Aung San Suu Kyi’s Reith lectures

The issue of strategic importance in relation to human rights came up in Aung San Suu Kyi’s Reith lectures (http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0126d29), a moving analysis of political activism under a repressive regime.  She was asked after her second lecture by Xenia Dormandy of Chatham House whether there are lessons for the international community concerning action in Burma similar to that there has been in the Middle East.  Aung San Suu Kyi’s answer was:

I don’t think the world was as interested in what was going on in Burma as it is now in what is going on in the Middle East. It may be because we are much more aware of what is happening there. It may be because there are differences between the strategic position of Egypt and the strategic position of Burma. But I think that I would like the world to care for each and every bit of the world in the same way when it comes to basic human needs.

Later in the discussion Xenia Dormandy asked:

Is there a narrative that can be explained as to why democracy in Burma is so important that the international community should be taking actions that are otherwise not directly perceived to be in their national interest?

And the reply was:

[...] I think I would like to say that we would like more done on the basis not just of democracy in Burma but fairness and justice throughout the world. And we are part of the world, and it is not just that you’re doing something for Burma when you help us in our democracy movement. I think you are helping the whole world to have greater access to fairness, to justice, to security, to freedom. I would like people to think of it like that - not just that we’re helping this particular country or that particular country but as promoting more security, more freedom and more justice in this world. 

Despite an increasingly global world we still seem to be some distance from being able to act on this simple basic principle.