Myanmar’s detained leader Aung San Suu Kyi traded health concerns with her son in their first call in 5 years

Myanmar's former leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who has been detained for over five years, spoke briefly with her son Kim Aris on the phone for the first time in five years. The 81-year-old democracy icon sounded strong and like herself, according to her son, who described her voice as having a slight cold. Suu Kyi, serving an 18-year sentence under house arrest in Myanmar's capital, Naypyitaw, has been kept under house arrest since February 2021 after the military ousted her elected government.

The conversation between mother and son began with Suu Kyi inquiring about Aris's wellbeing. Kim Aris has been actively campaigning for his mother's release, including undertaking a 50-mile skateboarding marathon to raise funds for humanitarian aid to Myanmar. Concerned about her mother's health, Kim was informed that his mother suffers from tendonitis in her right hand, which sometimes prevents her from using it.

Suu Kyi spends six-month checkups with military doctors, though Aris questions their reliability. Suu Kyi's detention and whereabouts are shrouded in secrecy, with little clarity about her living conditions, though Aris described a limited garden space in her residence. The recent exchange between Aung San Suu Kyi and her son appears to be part of a diplomatic effort by Myanmar's military-backed government to restore its international standing after being isolated following the 2021 coup.