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Human Rights Day: The Eleanor Roosevelt Award and
Presidential Medal of Freedom Recipient Aung San Suu Kyi
Excerpts: Clinton Human Rights Day 2000 Observance Remarks
(Awards Presidential Medal of Freedom to Aung San Suu Kyi)
The United States must continue to support emerging democracies abroad not only for free and fair elections but also for strong democratic institutions, good governance and speaking out when the progress of human rights is under threat, President Clinton says.
"The support for human rights means preparing to act to stop suffering and violence when our values and our interests demand it. We cannot right every wrong, of course, but we cannot choose inaction, either," he said December 6 in remarks at a Human Rights Day observance. International Human Rights Day is December 10.
Clinton awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in absentia to Burmese human rights activist Aung San Suu Kyi. The opposition leader of the National League for Democracy is currently under house arrest in Burma. "Her struggle continues and her spirit still inspires us," Clinton said.
The president also presented Eleanor Roosevelt Human Rights Awards to five Americans: Tillie Black Bear, Elaine Jones, Norman Dorsen, Archbishop Theodore McCarrick and posthumously to Fred Cuny.
Following are excerpts of Clinton's remarks:
(begin excerpts)
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
December 6, 2000
REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT AT HUMAN RIGHTS DAY OBSERVANCE
Presidential Hall
Dwight D. Eisenhower Executive Office Building
11:13 A.M. EST
THE PRESIDENT: .... Dr. King once said, injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. This is a lesson we can never afford to forget, especially in this fast-forward century, when satellites, e-mail and jet planes expand the frontiers of human contact and human awareness, and bring pain and suffering instantly home to us. Globalization is bringing us closer together, with many benefits; but as with all new benefits, new responsibilities accompany them. And we have both the moral imperative and a practical incentive to do even more to recognize the rights and dignity of every person, everywhere.
In spite of what we have accomplished, which the Secretary of State articulated so clearly, major challenges lie ahead. We can never stop striving at home to become the more perfect union of our founders' dreams. That means we cannot abandon the struggle against discrimination and injustice here....
.... We also must continue to support emerging democracies abroad. That means, of course, support for free and fair elections, but also support for strong democratic institutions, good governance in the fight against corruption, speaking out when the progress of democracy or the most basic human rights are under threat, whether it's the scourge of slavery in Sudan, the denial of rights to women and girls in Afghanistan, curtailing religious freedom in China....
.... Ultimately, the support for human rights means preparing to act to stop suffering and violence when our values and our interests demand it. We cannot right every wrong, of course, but we cannot choose inaction, either. I have been reminded again and again that much of the best work in promoting human rights and defending freedom is done by people outside government -- students, activists, religious leaders from all walks of life, sharing an unshakable belief in the simple message of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, that all humans are free and equal in dignity and rights....
.... The Presidential Medal of Freedom was created by President Truman to honor noble service in times of war. It was expanded by President Kennedy to honor service in times of peace. I have been privileged to award the medal to many champions of liberty.
Today, we continue that tradition with a difference. The person we honor, Aung San Suu Kyi of Burma, cannot be with us. In fact, she doesn't even know we're here today, thinking of her and her struggle in her country. She sits confined, as we speak here, in her home in Rangoon, unable to speak to her people or the world. But her struggle continues and her spirit still inspires us.
Twelve years ago, she went home to Burma to visit her ailing mother, and found herself at the helm of a popular movement for democracy and human rights. A decade ago, she led her persecuted party in parliamentary elections that were neither free, nor fair; yet they still won 80 percent of the seats. Her victory has never been recognized by the government of Burma, but her hold on the hearts of the people in Burma has never been broken.
In the years since, she had seen her supporters beaten, tortured and killed, yet she has never responded to hatred and violence in kind. All she has ever asked for is peaceful dialogue. She has been treated without mercy, yet she has preached forgiveness, promising that in a democratic Burma there will be no retribution and nothing but honor and respect for the military.
No one has done more than she to teach us that the desire for liberty is universal, that it is a matter of conscience, not culture. When her son, Alexander, accepted her Nobel Peace Prize, he said she would never accept such an honor in her name, but only in the name of all the people of Burma. I imagine she would say the same thing today -- that she would tell us that for all she has suffered, the separation from her family, the loss of her beloved husband, nothing compares to what the Burmese people, themselves, have endured: years of tyranny and poverty in a land of such inherent promise.
