In an interview with VOA Burmese Service on Jan. 6 Monday, pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi said her political tour in western Rakhine State was successful and positive despite harassment by local authorities.
She was very pleased with the warm and whole-hearted welcome by the local people and the support shown to her. She said she was trying to be on the right track in politics: "In a country its people are important. If people support you it means that you are taking the right path in politics."
She praised the local people for their unity and courage to show their support resolutely to her even though local authorities tried to harass and intimidate them. She also said she was very encouraged and delighted when townspeople considered her as their family member, not just a Burmese citizen.
She said it was very encouraging that there is a tremendous sense of more national solidarity, political motivation, more seriousness among Burmese than they were in 1988 and 1989.
Meanwhile, a Rakhine leader told VOA Burmese Service that the military government was trying to cause dissension and create misunderstanding between Aung San Suu Kyi and ethnic nationalities, by releasing only the members of her party - National League for Democracy - from prisons and allowing only NLD for organizing party activities.
The ruling military later denied any harassment and intimidation ever took place.