Aung San Suu Kyi speaks with son Kim Aris after five years

Myanmar’s former leader Aung San Suu Kyi has had her first phone conversation with her son, Kim Aris, in over five years. The 20-minute call was permitted by the Myanmar military government, allowing Aris to speak from the Myanmar embassy in London to his mother in Naypyitaw.

Aris reported that despite her 18-year sentence and long period of incommunicado detention, Suu Kyi sounded “strong” though her voice was slightly croaky. He noted that her first concern during the call was his own well-being.

Aris also expressed ongoing concerns regarding his 81-year-old mother’s health, mentioning she reported significant pain in her right hand. While military doctors conduct periodic health checks, Aris expressed skepticism regarding the reliability of those assessments. Suu Kyi has been detained since the February 2021 military coup.