A Glimpse of Light

It isn't often that there are 2 bits of good news on the internet in the morning. But today was actually one of those days.

First: Burma's military government released Aung San Suu Kyi today, after the latest term of her detention had expired. According to CBC, Suu Kyi has spent 15 of the last 21 years in dentention; the latest being a period of 7 1/2 years. She has been under house arrest, not having access to a formal trial, since her party won an election in 1990 and the military refused to hand over power. Coincidentally, her release comes just a week after another election which saw a sweep by the military's political party.

Suu Kyi has been an outspoken, but non-violent, advocate for democracy in Burma, AKA Myanmar. She was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991 and is a devout Buddhist. This unassuming, slim 65 year old woman, is apparently quite a threat to the military. I can't help but think of Gandhi.

Let's hope and pray that her freedom will last and that her work will continue and be successful.

Second: Closer to home, Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his conservative government have (finally) endorsed the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. In 2007, the UN passed the motion with four countries - Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the United States - voting against the declaration. Australia and New Zealand have reversed their stance and finally Canada has followed suit. Our government's concern was apparently that it could re-open already settled land claims. The United States has stated that it will review its position.

For centuries, indigenous peoples have been mistreated, abused, and been robbed. All four of the dissenting countries were settled primarily by the British Empire and in their effort to colonize these countries, set about exterminating or assimilating the indigenous peoples. They were robbed of their land, their livelihoods, their traditional and spiritual culture - and for some, certainly in Canada - robbed of their children.

It's about time they were granted some universal rights. It's sad that it took this long - after the rights of women and children. One only hopes and prays that these rights will have a greater impact on the world than the rights of women and especially children.

Both events offer a glimpse of light in a world that is so often devoid of light. "The kingdom of God has come near." Hallelujah!