Our thoughts are with them. This medal stands for our determination to help them see a better day. The only weapons the Burmese people have are words, reason and the example of this astonishing, brave woman. Let us add our voices to their peaceful arsenal. Keep using every instrument of influence to support Aung San Suu Kyi's quest for democracy through dialogue.
Those who rule Burma should know that they can regain their place in the world, and only when they regain the trust of their own people, and respect their chosen leaders. And the woman we honor today should know, America will also be a friend to freedom in Burma -- a friend for as long as it takes to reach the goal for which she has sacrificed so very much.
I would like to ask Alexander to come up here, and I'd like to ask the Major to read the citation.
(The citation is read.) (Applause.)
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you all for coming today. We are adjourned.
END 11:37 A.M. EST
December 6, 2000
Today, President Clinton presented five Eleanor Roosevelt Human Rights Awards in celebration of Human Rights Day. He also awarded Burmese human rights and democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi with the Presidential Medal of Freedom . This year’s ceremony marks the 52nd anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1948 to affirm the fundamental freedoms and human rights of all people. (Human Rights Day is usually celebrated on December 10, which this year falls on a Sunday.)
Human rights and democracy are integral to American values and also reinforce U.S. interests worldwide. President Clinton has made the promotion of democracy and human rights a significant component of his Administration’s foreign and domestic policies.
The Eleanor Roosevelt Human Rights Award
Eleanor Roosevelt was a driving force behind the adoption in 1948 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. President Clinton established this award in 1998 to honor her commitment to the principles of the Declaration.
This year, the Secretary of State recommended, and the President approved, five distinguished U.S. citizens to receive the third annual Eleanor Roosevelt Award for Human Rights for their achievements in human rights leadership at home and abroad.
The 2000 Eleanor Roosevelt Awardees are:
Tillie Black Bear: For more than 20 years, Tillie Black Bear has been a strong voice for Native American and women’s rights and a leading advocate for victims of domestic violence. She founded the first shelter for battered women on an Indian reservation in 1977 and has worked with energy and determination to prevent domestic abuse, provide counseling and empower women with the tools they need to succeed.
Frederick Charles Cuny: For a lifetime of service to the civilian victims of conflict and disaster. From Africa to Central America, from Northern Iraq to Southeast Asia, from the Balkans to the Caucasus, Fred Cuny worked with vision, courage, sensitivity and compassion to relieve suffering and rebuild lives. The individuals he inspired and the humanitarian organizations he established carry on his legacy of service today. (Mr. Cuny’s son Craig Cuny will receive the award on behalf of his late father.)
Norman Dorsen: For half a century, in landmark Supreme Court cases and congressional hearings, as President of the American Civil Liberties Union and Chairman of the Board of the Lawyers Committee for Human Rights, as an attorney and an educator at the New York University School of Law, Norman Dorsen has been a tenacious and outspoken defender of human rights, using the power of law to uphold civil rights at home and human dignity around the world.
Elaine R. Jones: In almost three decades at the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Elaine Jones has committed herself to the pursuit of equal justice for all. As one of our Nation’s leading civil rights attorneys and a vital force for change, she has represented the LDF in landmark cases before the Supreme Court, promoted groundbreaking civil rights legislation and widened the circle of opportunity for all Americans.
Most Reverend Theodore Edgar McCarrick: Archbishop McCarrick has been a lifelong human rights advocate. Whether seeking justice for immigrants and refugees, aiding the homeless and the hungry, championing religious freedom or advocating debt relief for developing countries, he has sought to loosen the bonds of fear, poverty and oppression and to affirm human dignity wherever it is denied.
The Presidential Medal of Freedom
The Presidential Medal of Freedom is American’s highest civilian honor, created by President Truman to honor noble service in times of war and expanded by President Kennedy to honor service in times of peace.
Aung San Suu Kyi: Aung San Suu Kyi is one of the world’s most prominent figures in the struggle to advance democracy and human rights. In response to the tyranny and brutality of the military regime ruling her native Burma, she has become a unifying voice for the oppressed, founding the National League for Democracy and leading it to an electoral victory that has never been honored by the Burmese government. Despite enduring house arrest, separation from her loved ones, and threats against her life, she has refused to be silenced. Her unwavering commitment to securing a free Burma through nonviolent means is an inspiration to people around the world. (Alexander Aris will receive the medal on behalf of his mother.)
Born in 1945 she is the child of assassinated Myanmar independence hero Aung San -- a man almost universally respected in the country, including the top ranks of the military.
