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Michael Aris and Aung San Suu Kyi – The Unfailing Love Story
- Thara Tlau
"Dr. Aris's perseverance and dedication to his wife and family, and to the cause of human rights and democracy in Burma, earned him the respect and admiration of citizens around the world." – Bill Clinton, the 42nd President of the United States.
Aung San Suu Kyi, a Nobel laureate, was a born politician. She was the only daughter of the most revered politician and freedom fighter of Burma, General Aung San who was also credited as the founder of modern Burmese military. He was assassinated in 1947, the same year Burma attained independence, when Aung San Suu Kyi was only two years old. After independence and after the death of her father, her mother became a prominent politician of Burma and was later on appointed as the ambassador to India. Suu Kyi followed her mother to India and graduated from Lady Shri Ram College in New Delhi.
Suu Kyi proceeded to UK to continue her studies at Oxford where she met her to-be husband Michael Aris. Dr. Michael Aris was a scholar and a leading Western authority on Bhutanese, Tibetan, and Himalayan culture and taught Asian history at Oxford. He was born in Havana, Cuba. His father was an officer with the British Council. He was educated at Worth School and graduated from Durham University. After graduation from Durham, he spent six years as the private tutor of the children of the royal family of the Kingdom of Bhutan. He married Suu Kyi on New Year's Day 1972 and the couple spent a year in Bhutan.
After their return to UK, Michael continued with his postgraduate studies at the University of London and obtained PhD in Tibetan Studies. Suu Kyi returned to Burma in 1988 to nurse her dying mother who had suffered a severe stroke. It was at this time that her inborn political intuition surfaced out and that she entered Burmese politics unwittingly. General Ne Win stepped down and there were nationwide demonstrations for democratization of Burma. She had been overwhelmingly influenced by Mahatma Gandhi’s philosophy of nonviolence. So she founded National League for Democracy to fight for Burmese democracy by nonviolent means. Consequently, she was kept under house arrest by the military junta but offered freedom if she so desired to leave the country which she refused.
Michael described the episode leading to their separation as: "It was a quiet evening in Oxford, like many others, the last day of March 1988. Our sons were in bed and we were reading when the telephone rang. Suu picked up the phone to learn that her mother had suffered a severe stroke. She put the phone down at once and started to pack. I had a premonition that our lives would change for ever." During the years of separation Michael continued his teaching and research at Oxford while raising the couple's sons and also lobbying hard for the cause of Burmese democracy in the West. St John's College, where he was teaching, was also supportive to Michael and Suu Kyi for their fight for democracy. Michael was provided with an extended leave of absence as a fellow on full stipend so that he could lobby for his wife's cause.
In 1997, Michael was diagnosed with prostate cancer which was found to be terminal. His last wish was to see his wife before his death. However, the Burmese regime denied him visa stating that they didn’t have facilities to care for him. Several countries and prominent leaders including Pope John Paul II and Kofi Annan appealed the Burmese authority on behalf of the separated couple, on humanitarian ground, to grant Michael a visa to visit his wife in Burma. However, the Burmese authority didn’t pay heed to any of those appeals.
Michael Aris died in 1999 without realising his wish to see his wife one last time. He died unattended by the one whom he loved so dearly and for whose cause he was fighting for. The last time he saw her was during Christmas in 1995.
``I am so fortunate to have such a wonderful husband who has always given me the understanding I needed. Nothing can take that away from me.'' - Aung San Suu Kyi, March 27, 1999.
13 comments:
Beautiful story.
On second thoughts, ka lo ngaihtuah ve mai mai... Aung-i hi hnamdang pasal nei tih ang velah an buaipui ve hi chu ka ringlo.. :D
very touching story..!
uh..so sad!! an va khawngaihthlak awm reuh ve aw...a pasal chu ka khawngaih tawp...!!
@illusionaire: hehe, mizo hnam awmchhung chuan "hnamdang nupui/pasal a neih" tih leh "corruption" hi chu debate topic lar ber leh interesting ber a ni dawn a ang.
@epistemology: yes it's more touching when it's not a mere fiction. michael's love for his wife & suu kyi's love for her motherland/fatherland will always be remembered.
@awzzman: mizo upain in engtin nge an tih kha nupa thihnain a then khan... dar lehlam sahthlak ang an tiin ka hria. chutiang khawpa na chu a ni an tia lawm...
Oh! Michael, four years and two painful years without the love of his life! What a story.. so touching, so very sad ending.
@zaia: yes, it's really sad... we too don't know what destiny has in store for us. so, let's spend every moment of our life in a manner worth remembering, not regretting.
The military junta AND the Chinese, Indian and Russian governments that support them and we who spport those governments with our silence and buying of their goods - have everything to answer for.
@ Louise Brookes: the neighbouring countries will be wooing burma more and more coz none of them cant resist themselves from the natural resources reserves she possesses. meanwhile let us also know that its not at the best interest of the people of burma to "excommunicate" the military junta from the world communities as the US govt did by its 'sanctions' which only causes hardships to the common men... engaging the junta may be more gainful in bringing a lasting solution to the burmese problems.
really sad story :'( I am crying now
I think after each crisis, there is a victory. The sacrifice that Michael and Suu made for humanity came with victory, a victory that conquers the hearts of men. I believe if everyone of us tries to do more good deeds, we won't have people like Michael and Suu to take over all the burdens.
Even though I have nothing to do with this history or country, I'm inspired by the love they show for people to being justice to humanity.
Bahai Faith also teaches me to prove ourselves in deeds rather than words.
Meishi from Malaysia and US.
This is such a touching story. The battle for true democracy has a high price tag with a long drawn out process. Such a legacy of the high cost will hopefully bring lasting peace in a Land where 'subtle and brutal politics' have had a shameful and recurring feature.
Hollywood, Bollywood, Britain or ??? need to make a block buster of this endearing family story to inform and educate humanity.
What wonderful family values during trials across two cultures and 'a never ending hope' emerge for a nation ever echoing the lines and chorus amist the drowning melodrama of a socialist system of government.
May's here, Appreciate for this love story & highly recommend to you all to watch "The Lady" is dedicated to Daw Su, now showing in Singapore. It is based on true story, really touching though.
I don't want to talk political, but it's really hurt for her entire life & we can see that how much she sacrificed for Burma.
And always appreciate & admire to Dr, Aris by standing her like truly life partner.
"It was a quiet evening in Oxford, like many others, the last day of March 1988", he once wrote. "Our sons were already in bed and we were reading when the telephone rang. Suu picked up the phone to learn that her mother had suffered a severe stroke. She put the phone down and at once started to pack. I had a premonition that our lives would change forever." (Dr Michael Aris)
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