THE male voice on the other side of the telephone two weeks ago brought good news: Tempo’s request to interview Burma’s pro-democracy leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, got the green light. “But I remind you, everything is uncertain here. So come and take your chances,” said the voice of a member of the National League for Democracy (NLD), the political party led by Suu Kyi.

Tempo reporter Maria Rita Hasugian immediately flew to Bangkok, Thailand