Suu Kyi's son confirms five years of strict isolation
Kim Aris describes his mother's mental state and living conditions after a rare phone call at the Myanmar embassy in London.
By Gabriela Ivanov ·
Aung San Suu Kyi has been held in near-total isolation for five years, her son said following his first conversation with her since the 2021 military coup. Kim Aris spoke from the Myanmar embassy in London on Thursday, where he was permitted to call the 81-year-old former leader. He described her as mentally sharp and physically strong, but essentially alone.
Aris said he believes his mother has no one around her except military or police personnel. He characterized her confinement as solitary, noting that she is cut off from the outside world. The former Nobel Peace Prize laureate was deposed in 2021 and subsequently moved to an unspecified location in the capital, Naypyidaw. Aris believes she is held in a fenced-off residence surrounded by scrubby land.
The former junta chief, Min Aung Hlaing, has sought to rebuild diplomatic ties abroad. In April, he switched from military fatigues to civilian clothes following elections that critics widely condemned as a sham. Aris viewed the invitation to call his mother as part of a public relations campaign by the military leadership. He noted that the regime frequently uses photo opportunities to suggest fair treatment.
Last week, a government spokesperson released images of Suu Kyi smiling in a wood-panelled room. Officials were seen handing her two gardening books as gifts from King Charles of Britain. A paper calendar on the wall behind her displayed the date. Aris dismissed such visuals as familiar stunts. He stated that she is not allowed newspapers, radio, or television.
"She's been locked up for five years on trumped-up, politically motivated charges and she should be free," Aris said. He added that she remains completely shut off from the rest of the world. Activists have long demanded proof of life for Suu Kyi and other political prisoners. She was last photographed during a Red Cross visit in August.
Aris addressed the international perception of his mother's legacy. He said global support has dwindled since the 2016 and 2017 Rohingya crisis. He argued that Suu Kyi was never silent on the issue and that her responses could fill volumes. He noted that Myanmar began a domestic inquiry and appointed former UN chief Kofi Annan to lead a commission under her leadership.
The 2021 takeover triggered a civil war that conflict monitors say has killed more than 100,000 people. Aris said the lack of international attention to Myanmar is a problem for the entire country. Using the nation's former name, he stated that people ignoring what is happening in Burma should not be attributed to the actions taken against the Rohingya.
