Myanmar Military Enables First Phone Call Between Detained Aung San Suu Kyi and Son

The isolation of Myanmar’s former leader ended briefly on Thursday when Aung San Suu Kyi spoke to her son for the first time since the military coup of 2021. The 20-minute call marked the first direct contact between the 81-year-old Nobel laureate and Kim Aris in nearly six years. Aris, a carpenter living in London, said he learned the details of her current living situation and physical condition during the brief conversation.

Myanmar’s military-backed government stated that the Embassy in London coordinated the call. Khaing Khaing Soe, a spokesperson for President Min Aung Hlaing, shared photographs of the two on social media. Aris confirmed that Suu Kyi is being held at a residence near the capital, Naypyidaw. He described the location as a fenced-off building with a nondescript garden, surrounded by police and military personnel. Although she is not in a prison cell, Aris characterized her situation as solitary confinement.

Suu Kyi’s health remains a central concern for the family. She reported suffering from tendonitis in her hand, which causes considerable pain and limits her ability to use it at times. She told her son she receives a medical checkup every six months. While she can read books, Aris does not believe she has access to news through radio, television, or newspapers. The conversation was strictly monitored by the military, which excluded sensitive topics such as the ongoing civil war.

The call occurred against the backdrop of a conflict that has killed approximately 100,000 people, according to the monitoring group ACLED. The United Nations reports that millions have been displaced. ACLED noted that the military has escalated attacks on civilians since Min Aung Hlaing became president in January. He remains under U.S. sanctions for human rights abuses, including the 2016-2017 killings and expulsions of Rohingya Muslims, which Washington declared a genocide.

Analysts view the detention as a strategic tool for the military. Richard Horsey of the International Crisis Group described Suu Kyi as the most valuable card Min Aung Hlaing holds. He warned that she could become a bargaining chip while airstrikes continue and stated that her release is very unlikely. Nay Phone Latt, a spokesperson for the exiled National Unity Government, argued that the regime fears releasing her because her strength would combine with the revolution.

Aris suspects the military arranged the call to improve its international image as the president travels abroad seeking legitimacy. He recalled the previous regime’s practice of photographing parcels sent to Suu Kyi during her house arrest in Yangon from 1989 to 2010. He hopes that global governments will not be swayed by the gesture. The U.S. State Department urged the military to hold genuine dialogue with opposition groups and called for her immediate and unconditional release in August.

Suu Kyi was first sentenced in 2021 on corruption and electoral fraud charges, which Western countries and human rights groups have widely condemned as fabricated. Consecutive trials increased her total sentence to 33 years, later reduced so she has 18 years remaining. Aris plans to send a care package containing a mix of healthy food and treats. He is considering sending Ben's Cookies, a brand founded in Oxford, England, where Suu Kyi raised her sons with her late husband, the British scholar Michael Aris, before moving to Myanmar in 1988.