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Subscribe to RSSMyanmar opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi has been presented with Congress' highest award, the Congressional Gold Medal in honor of her leadership and commitment to human rights in Burma.
U.S. officials hailed Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi as a "heroine" and praised her “implacable resistance” and "quiet resolve" Wednesday in a Congressional Gold Medal ceremony at the U.S. Capitol.
"Today we are proud to honor her with a Congressional Gold Medal, the highest honor the Congress can bestow," House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said.
Among those who praised Suu Kyi's leadership were Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Sen. John McCain, former first lady Laura Bush, Sen. Mitch McConnell, House Speaker John Boehner and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.
"It’s almost too delicious to believe, my friend, that you are here in the rotunda of our Capitol... as an elected member of your parliament," Clinton said.
"[Suu Kyi's] contribution to Burma is decades old and just beginning," Laura Bush added.
Suu Kyi said receiving the honor was one of the most moving days of her life and thanked the United States for its support of her struggle for democracy in Myanmar.
Suu Kyi's journey to global icon: a heart-breaking tale of personal sacrifice
"From the depths of my heart I thank you, the people of America, and you, their representatives, for keeping us in your hearts and minds," Suu Kyi said.
President Barack Obama was to later meet Suu Kyi in the Oval Office, normally reserved for visiting foreign presidents and prime ministers.
A senior administration official said there would be no news coverage because Suu Kyi is not a head of state. That also likely reflects concerns that her Washington visit could overshadow the country's reformist president, Thein Sein, who attends the annual gathering of world leaders at the U.N. General Assembly in New York next week.
On Wednesday, the U.S. removed sanctions that blocked any U.S. assets belonging to Sein and the speaker of its lower house of parliament and that generally barred American companies from dealing with them.
Ease sanctions on Mynamar, Democracy leader Suu Kyi says on US tour
Suu Kyi, who won the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize for championing democracy in opposition to a military junta that held her under house arrest for years, began her U.S. tour on Tuesday by meeting with Clinton.
Suu Kyi warned on Tuesday that reforms in her country had cleared only the "first hurdle" and said she supported an easing of U.S. sanctions as part of a broad partnership with Washington.
Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi says, "I do support the easing of sanctions, because I think that our people can start taking responsibility for their own destiny." Watch Hillary Clinton's introduction and Suu Kyi's speech.
The Nobel laureate said the economic sanctions were a useful tool for putting pressure on Myanmar's military government in the past, but now the people need to consolidate democracy without outside help.
"I do support the easing of sanctions, because I think that our people can start taking responsibility for their own destiny," she said at the U.S. Institute of Peace in Washington on the opening day of a two-week tour.
"I do not think we should depend on U.S. sanctions to keep up the momentum of our movement to democracy. We have to work at it ourselves and there are very many other ways in which the United States can help us," said Suu Kyi.
Since Suu Kyi herself was freed from house arrest in late 2010, she has transitioned from dissident to parliamentarian. Now confident of her position in Myanmar and free to travel abroad without being barred from returning, Suu Kyi has in the past four months also visited Thailand and Europe, where she was accorded honors usually reserved for heads of state.
Reuters and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
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I am not so sure getting an award from this particular Congress is really such a great honor.
Agreed that this particular congress is pitiful, to say the least, but it is still a honor to receive the highest recognition from the most successful democracy when you have devoted your life to the democratic idea.
This award to Sui Kyi is attempt to thaw a diplomatic freeze between Burma and USA while at the same time as an attempt to lessen China's influence in Burma. It remain to be seen whether such gifts and adoration from America in the name of championing democracy will have any lasting value once America's goal has been achieved. If history is any guide, America will say " Wam Bang! Thank you madam!" and then slam the door.
As in else where in the Pacific-India ocean and Asia arena, Clinton has suddenly began courting the affections of the various nations in the region with promises of American foreign aid and out right grants. Last month, Clinton announced on one of the Fuji island that USA will donate $20 million to the tiny nation. As Clinton keeps on giving, America hopes its influence in the region keeps on growing despite having ignored these remote nations for several decades.
Sui Kyi is no dummy. She knows American politic well enough to milk it both ways. Unfortunately, most Americans only see the surficial meaning of the Congressional award.
A pity this fine woman had to be the victim of nothing more than a glorified photo op for some of Washington's most questionable politicians, i.e. Pelosi, Feinstein, Reid etc.!
It shows that America honors her, and not just congress. And people, its no longer Burma. Its Myanmar.
The people praising her sound more like a rogues gallery than elected officials.
I believe that she was under house arrest when the award was made . . . perhaps during the G W Bush presidency.
Actually if you were honest and read the article you'd understand she was put under house arrest in 1991 and remained there while Clinton was President.
Isn't America Great? Dissidents from other countries get our countries Highest award, but our Dissidents get pepper sprayed in the eyes and then thrown in Jail. Be a Dissident somewhere else but not in America land of the "Free".
When you cause destruction of property, rape, and assualts on innocent people, your free speech doesnt save you there.
The pepper spraying of the students, if that was what you were refering to, was wrong though. I agree.
Aung San Suu Kyi has more "balls" than the entire U.S. Congress except on "Lady Legislators' Day"
[BTW...See "Beyond Rangoon" with Patricia Arquette if you like historical films that deal accurately in a solid but introductory way with this subject.]
Her speech was wonderfully written. I find the amount of hope that someone still has after being through and so much misery in their life to be heartening. Her understanding of what democracy is seems to be from the perspective of someone who's is untainted by the difficulties that democracy can have, such as gridlock and obstructionism. Her's is distilled version of democracy, one that brings security and hope for all of its people. I think that we could all learn something from Suu Kyi.
She (Suu Kyi) is beautiful, inside and out.
Had to look outside the U.S. to bestow honors?
Can't do as they are told by their constituents...
Fire every Dem and Rep...
Let Freedom Ring . . . Around the world.
Dictatorship is a formula for failure, North Korea, You're next.
In fact Burma has come a long way towards democracy and looks like the current goverment is slowly melting down. All thanks and kudos go to her. She has never given up the fight, thou she spend decades under house arrest.
The thought that one person is to credit with something like this is absurd. Change happens because of people...Not person, unless its a rare thing..
we the people, just relax, she is a symbol of the fight for freedom and democracy.
We the people,,,,,,, another could example of the struggle like hers is Nelson Mandela. He was in jail for 28 years for his believes.
Since when do we give medals to non-citizens?
If you bothered to look it up, you'd find that over half the Congressional Gold Medals have gone to non-citizens. Here let me make it easy for you.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Congressional_Gold_Medal_recipients
I looked it up before I saw your link.I don't know how to add addresses like that
i wonder if Alex Wagner of MSDNC was there to welcome her fellow countrywoman ?
Congress needs to focus on their Job, as Obama does. Come November lets send all of the packing, and if the next group can't focus on the country (Ours) lets send them packing as well.
NoBama 2012
Silly me I thought this honor was only given to Americans who risked there lives protecting this country on the field of battle. This person is a criminal from another country how does that merit a award of honor. Then again I wonder how that merited being elected President when saw Obama running for office.
Your right, silly you complaining about something you have no knowledge of. Next time you might want to spend a few minutes researching your complaint before you open your mouth.
Yeah, how wrong of them to honor a woman who has championed the freedom of her country while under constant threat and giving hope to dying and oppressed people. What were they thinking.
Congrats,now congress,get back to work
.