Neringa Venckiene: The Lithuanian Aung San Suu Kyi

In my mind and probably in the minds of many others Neringa Venckiene's story has become strongly connected to the fight for democracy of Aung San Suu Kyi of Burma. Locking up Neringa Venckiene in jail as the government plans to do (just like the military junta did with the leader of the opposition Aung San Suu) would only reinforce her image as a martyr and a fighter for freedom and justice. It would make her party stronger and would bring the fall of those who try to break her. But in the coordinated and targeted attack on an innocent woman (and all honest people who tried to protect the child) fighting for justice, the Lithuanian government has revealed itself as a dictatorship.

Aung San Suu Kyi lived a comfortable life in the West (Oxford and then New York working for the UN), but when she returned to Burma in 1988 to care for her ailing mother, she realized that her home country Burma had turned into an oppressive dictatorship which crushed the lives of ordinary people. She realised it was impossible to live in such conditions and led the movement for democracy. As a result, the new junta which came to power after the ruling dictator General Ne Win stepped down, put her under house arrest for 15 of the past 21 years. In those years she saw her husband only 5 times, and few times her sons. But democracy cannot be oppressed. Aung San Suu Kyi prevailed and now she is in parliament leading the opposition and pressing for freedom and justice. This gentle and honest woman has become a symbol for those who will never give up the fight.

In another country in Northern Europe, Lithuania, another woman began a struggle for justice and freedom: Neringa Venckiene. Her struggle also began with an experience within her family, which profoundly changed her perception of Lithuania: her little niece was raped by powerful pedophiles, her brother murdered for trying to get justice and punish the pedophiles - and she herself has become an enemy of the state of Lithuania, attacked with its full force. Now, parliament is removing her immunity to put her, the innocent fighter for justice and democracy - in jail, why not for an indefinite period of time? Again, the parallels between Neringa Venckiene and Aung San Suu Kyi are strong.  Both women fight for democracy against overwhelming enemy, and both women have decided to never stop fighting until justice is done, and people are freed.

And by attacking Neringa Venckiene with the full force of the Lithuanian state, just like the military junta in Burma attacked Aung San Suu Kyi, the Lithuanian government has revealed itself as a dictatorship: 

The Lithuanian government has brutally suppressed the freedom of speech (all main media are controlled), violently crushing the protesters for justice and truth with police and special forces (see videos on this blog). The government of Lithuania has used police and special forces even against innocent children and old people (see other postings and videos in this blog) to crush the new movement led by Neringa Venckiene, the party for Courage. The government, parliament and judiciary cover up the crimes, protect pedophiles and encourage violence against innocent people, because they know that their time has come. They have to go. The desire for justice and freedom in the Lithuanian people cannot be stopped. They cannot be scared. They have nothing left to loose.

Locking up Neringa Venckiene in jail would only reinforce her image as a martyr and a fighter for freedom. It would make her party stronger and would bring the fall of those who try to break her.