NEWS - Sympathy for Suu Kyi Muted b

[Rangoonp@xxxxxxx]

Subject: NEWS - Sympathy for Suu Kyi Muted by Fear in Myanmar

Sympathy for Suu Kyi Muted by Fear in Myanmar

               AP
               28-MAR-99

               BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) -- Sympathy for opposition leader
               Aung San Suu Kyi following the weekend death of her
               husband in Britain was muted in Myanmar Sunday because
               of fear of the military government. 

               The military issued its condolences to its most bitter
               opponent, but the government was branded as "heartless"
               by human rights workers for refusing to allow Suu Kyi a
final
               visit from her dying husband. 

               "I feel sorry for Daw Suu and I think she is a strong and
               brave woman," said Myint Maung, a retired businessman,
               referring to Suu Kyi by a word for "aunt," a term of
affection. 

               "I want to convey my condolences personally, but I am
afraid
               my name will be marked down by the police," he said. 

               With no mention of his death in state-run media, many
               people in the Myanmar capital, Yangon, were unaware that
               Michael Aris, the husband of the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize
               winner, had died in London. 

               Aris, a professor of Tibetan Studies at Oxford, succumbed
to
               prostate cancer in London's Churchill Hospital on
Saturday,
               his 53rd birthday. 

               After he learned of his illness, Aris had applied
repeatedly for
               a visa to see his wife one last time, but authorities had
               refused to allow him into Myanmar, also known as Burma. 

               Instead, they advised Suu Kyi to visit him in Britain.
But she
               refused, fearing the military would not allow her back
into the
               country. 

               The military government issued a statement on Sunday
               saying it "is deeply saddened to hear of Michael Aris's
               demise and sends its sincerest condolences and sympathy
               to the bereaved family in this time of grief." 

               The government said it was "assisting Suu Kyi in enabling
to
               carry out her husband's funeral and religious rites in
               Yangon." It also repeated its offer to help her in

leaving the
               country to attend the funeral in Britain. 

               Suu Kyi spent six years under house arrest from 1989-95.
               Only senior members of her party and diplomats are
allowed
               by the military government to visit her. Anyone else
seeking
               access must sign a list which is forwarded to the
authorities.