Myanmar Detention: Suu Kyi Son Describes Five-Year Isolation
Kim Aris spoke by phone with his 81-year-old mother for the first time since 2021, stating she is healthy but cut off from the outside world in Naypyidaw.
By Fatou Kim ·
Aung San Suu Kyi remains in good physical and mental condition after five years of detention, her son told reporters on Saturday. Kim Aris held his first phone conversation with the former leader in more than five years on Thursday. He described her as mentally sharp and physically strong.
Aris said he believes his mother is held in solitary confinement. He does not think anyone lives with her except military or police staff. He identified her location as a fenced residence in Naypyidaw, the Myanmar capital. The specific address remains unknown to the public.
The former state counsellor was deposed in a February 2021 military coup. She has been held in an unspecified location in the capital since then. Activists have long demanded proof of life for her and other political prisoners. A Red Cross visit in August provided photographic evidence of her presence. Last week, a government spokesperson released images of her in a wood-paneled room. Officials presented two gardening books from King Charles III during that appearance.
Aris characterized these photo releases as public relations stunts by the military regime. He stated that Suu Kyi is cut off from newspapers, radio, and television. He argued that she should be released from what he called trumped-up, politically motivated charges.
The military junta has sought to normalize its image abroad since the coup. Chief Min Aung Hlaing switched to civilian attire in April following elections that many observers criticized as a sham. The 2021 takeover started a civil war that has killed more than 100,000 people, according to conflict monitors.
Suu Kyi’s international reputation faced criticism after the 2016 and 2017 Rohingya crisis. At the International Court of Justice, she acknowledged disproportionate force by military units while defending against genocide charges. Aris said his mother was never silent on the issue and noted that she appointed former UN chief Kofi Annan to lead a domestic inquiry.
Aris said global attention to Myanmar has declined since the Rohingya crisis. He used the country's former name, Burma, to argue that international neglect of the current situation should not be attributed to past events. He spoke from London, where he has lived most of his life.
