After five years without contact, son says Myanmar’s Aung sounds strong but remains isolated

First call in five years

Aung San Suu Kyi was ousted in the 2021 military coup and moved to an unspecified location in the capital. Aris believes she is in a residence in Naypyidaw, though he said he is not certain where she is.

Images and isolation

Activists have called for proof that Aung San Suu Kyi and other political prisoners are alive. She was photographed during a Red Cross visit in August, and last week officials released images of her smiling as she received gardening books from King Charles.

Aris said his mother is not allowed newspapers, radio or television and is unaware of events beyond her location. He described the military’s invitation to speak as part of a public-relations effort and said she should be freed.

Rohingya crisis shaped reputation

Aung San Suu Kyi’s international standing was damaged by the mass killings and expulsions of Rohingya Muslims in 2016 and 2017. At the International Court of Justice in The Hague, she said military units might have used disproportionate force, while defending her government against genocide allegations.

Aris said his mother was not silent on the crisis and pointed to a domestic inquiry and a commission led by former UN chief Kofi Annan. He said the military had worked to weaken her position while Myanmar’s early democracy was fragile.

Support has declined

Aris said global public support for his mother had fallen sharply since the Rohingya crisis. He added that Myanmar as a whole now receives less international attention. Governments have called for Aung San Suu Kyi’s release, Aris said, but she is no longer regarded as the beloved international figure she once was.