11:34 AM
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By Andrew Stevens, CNN May 31, 2012 -- Updated 0028 GMT (0828 HKT)
Workers welcome Suu Kyi as 'savior'
It began this morning in
the blistering heat of Mahachai, the center of Thailand's fishing and
seafood industry, a nondescript town of canneries and fish markets.
By the time we arrived, a
couple of hours before Suu Kyi was due, the two stopping-off points of
her trip were already thick with thousands of Burmese waiting to catch a
glimpse of the Myanmar opposition leader, who is making her first trip outside the country in more than 20 years.
At the fish market, with
not a breath of wind and a powerful smell of shrimp in the air, they
waited patiently, clutching flags and pictures of Suu Kyi and her
father, former prime minister Aung San, the man who liberated what was
then known as Burma from British rule.
When she arrived it was
chaos. Suu Kyi was not expected to get out of the car -- her people had
been told it may be too dangerous because of the crowds -- but she did
anyway, to the delight of her compatriots.
At the community center
nearby the crowds were much bigger, thousands strong, and chanting her
name and singing the national anthem. Young men, women and families
mingled, laughed and sweat under the searing sun.
When she arrived she
initially could not get out of the car because of the crowds and was
taken down a side alley where she could get into the community center.
Moments later, to an ecstatic crowd, she appeared on a third-floor
balcony to tell her supporters that she would not forget them and that
she would fight for their rights.
The effect was electric
as her words hit home. Many smiles turned to tears of joy -- such is the
hope these Burmese migrants have of returning to their homeland and a
job.
Inside, Suu Kyi spoke to
community leaders and workers. Each told a story of the trials they
faced. After 40 minutes it was time to move on, to return to the capital
and a busy schedule of meetings.
She spoke to the media
only briefly, saying she would not take questions but instead outlining
what she had heard from her people. Her commanding presence in an
outdoor public arena is only amplified inside a room.
In all, her visit lasted
just about three hours. Not long, but long enough to send a very clear
message that her new-found travel freedom will be used to push democracy
and human rights for Myanmar harder than ever.
Suu Kyi will be back in Yangon by the end of the week. Next stop, Europe.
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