12-9-2023 (LONDON) Kim Aris, the son of Myanmar’s detained former leader Aung San Suu Kyi, has expressed extreme worry about his mother’s deteriorating health. Suu Kyi, a 78-year-old Nobel laureate, has been experiencing difficulties with eating and has been denied access to an outside doctor, according to Aris, who resides in Britain. She has suffered from bouts of dizziness, vomiting, and a severe gum disease during her more than two years of detention.
“I am extremely worried about the state she is in,” Aris stated. “She is not as strong as she used to be. If she is unable to eat, then the situation is not looking hopeful.”
Myanmar has been embroiled in turmoil since early 2021 when the military overthrew Suu Kyi’s elected government and unleashed a crackdown on opponents of military rule, resulting in the imprisonment or death of thousands. Suu Kyi herself is facing 27 years of detention on 14 criminal charges, including incitement, election fraud, and corruption. She has consistently denied all charges and has been appealing against her convictions.
The Myanmar embassy in London and the military government’s spokesperson did not respond to requests for comments regarding Suu Kyi’s health and conditions. Kim Aris, who collected the Nobel peace prize on his mother’s behalf in 1991, has had no contact with her since her most recent detention, and his repeated requests to the military have gone unanswered.
“There is no way of communicating with her,” he lamented. “She is not even allowed care packages. She is not allowed access to her legal counsel. She is not allowed visitors. She is not allowed to mingle with other prisoners. It is basically a form of solitary confinement.”
In August, the military granted a pardon to Suu Kyi on five of the 19 offenses for which she had been convicted but stated that she would remain under house arrest. However, Aris disputed this claim, asserting that it was an attempt to spread misinformation and appease the international community.
“They are trying to disseminate this disinformation about my mother being moved to house arrest. This is all about appeasing the international community, but the international community is well aware of this disinformation.”
Numerous governments have called for the unconditional release of Suu Kyi and thousands of other political prisoners. Some countries, including the United States, European Union, and Britain, have imposed sanctions on Myanmar’s military. Aris has engaged with Britain’s foreign ministry, but he acknowledged that there was limited action they could take due to the absence of a working relationship with the military.
Aris emphasized the need for continued international pressure on the military, including stronger sanctions. He relies on Myanmar television channels and social media for updates on his mother’s situation. When asked if he is concerned about the possibility of never seeing his mother again, he responded, “Obviously, it is a worry.”
