Aung San Suu Kyi Holds First Known Meeting With Foreign Official Since 2021 Coup

Image: Collected

Myanmar's detained democratic leader Aung San Suu Kyi has met with a representative of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), marking her first publicly disclosed meeting with a foreign official since the military seized power in 2021.

The ICRC confirmed that its resident representative in Myanmar, Arnaud de Baecque, met Suu Kyi on Monday and was able to speak with her privately during the visit.

The military removed Suu Kyi from power in February 2021, detained the Nobel Peace Prize laureate, and sparked a civil conflict that has claimed more than 100,000 lives, according to conflict monitor ACLED.

Min Aung Hlaing, who led the coup and previously headed the military junta, became Myanmar's civilian president in April after tightly controlled elections that excluded Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD). Analysts have described the vote as an attempt to legitimize his rule.

Earlier, Myanmar's presidential office announced the meeting and released photographs showing Suu Kyi meeting and shaking hands with de Baecque. The ICRC confirmed the authenticity of the images but said it did not take the photographs.

Suu Kyi's son, British citizen Kim Aris, has repeatedly sought independently verified confirmation that his mother is alive since she was transferred from prison to house arrest in April after Min Aung Hlaing commuted the remainder of her sentence.

Describing the ICRC visit as "an important first step," Aris said the meeting offered hope that it would lead to greater humanitarian access, direct communication with his mother, independently verified information about her condition, and ultimately the immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners, including Suu Kyi.

A veteran politician from the National League for Democracy, speaking anonymously, said the newly released photographs confirmed that Suu Kyi was alive. The politician also reiterated that she should be released immediately, describing her detention as unlawful.

Government spokesperson Khaing Khaing Soe said the meeting lasted more than 30 minutes and stated that Suu Kyi's health was stable and in good condition.

Now 81, Suu Kyi was transferred to house arrest after Min Aung Hlaing announced that the remainder of her prison sentence had been commuted. She had been convicted on multiple charges that rights organizations say were politically motivated to remove her and her party from public life.

A police Special Branch officer, speaking anonymously for security reasons, said the meeting took place at the residence of a former minister in the capital, Naypyitaw, where Suu Kyi is being held under guard.

Myanmar's authorities have not disclosed the exact location of her detention or how much of her sentence remains.

Myanmar has remained largely isolated internationally since the 2021 military takeover. However, analysts say Min Aung Hlaing has been seeking greater international recognition.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has continued to exclude Myanmar's leadership from its high-level meetings, while neighboring Thailand has been working to re-engage Myanmar through bilateral diplomacy and regional efforts.

Sourcw: ABSCBN