Is Myanmar Preparing For A New Reality Without Aung San Suu Kyi?

Last updated on October 10th, 2023 at 01:43 pm

The Supreme Court in Myanmar has rejected appeals against six corruption convictions for the imprisoned former leader Aung San Suu Kyi, according to media reports.

The Nobel Peace Prize laureate has been in detention since the military toppled her government in a 2021 coup. She faces 27 years in jail.

The country has been in turmoil since the seizure of power and the junta’s brutal crackdown on opponents, with a number of individuals arrested or killed.

Junta Grants Partial Pardon, Cuts Jail Term By Six Years

Suu Kyi is appealing scores of convictions for crimes ranging from bribery and treason to violations of the telecommunications law.

In August, the court rejected five appeals by the Nobel laureate on illegally importing and possessing walkie-talkies, sedition and violating restrictions concerning COVID-19.

While the junta recently granted a partial pardon, reducing Suu Kyi’s prison sentence by six years, critics and her son said the move meant nothing.

Suu Kyi Reportedly In Poor Health

The former leader has been fighting for democracy for over three decades. For many in Myanmar, she has been the beacon of hope that the country will one day embrace democracy.

Her family says she is in poor health. Sources close to the 78-year-old say she has chronic gum disease and also suffers from low blood pressure.

And her son, Kim Aris, says Suu Kyi has been vomiting, suffers from dizziness and is being denied access to recommended healthcare, an accusation junta denies.

Myanmar In A Post-Suu Kyi Reality

“Despite genuine concern over her reportedly deteriorating health … Myanmar is now in a post-Aung San Suu Kyi reality,” said David Scott Mathieson, a Myanmar analyst in Thailand.

The view that Myanmar’s struggles must be solved by a select few with a “born-to-rule mindset” is generating frustration among youngsters, he noted.

They understand the struggle for freedom is not just about bringing Suu Kyi out of jail but about freeing the entire Myanmar from the grip of the military.