Suu Kyi Son Hears Mother's Voice After Five-Year Silence

Kim Aris heard his mother's voice for the first time in more than five years on Thursday. The call, made at the Myanmar embassy in London, revealed that Aung San Suu Kyi remains in good physical and mental condition despite years of confinement. Aris, who has lived in the United Kingdom for most of his adult life, said his 81-year-old mother sounded strong and mentally sharp. He expressed belief that she is held in solitary confinement, surrounded only by military or police personnel.

The former state counsellor was deposed in a 2021 military coup. Since then, authorities have kept her in an unspecified location in the capital, Naypyidaw. Aris believes she is held in a fenced-off residence with scrubby land surrounding it. He noted that the military leadership has used this contact as part of a public relations campaign to rebuild diplomatic ties. In April, former junta chief Min Aung Hlaing swapped military fatigues for civilian clothes following elections that many observers condemned as a sham.

The call comes amid growing demands from activists for proof of life for Suu Kyi and other political prisoners. In August, a Red Cross visit included photographs of her. Last week, a government spokesperson released images of Suu Kyi smiling in a wood-paneled room. Officials handed her two gardening books gifted by Britain's King Charles. A paper calendar on the wall behind her displayed the date. Aris described these photo opportunities as familiar stunts designed to suggest fair treatment.

Aris emphasized that his mother is completely shut off from the world. She is not allowed newspapers, radio, or television. He stated that she has been locked up for five years on politically motivated charges. The daughter of independence hero Gen Aung San has faced house arrest multiple times since the late 1980s while leading pro-democracy movements. Her international standing declined after mass killings of Rohingya Muslims in 2016 and 2017. At the International Court of Justice, she acknowledged disproportionate force by military units but defended the government against genocide accusations.

Aris rejected the notion that his mother was silent on the Rohingya crisis. He said her comments on the issue could fill volumes. Under her leadership, Myanmar began a domestic inquiry and appointed former UN chief Kofi Annan to lead a commission. Aris described his mother as walking a tightrope as state counsellor, aware that the military could remove her power at any time. He said the army worked to undermine her position before the takeover.

The 2021 military takeover triggered a civil war that conflict monitors say has killed more than 100,000 people. Aris noted that global public support for his mother has dwindled since the Rohingya crisis. He argued that the lack of international attention to the country now is not solely due to the handling of the Rohingya situation. He referred to the country by its former name, Burma, in his remarks.