That heritage has given her a unique position in Myanmar society, meaning that from the point of view of the ruling regime she cannot simply be locked in jail and the key thrown away.
Indeed on occasions such as Martyr's Day she has even been invited to stand alongside the ruling generals as they honor the heroes of Myanmar independence.
Alluding to her family history she has often described her mission to bring democracy to Myanmar as "the second struggle for national independence."
It is a cause which she came to lead almost by accident.
In 1988 after spending most of her life in the UK, she returned to Myanmar to care for her ailing mother.
Instead after the brutal suppression of a pro-democracy uprising that August she found herself swept into politics, delivering a series of speeches at rallies across the country calling for democratic government.
Inspired by the writings of Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King she urged those opposed to the military rulers to follow a policy of non-violent protest.
Her commitment to her country was, however, perhaps most painfully illustrated in 1999 when her husband, the Oxford academic Michael Aris, became terminally ill with cancer.
Denying him a visa for a final farewell visit, the government instead suggested that Aung San Suu Kyi travel to England to visit him.
The generals had long been suspicious of Aung San Suu Kyi's marriage to a foreigner and had used it on many occasions in the rigidly controlled state media to cast doubts on her patriotism.
Fearing that if she left, she would not be allowed back and she refused to go, virtually throwing the government messenger out of her house.
In March 1999 Aris died -- the couple had not seen each other in three years.
Despite long periods of isolation and few public appearances, she continues to lead the push for change in Myanmar through dialogue and negotiation.
Confident that she retains immense popular support her patience and belief in the righteousness of her cause have contrasted sharply with the paranoia and bullying tactics of the generals who hold power.
 December 07, 2000- Washington: US President Bill Clinton has conferred America's highest civilian honor on Burma's pro-democracy leader, Aung San Suu Kyi.
Today, President Clinton presented five Eleanor Roosevelt Human Rights Awards in celebration of Human Rights Day. He also awarded Burmese human rights and democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. This year’s ceremony marks the 52nd anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1948 to affirm the fundamental freedoms and human rights of all people. (Human Rights Day is usually celebrated on December 10, which this year falls on a Sunday.)
Human rights and democracy are integral to American values and also reinforce U.S. interests worldwide. President Clinton has made the promotion of democracy and human rights a significant component of his Administration’s foreign and domestic policies.
The Presidential Medal of Freedom: The Presidential Medal of Freedom is American’s highest civilian honor, created by President Truman to honor noble service in times of war and expanded by President Kennedy to honor service in times of peace.
Aung San Suu Kyi is one of the world’s most prominent figures in the struggle to advance democracy and human rights. In response to the tyranny and brutality of the military regime ruling her native Burma, she has become a unifying voice for the oppressed, founding the National League for Democracy and leading it to an electoral victory that has never been honored by the Burmese government. Despite enduring house arrest, separation from her loved ones, and threats against her life, she has refused to be silenced. Her unwavering commitment to securing a free Burma through nonviolent means is an inspiration to people around the world.
(White House, Washington, DC, USA)
Aung San Suu Kyi was unable to collect the Presidential Medal of Freedom in person because she is under virtual house arrest in the Burmese capital Rangoon.
"She sits confined, as we speak here, in her home in Rangoon, unable to speak to her people or the world." Mr. Clinton said as he presented the award to her son, Alexander Aris. "But her struggle continues and her spirit still inspires us."
Aung San Suu Kyi is already a Nobel Peace Prize winner because of her opposition to the country's military rulers who have now confined her to her home.
Her National League for Democracy (NLD) party won a landslide victory in elections in 1990 but the military authorities refused to hand over power.
Bravery: Mr. Clinton warned Burma's rulers they would remain outcasts until they allowed Aung San Suu Kyi's party to take power.
Paying tribute to the democracy leader, he added: "She has seen her supporters beaten, tortured and killed, yet she has never responded to hatred and violence in kind. All she has ever asked for is peaceful dialogue.
"The only weapons the Burmese people have are the words of reason and the example of this astonishingly brave woman." he added.
"America will also be a friend to freedom in Burma - a friend for as long as it takes to reach the goal for which she has sacrificed so very much."
Aung San Suu Kyi was confined to her house in September after trying to leave the capital to visit party supporters in Mandalay.
The authorities also placed her under house arrest for six years from 1989 until 1995.
The Medal of Freedom was established by President Harry Truman as a wartime honor. President John F Kennedy reintroduced it as way to honor civilian service. (BBC)
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Medal History
