Detained Myanmar leader speaks to son after silence
Kim Aris received a rare phone update from his mother, Aung San Suu Kyi, who has 18 years left on her sentence.
By Stefan Greco ·
A twenty-minute phone call broke a six-year silence between a detained former head of state and her adult son. Kim Aris, a carpenter living in London, spoke with his mother, Aung San Suu Kyi, on Thursday. It was their first direct conversation since the military coup in 2021 toppled her government. The call revealed the current conditions of the 81-year-old Nobel laureate, who has been under military control for most of that time.
Suu Kyi faces a reduced total sentence of 33 years on corruption and electoral fraud charges. She has already served part of that time and still has 18 years remaining. The charges were widely condemned by Western governments and human rights groups as fabricated. Khaing Khaing Soe, a spokesperson for the military-backed president, confirmed the call on social media. He stated that Myanmar’s Embassy in London arranged the connection. The office also shared separate photographs of the mother and son.
Aris learned during the call that his mother is held in a residence near Naypyidaw, the capital. He described the location as a fenced-off building with a scrubby garden, surrounded by police and military personnel. He believes she is effectively in solitary confinement despite not being in a prison cell. She can read books but likely lacks access to radio, television, or newspapers. Aris noted that she asked for a care package containing a mix of healthy food and treats, specifically considering Ben's Cookies, a brand from Oxford where she once lived with her late husband, Michael Aris.
Health concerns remain a priority for the family. Aris said his mother sounded strong but suffers from considerable tendonitis in her hand. At times, she cannot use the affected limb. She receives a health checkup every six months. The family has long worried about her physical condition during her extended detention.
The military likely monitored the conversation, according to Aris. Sensitive topics, including the ongoing civil war, were off limits. He compared the call to the regime’s practice during his mother’s house arrest in Yangon from 1989 to 2010, when officials photographed parcels sent to her for propaganda purposes. Aris views the call as a bid to improve the image of coup leader Min Aung Hlaing. Hlaing, installed as president after a military-engineered election in January, is traveling abroad to seek legitimacy. Aris hopes foreign governments will not be deceived by the gesture.
The conflict has exacted a heavy toll on Myanmar. The monitoring group ACLED estimates that the civil war has killed about 100,000 people. The United Nations reports that millions have been displaced. ACLED says the military has escalated attacks on civilians since Hlaing became president, even as regional governments increase diplomatic engagement. Hlaing remains under U.S. sanctions for human rights abuses, including the 2016-2017 killings and expulsions of hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims, which Washington declared a genocide.
Nay Phone Latt, spokesperson for the exiled National Unity Government, believes the regime dares not release Suu Kyi. He argues that her strength would combine with the revolution. Richard Horsey of the International Crisis Group called her status a valuable card for Hlaing. He warned she could become a bargaining chip while airstrikes continue. Horsey said her release is very unlikely and would not on its own end the war.
The U.S. State Department said it remains concerned about those it considers unjustly detained. Its Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs called for Suu Kyi’s immediate and unconditional release in August. Aris said the call may be a one-off. His mother believes she gives the people of Burma strength by sharing what they are going through.
Source: NPR
