with her’,’ he added.
“The State Counsellor’s address is a kind of State level speech. It was in English as she would like to describe the realistic conditions in Rakhine State to the international community. I won’t understand her speech as well and I don’t understand English. But It’s okay as the international audience just need to understand the issues and we just need to trust and support her,” said U Aye Myint, 60, the founder of a charity school in North Okkala Township, named “Love house”.
People from all walks of lives gathered and listened to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s speech; people of different ages and religions, as well as monks and foreigners. Most people gathered in front of the city hall to show their support for the leader.
“The objective of my coming here is to show to the people that the monks also support Daw Aung San Suu Kyi,” said U Ti Law Ka, the monks form Chauk Htet Gyi Monetary, Bahan Township.
“People think that all of the monks didn’t stand with her. My coming proved their thoughts were wrong,” he added while holding in his hands a photo of the State Counsellor.
“I came here to stand with Mother Su by doing what I can do. I trust and I support her all the way” said Ko Htut Htut, a 37-year-old biker from Thuwunna Township. He was among a large group of bikers who watched Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s speech.
But an American tourist who was among the big crowd in the City Hall found the whole thing amusing.
“The Myanmar people supported the lady (Daw Aung San Suu Kyi) but they didn’t even understand the speech. It looks a bit weird,” said Andrew David, 50, an American tourist. “They have blind trust in her. I’m not sure they can separate personal respect and political issues. But they looked very impressed.”
When Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s concluded her speech after 25 minutes, all of the people shouted the State Counsellor’s name again and sang nationalist songs.
Some groups of people were giving free bottled water to the public while the speech was being delivered.
People continued to mill around the City Hall long after the speech was finished. Some of those who understand English tried to explain to the other what Daw Aung San Suu Kyi told her international audience.
“I hope the international community would finally be able to understand the true situation in Rakhine,” U Htin Lin Aung, 40 years old. He is wearing red T-shirt with the state counselor’s photo. He looks very satisfied after hearing Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s explanation.
While it is uncertain whether her speech could tame the international criticisms against the Myanmar governent’s handling of the Rakhine issue, there is one thing that cannot be disputed: The Myanmar people are behind Daw Aung San Suu Kyi all the way.