6 Dec
2010
6 Dec
'10
11:50 a.m.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Dec. 6, 2010
Contact: John Estrella 202 530 4900 estrellaj(a)rfa.org
<mailto:estrellaj@rfa.org>
Rohit Mahajan 202 530 4976 mahajanr(a)rfa.org
<mailto:mahajanr@rfa.org>
Radio Free Asia Launches Weekly Q&A With Aung San Suu Kyi
On-air forum with freed Nobel laureate exclusive to RFA Burmese service
WASHINGTON, DC - Listeners of Radio Free Asia's Burmese service will be
able to engage Aung San Suu Kyi on topics of their choice in a weekly
series on Friday evenings. "Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the People" invites
RFA's audience to submit questions on any topic, which are then answered
by the recently freed Nobel Peace Prize laureate and Burmese opposition
party leader. The question-and-answer series is an exclusive engagement
with Radio Free Asia.
"After almost two decades under house arrest, Aung San Suu Kyi remains a
beacon of hope and strength to the world," said Libby Liu, President of
Radio Free Asia. "But in her homeland, despite the deep admiration of
her country men and women, her voice was stifled. Now, with this
program, the Burmese people have a unique, public forum in which they
can speak freely with their 'Lady'."
"In Burma, there is no opinion or perspective expressed on official
media apart from that of the ruling regime," said Nyein Shwe, service
director of RFA Burmese. "Many Burmese people never in their lifetimes
imagined they would be able to hear Aung San Suu Kyi discuss her views
nor ask her their questions on the radio. For them, it's a first."
In the series' first installment Suu Kyi answered questions from
listeners on her time under house arrest, global sanctions against
Burma, free speech and human rights, and democracy, among other topics.
Since being freed on Nov. 13, Suu Kyi has been interviewed by outside,
non-state-controlled media, but this series is the first media forum in
which she is participating on an ongoing basis.
To hear excerpts from the first installment of the series in English
online, please visit
http://www.rfa.org/english/women/conversation-aungSanSuuKyi/conversation
1-11302010121141.html
<http://www.rfa.org/english/women/conversation-aungSanSuuKyi/conversatio
n1-11302010121141.html>
# # #
Radio Free Asia is a private, nonprofit corporation broadcasting and
publishing online news, information, and commentary in nine East Asian
languages to listeners who do not have access to full and free news
media. RFA's broadcasts seek to promote the rights of freedom of
opinion and expression, including the freedom to "seek, receive, and
impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of
frontiers." RFA is funded by an annual grant from the Broadcasting Board
of Governors.
Rohit Mahajan
Media Relations Manager
Radio Free Asia
2025 M St. NW, Suite 300
Washington, DC 20036
Email: mahajanr(a)rfa.org
Desk: (202) 530-4976
Cell: (202) 489-8021
www.rfa.org
