Burton Levin

My Conscience

History & Biography

“In this lively and moving memoir U Kyaw Win, one of Burma's most outspoken opposition leaders, vividly brings home the heavy toll exacted on his nation and family by a half century of rule by a succession of incompetent, brutal and swaggering military dictators. Once one of the most prosperous nations of Southeast Asia, by the beginning of this century Burma earned a UN classification as one of the poorest members of the international community. In unfolding the story of his family Dr. Win also unfolds the troubled history of modern Burma. We see through his eyes a nation ruled by fear by a military clique whose loyalty is kept in place by material rewards and special privileges while the Burmese people sink deeper into poverty and despair. But the Burmese picture is not one of unremitting gloom. In fresh detail accompanied by insightful analysis, Dr. Win expounds on the popular uprising of 1988 which, though in the end bloodily suppressed, came close to overthrowing the regime and gave rise to one of its most powerful and determined opponents, Aung San Suu Kyi. He also recounts the regime's unprecedented use of force against Buddhist monks protesting a rise in fuel prices which aroused such popular hatred of the regime that it forced upon the military leadership the need for change. For the past few years that process of change has been underway. Burma is gradually opening to the outside world and its harsh totalitarianism is easing. Burma still has a long way to go and it remains to be seen as to how accommodating the still dominant military leadership will be to the reform process. As Burma stirs favorably it would be remiss not to take our hats off to Dr. Win for a consuming and for the most part lonely five decade long struggle for Burmese freedom. At eighty-two he can let up a bit, secure in the knowledge that he has contributed greatly to breaking the Burmese log jam.”