Aris's dream come true

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Aris?s dream come true

The Times of India (New Delhi)
September 24, 2000

A year ago, when the shy Oxford don and Tibetologist Michael Aris, the
husband of Aung San Suu Kyi, lay dying of cancer in London, he had two
last wishes. To be granted permission to fly to Yangon to say goodbye to
his wife, the Nobel laureate and Myanmar?s opposition leader, who was
struggling for democracy and whom the Burmese military had prevented
from meeting for most of the past decade. The second was to create a
permanent center for Tibetan and Himalayan studies in Britain.
Tragically, he was never granted his first wish, but his second recently
became a reality. Ari was denied a visa to go to Myanmar, but the
military junta suggested that Suu Kyi fly to London. Suu Kyi knew that
if she left, she would end up in permanent exile. It was a heartbreaking
decision to have to make, to put her commitment to her country above her
family. But she refused to leave, and on his 53rd birthday Aris, who had
virtually been bringing up their two sons Kim and Alexander alone,
slipped into a coma and died without saying goodbye to the wife he so
adored.

But thanks to a wealthy benefactor, Aris? identical twin Anthony has
been able to establish the Michael Aris Memorial Trust for Tibetan and
Himalayan studies, with Prince Charles as the patron.