FED: Memorial Service in Melbourne for Suu Kyi s husband

AAP General News (Australia)
04-02-1999
FED: Memorial Service in Melbourne for Suu Kyi s husband

MELBOURNE, April 2 AAP - About 200 people attended a combined Buddhist and Christian
memorial service held in Melbourne today for Michael Aris, husband of Burma's democracy leader
Aung San Suu Kyi.

The service, held at the request of Ms Suu Kyi, coincided with a major Buddhist ceremony
which took place today in the Burmese capital Rangoon.

The ceremony held at St Mark's Anglican Church in suburban Camberwell, heard Dr Aris was a
highly esteemed academic who was an expert in Tibetan and Bhutanese culture and religion, and
an extraordinary supporter of his wife who is leading the Burmese opposition against the ruling
military junta.

Dr Aris died of cancer in Britain a week ago after being refused a visa by the junta to
make a farewell visit to his wife.

The vicar of St Mark's, the Rev Alan Nichols and his wife met Ms Suu Kyi during a visit to
Rangoon last year, and had known Dr Aris, an Oxford academic, for several years.

Burmese authorities had denied Dr Aris a visa to make a final visit to his wife, claiming
Ms Suu Kyi should have travelled to Britain to see him.

But the Burmese leader feared that if she went, she would be barred from returning to her
homeland.

Burmese Buddhist Monk Ahshin Pyin Nya Tha led the congregation in prayer in conjunction
with Rev Nichols.

All members of the congregation lit a commemorative candle to mark Mr Aris' death.

Meanwhile, more than 1,000 people have taken part in a religious ceremony at Ms Suu Kyi's
home to honour her husband.

A sombre Suu Kyi without the wreaths of jasmine and other flowers that usually adorn her
hair, offered food and saffron robes to 53 chanting Buddhist monks.

Ambassadors and other diplomats from the United States, European countries and Japan
attended.

The Philippines was the only South East Asian nation represented by sending a diplomat.

The 1991 Nobel Peace Prize winner, who is the military government's strongest political
opponent, made no public statement.

AAP ba/sco

KEYWORD: BURMA AUST NIGHTLEAD

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