The health of Myanmar’s detained former leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, has become a significant point of concern, with her son expressing grave worries about her well-being and the junta offering only vague assurances. The situation highlights the ongoing opacity surrounding the fate of the 80-year-old Nobel Peace Prize laureate, who has been imprisoned since the military seized power in a 2021 coup.
Kim Aris, Suu Kyi’s son, shared his anxieties in an interview conducted in Tokyo earlier this week. He revealed that he has had no contact with his mother for several years and suspects she is being held in strict isolation in Naypyidaw, the nation’s capital. This lack of communication fuels his fears that she could pass away without his knowledge.
Aung San Suu Kyi, a globally recognized figure for her pro-democracy activism, was detained following the military takeover that dissolved her democratically elected government. She is currently serving a lengthy sentence of 27 years, convicted on a series of charges that include incitement, corruption, and election fraud. Suu Kyi maintains her innocence and denies all accusations leveled against her.
In response to growing international concern, the Myanmar junta issued a statement on Tuesday, asserting that “Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is in good health,” using a respectful honorific for the former leader. The statement, published on junta-controlled Myanmar Digital News, provided no substantiation, such as recent photographs, independent medical verification, or any confirmation of access granted to her family, legal counsel, or international observers.
Aris, reacting to the junta’s declaration on Wednesday, expressed his skepticism. “The military claims she is in good health, yet they refuse to provide any independent proof, no recent photograph, no medical verification, and no access by family, doctors, or international observers. If she is truly well, they can prove it,” he stated. A spokesman for the Myanmar junta did not respond to requests for comment.
Concerns Amidst Upcoming Elections
Aris had previously voiced his hope that the upcoming multi-phase elections in Myanmar, scheduled to commence on December 28, might present an opportunity for the military to release Suu Kyi or ease her detention, perhaps through a transfer to house arrest. Historically, Myanmar’s military has been known to grant prisoner releases to coincide with holidays or significant national events. Notably, Suu Kyi herself was freed in 2010, days after an election, concluding a prior extensive period of incarceration.
However, Aris has joined a growing chorus of critics, including several foreign governments, who have denounced the upcoming polls as a fraudulent exercise designed solely to legitimize the military’s continued rule. The junta, in turn, has accused Aris of attempting to undermine the election process. This election marks the first general poll since 2020, when the military alleged that Suu Kyi engaged in electoral fraud.
The junta’s statement regarding Aris’s alleged interference read: “This is merely a fabrication, timed and distributed to disrupt the free and fair multi-party democratic general election that will be held in Myanmar in the near future.”
Suu Kyi’s party, the National League for Democracy, which was Myanmar’s dominant political force, has been officially dissolved. Furthermore, a significant number of other political groups opposed to the military regime are boycotting the elections.
Addressing the junta’s accusations, Aris clarified his position: “I have no intention of interfering in Burma’s politics. But after years of total isolation, secrecy, and silence, any son would begin to fear the worst,” he remarked, referencing the country’s former name. His profound distress was evident as he continued, “My concern is growing because my mother has been hidden for so long that I now have to ask the most painful question: is she still alive?” This sentiment underscores the deep-seated anxiety surrounding Suu Kyi’s current condition and the lack of transparency from the ruling junta.
