A Glimpse of the Lady
Sean Turnell's connection with Aung San Suu Kyi began in 2007 when he was invited to meet her at her home in Yangon, following a series of emails and exchanges. This meeting marked the start of a relationship based on mutual respect and shared goals for Myanmar's future. Turnell was struck by Aung San Suu Kyi’s sharp intellect, her in-depth knowledge of economic issues, and her commitment to the welfare of her people. Their discussions ranged from the mundane to complex economic strategies, indicating a deep and collaborative partnership. As an advisor, Turnell's role evolved to become one of Aung San Suu Kyi’s most trusted voices. He provided insights into Myanmar's economic system and played a crucial role in shaping policies aimed at the nation's development and prosperity. During their time in court together, following the military coup, Turnell and Aung San Suu Kyi faced charges in what he describes as a "bizarre" court setting. Despite the challenging circumstances, their bond and shared commitment to Myanmar's future were evident. The courtroom, often a place of tension, was transformed into a space where they could catch up, share jokes, and discuss serious matters, showcasing the resilience and strength of their relationship even in the most trying times.
“Physically, [Aung San Suu Kyi] was suffering a lot. She was always thin, but I remember the shock of seeing her the first time that she’d seemed to have lost an extraordinary amount of weight.”
Once again, it was Daw Suu at her best. This is why she shot to fame in the first place, of course, through her extraordinary resilience and courage whilst under the tension. That stood out more than anything. I would get to see her every week for the full year of the trial. So, we had many conversations about all sorts of things. We would hardly ever talk about the trial, to be honest, because it was so nonsensical.
I was able to have phone calls every couple of weeks with my wife. So, I knew roughly what was going on. So, I was able to give Daw Suu information about what was going on in the world, Boris Johnson's fall, the death of Queen Elizabeth, the latest goings on of Donald Trump, all of that. We were talking about all sorts of things, literature, the meaning of things, the importance of staying strong, which, I guess brings me to the main point, which was that she was incredibly strong, in good humor. Physically, she was suffering a lot. She was always thin, but I remember the shock of seeing her the first time that she’d seemed to have lost an extraordinary amount of weight. Yeah, immensely strong, and her biggest concern always to keep our spirits up.
I remember, in one particular way, I mentioned that there's a certain shameful aspect. Even though you know you're a political prisoner, you know it's all nonsense, in some ways, you can't help but take on those accoutrements of the criminal justice system, that you've done something wrong. There were prosecutors and lawyers, and police, and all that. And she was just so good at basically deciphering all of that and crushing it all. And just saying, ‘Look, Sean, the others, don't take on this. Don't feel that you've done anything wrong. This is theatre. This is nonsense.’ Yeah, so incredibly strong in all those sorts of ways.
But funny, as well, these awful circumstances, but not lost her sense of humor at all. We got lots of amusement about some of the goings on in the world, for instance, as well as all the serious things. In many ways, I guess the abiding image I have of her is really at her best with all the pressures on her. And I should point out, too, that she was treated in many ways, much worse than the rest of us. I mentioned the importance of books to me, but she was denied books and things like that for a long time. And only sporadically got to access to things like that. Again, I'll put her in that category of Myanmar people whose courage and compassion just helped me get through it.