We are fortunate to be livingin an age when social welfareand humanitarian assistance arerecognized not only as desirablebut necessary. I am fortunateto be living in an age when thefate of prisoners of conscienceanywhere has become the concernof peoples everywhere， an agewhen democracy and human rightsare widely， even if not universally，accepted as the birthright of all. How often during my years underhouse arrest have I drawn strengthfrom my favourite passages inthe preamble to the UniversalDeclaration of Human Rights：
我们很幸运地生活在社会福利和人道援助不仅被视为是所需的且是必需的时代。我自己很幸运地生活在这样一个良心犯的命运被一切人所关切的时代。在这样一个时代，民主和人权被广泛（即便不是得到大众的认同）视为一切人天生不可剥夺的自然权利。在软禁期间，我曾经常从《世界人权宣言》序言中我所喜欢的段落中汲取力量：
Disregard and contemptfor human rights have resultedin barbarous acts which haveoutraged the conscience of mankind， and theadvent of a world in which human beings shallenjoy freedom of speech and belief and freedomfrom fear and want has been proclaimed as thehighest aspirations of the common people， it isessential， if man is not to be compelled to haverecourse， as a last resort， to rebellion againsttyranny and oppression， that human rightsshould be protected by the rule of law…
鉴于对人权的无视和侮蔑已发展为野蛮暴行，这些暴行玷污了人类的良心，而一个世界人权宣言人人享有言论和信仰自由并免予恐惧和匮乏的世界的来临，已被宣布为普通人民的最高愿望，鉴于为使人类不致迫不得已铤而走险对暴政和压迫进行反叛，有必要使人权受法治的保护……
If I am asked why I am fighting for humanrights in Burma， the above passages will providethe answer. If I am asked why I am fighting fordemocracy in Burma， it is because I believethat democratic institutions and practices arenecessary for the guarantee of human rights.
如果有人问我为何投身于缅甸的人权事业中，上述引文就是我的回答。如果有人问我为何投身缅甸的民主事业中，那是因为我相信民主制度及其实践是人权的基本保障。
Over the past year there have been signsthat the endeavours of those who believe indemocracy and human rights are beginningto bear fruit in Burma. There have beenchanges in a positive direction； steps towardsdemocratization have been taken. If I advocatecautious optimism it is not because I do nothave faith in the future but because I do notwant to encourage blind faith. Without faithin the future， without the conviction thatdemocratic values and fundamental humanrights are not only necessary but possible forour society， our movement could not have beensustained throughout the destroying years. Some of our warriors fell at their post， somedeserted us， but a dedicated core remainedstrong and committed. At times when I think ofthe years that have passed， I am amazed that somany remained staunch under the most tryingcircumstances. Their faith in our cause is notblind； it is based on a clear-eyedassessment of their own powersof endurance and a profoundrespect for the aspirations of our people.
在过去的一年中，种种迹象显示那些笃信民主和人权的人们的努力开始在缅甸开花结果。情况正向积极方向扭转；当局采取了一系列的民主化举措。如果说我的乐观态度是审慎的话，那不是因为我对未来没有信心，而是因为我不想鼓励盲信。没有对未来的信念，没有这样的信念——民主价值和基本人权不仅是必要的，而且在我们的社会中是完全可能实现的，那么，我们的事业就不可能在过去的这些艰苦岁月里得以保持至今。我们中的一些斗士在他们的岗位上倒下，一些离开了我们，但是我们中最核心的一群依然保持着强有力的信念和使命感。我时常想起过去的这些年，许多人在最艰苦的环境下依然忠贞不渝，这样的坚持令我感叹不已。他们对我们事业的信念不是盲目的，而是建立在对自身的坚毅力量的明智判断以及对人民智慧的深刻尊重的基础之上的。
It is because of recent changes inmy country that I am with you today；and these changes have come aboutbecause of you and other lovers offreedom and justice who contributedtowards a global awareness of oursituation. Before continuing to speakof my country， may I speak out for ourprisoners of conscience？ There stillremain such prisoners in Burma. It is tobe feared that because the best knowndetainees have been released， theremainder， the unknown ones， will beforgotten. I am standing here because Iwas once a prisoner of conscience. Asyou look at me and listen to me， pleaseremember the often repeated truth thatone prisoner of conscience is one toomany. Those who have not yet beenfreed， those who have not yet beengiven access to the benefits of justicein my country number much morethan one. Please remember them anddo whatever is possible to effect theirearliest， unconditional release.
正是由于我国近期发生的一些变化，我才能有机会今天在此与诸位共聚一堂。而这些变化之所以发生，正是因为有你们，以及其他热爱自由和正义的人们，努力推动国际社会意识到我们的处境。在提到我的祖国之前，请允许我为我们的良心犯说几句话。在缅甸，依然有许多这样的良心犯。有人担心，因为最着名的被软禁者已被释放，其他的人，那些不知名的人士，将会被遗忘。我今天站在这里，正是因为我曾经是一位良心犯。当你们看到我，听我发表演讲之时，我恳请诸君记住常被人说起的一段至理名言：良心犯一个都嫌多。那些尚在囹圄中的人们，那些在我国尚不能获得正义权利的人们，远远不止是一个。请记住他们，并竭尽你们所能尽早促成他们的无条件被释放。
Burma is a country of manyethnic nationalities and faith in itsfuture can be founded only on a truespirit of union. Since we achievedindependence in 1948， there never hasbeen a time when we could claim thewhole country was at peace. We havenot been able to develop the trust andunderstanding necessary to removecauses of conflict. Hopes were raisedby ceasefires that were maintainedfrom the early 1990s until 2010 whenthese broke down over the courseof a few months. One unconsideredmove can be enough to remove long-standing ceasefires. In recent months，negotiations between the governmentand ethnic nationality forces have beenmaking progress. We hope that ceasefireagreements will lead to politicalsettlements founded on the aspirationsof the peoples， and the spirit of union.
缅甸是一个多民族国家，对国家未来的信念只能建立在真正团结的精神之上。自从我们1948年获得主权独立以来，整个国家从来没有一刻处于真正的和平之中。我们没能建立起基本的信任和谅解，以此来消除导致冲突的原因。从20世纪90年代早期到2010年，停火协议极大地增加了人们对国家和平的希望。但2010年这些协议在短短几个月的时间内被彻底打破。一个没有经过审慎考量的做法，就足够彻底毁灭长期以来达成的停火协议。最近几个月，政府和少数民族武装之间的谈判已经取得了一定的进展。我们希望，停火协议能够带来以人民意愿和统一精神为基础的政治和解。