Musician Ralph Tourkow is fondly remembered as a talented musician who had a jovial sense of humor and a schedule of dinner dates. His family and friends agree that to meet Tourkow was to instantly meet a friend.
Aung San Suu Kyi spoke to about 5,000 people at Memorial Coliseum this morning, thanking Fort Wayne for hosting and educating Burmese refugees and inviting them to "look back to Burma."
If those who have left Burma wish to return, Suu Kyi said she would "do my best to achieve this goal."
Calling the United States "the greatest democracy in the world," she said it was teaching her country how to be a democracy -- through discussion and debate, negotiation and compromise.
She also said service provided joy and satisfaction, and said she hoped opportunities would exist for Burmese refugees living outside Fort Wayne.
Suu Kyi spoke for about 10 minutes, partly in English and partly in Burmese, before taking questions from the audience.
She referred to the country as Burma, its former name. It now is known internationally as Myanmar.
Suu Kyi was welcomed by Fort Wayne Mayor Tom Henry, Sen. Dan Coats, R-Ind., IPFW Chancellor Vicky Carwein and other dignitaries.
"We are now at the most important and delicate juncture" of the transformation to democracy, Suu Kyi said.
"Now we have to sort out what is really necessary, what is really progress, from what seems to be necessary and seems to be progress."
She asked her audience to keep up its awareness of what is happening in Burma, and not just on the surface.
"Real progress is improvement in the lives of ordinary people," Suu Kyi said.
She also said:
- It's important to preserve the culture of all races.
- Burma needs to amend or change its constitution to give equal opportunity.
- Even if you fail, have the courage to go on.
- Good leaders must be honest with themselves and others.
- Burma needs to tailor its education system to be among the best in the world and suited to the country. At one time it was among the world's best, but it deteriorated under military rule, she said.
Suu Kyi answered questions for nearly an hour. Those written in Burmese were answered in that language, and questions written in English were answered in English. In some cases, translation from Burmese to English appeared on screens in the arena and on WFWA-TV, Channel 39, which broadcast her appearance live. In other cases, the translation did not appear, or appeared after a lengthy delay.
Fort Wayne resident Elizabeth Sidell was first in line to get a seat.
Sidell said she arrived by bicycle at 3:30 a.m. She said she was alone until a line of people started forming shortly after 5 a.m.
"I'm just a fan of Aung San Suu Kyi," Sidell said. "This is like having Nelson Mandela here.... It's unbelievable that she is here."
Students from Fort Wayne Community Schools, East Allen County Schools, Smith Academy and Northern Wells Community Schools were among the audience.
For more on this story, visit www.journalgazette.net later today or see Wednesday's print edition of The Journal Gazette.
Brian Francisco, Sarah Janssen and Tom Pellegrene Jr. of The Journal Gazette contributed to this story.
