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MIZZIMA : Exiled Burmese mourn the (r)



Subject: MIZZIMA : Exiled Burmese mourn the death of Michael Aris, condemn

, military junta
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Exiled Burmese democracy activists mourn death of Michael Aris, condemns
the military junta
New Delhi, March 28th 1999
MIZZIMA News Group

Burmese democracy activists who are taking shelter in India mourned the
death of Michael Aris who passed away on Saturday. "At this moment of
tragedy and sorrow, we would like to express our wholehearted solidarity
and togetherness with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and her sons, Alexander and
Kim," they said in a statement issued by India-based Women Rights and
Welfare Association of Burma. Michael Aris, a British academic and husband
of Burma's pro-democracy leader Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi, died of cancer on
his 53rd birthday in an Oxford hospital in Britain. 

They also condemned the ruling military junta in Burma for its denial of
visa to Mr. Aris who wanted to pay a farewell visit to his wife in
Rangoon. "We strongly condemn the military government for having had
denied the request of ailing Michael Aris for visa to Burma," India-based
Burma students and youth said in their statement released today.

The military government had stalled on his visa application till the death
of Mr. Aris. Instead, it preferred his wife Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi to go to
Britain to nurse her husband. 

Religious prayers were also held today among the Burmese community in
India for the well being of Ms. Suu Kyi and her sons. In the morning, a
group of India-based students and youth offered "hsun"(meal) to the
Buddhist monks in a Buddhist monastery in New Delhi. Burmese Christian
Association and United Baptist Church held a joint prayer service in the
afternoon for the well being of Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi and for her future
activities at Janak Puri in New Delhi, where most of the exiled Burmese
activists live. 

They urged the military authorities to allow their leader Ms. Suu Kyi if
she wishes to go to Britain for her husband's funeral and to allow her
entry back to Burma. About 500 Burmese are currently living in New Delhi.
They came to India after the massacre of the peaceful demonstrators by the
military authorities in Burma a decade ago.

MIZZIMA News Group