Nobel Laureate and pro-democracy advocate Aung San Suu Kyi says the people of Burma are closely following events in the Middle East, where largely peaceful protests have forced governments out of office in Tunisia and Egypt. Luke Hunt filed this dispatch for Voice of America (VOA).

Aung San Suu Kyi says Burma’s military government has attempted to block coverage of events in the Middle East from reaching ordinary people without much success. She spoke to foreign correspondents in Kuala Lumpur through an audio link from Rangoon.

The 65-year-old Nobel Laureate said the ousting of governments in Tunisia and Egypt – as well as the confrontation between supporters of Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi and anti-government protestors – were followed closely by the Burmese people.