In fact Justin
Wintle’s book presents much more than this. It does document the life, examine
the politics and describe the actions of its dedicatee. But it also traces her
background, both personal and public, and considers the status of her family in
Burmese national consciousness. It describes in some detail the life of her
legendary father, General Aung San. But Perfect Hostage is even more again. The
book provides a wonderful account of Burma’s recent history, examining the
politics, the role of the military and popular movements and then in more
recent times the responses of the dictatorship in precise and informative
detail. Passages that describe Burma’s participation in the Second World War
are particularly illuminating, especially when juxtaposed with the course of
later events.
From this account
of her life, Aung San Suu Kyi emerges as a rather paradoxical figure. She is
cast as both assertive in her commitment to do something for her country, and
simultaneously ponderous in her apparent unwillingness to grasp opportunities
when they arise. Again paradoxically we appreciate her determination to seek
change, alongside her reluctance to destabilise. Her ultimate aim appears to be
unification, but this may be in itself unachievable, since the diversity of
interests at play may prove irreconcilable.
Throughout, via
Justin Wintle’s admirably constructed work, we appreciate the contribution of
Aung San Suu Kyi’s husband, Michael Aris, to his wife’s achievement. Together
they shared personal, intellectual and political interests in Burma, interests
that eventually led to action. This joint desire to act may have eventually
have led to a separation, but that separation was merely corporal, since the
couple’s joint motivation continued to thrive. And, via its consideration of
Michael Aris’s role in events, Perfect Hostage eventually presents a
wonderfully rounded and complete account of the personal, family and public
life that Aung San Suu Kyi has led.
The book is
surprising in its scope, its depth and its scholarship, but only because its
title suggest something rather less than comprehensive. An example of the
detail the book presents will illustrate. Justin Wintle relates some of the
personal proclivities of Ne Win, Burma’s military ruler for many years. “If he
travelled outside the capital, he did so in a flight of helicopters, his staff
having made sure that all stray dogs in the vicinity – especially those with
crooked tails – had been rounded up and slaughtered. For Ne Win was fearful of
stray dogs – especially those with crooked tails...” Following on from this, we
are told that when Ne Win was warned of an impending assassination attempt, he
would trample in his bedroom on the entrails of a dog or in a bowl of pig’s
blood and then “he would raise his revolver... and shoot himself in the
mirror.” You just cannot make this up.
Human history, it
seems, is full of such ridiculous detail. But it is also full of honesty,
endeavour and idealism. Justin Wintle’s portrayal of Aung San Suu Kyi is
replete with all of these qualities.
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