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Where is Aung San Suu Kyi? Myanmar's deposed leader held in secretive capital

From Daily Star · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • Myanmar's deposed leader Aung San Suu Kyi is reportedly under house arrest in the capital Naypyidaw, a city designed for secrecy.
  • Her move from prison to house arrest was announced by junta leader Min Aung Hlaing as an act of mercy, but critics call it an image-laundering ploy.
  • The exact location of Suu Kyi is unknown, even to members of her own party, highlighting the opaque nature of Naypyidaw.

Aung San Suu Kyi, Myanmar's deposed leader, is reportedly confined to house arrest in the capital, Naypyidaw. However, her precise whereabouts remain a closely guarded secret within the purpose-built city, known for its labyrinthine compounds and deserted highways.

Min Aung Hlaing, the junta leader who ousted Suu Kyi in a 2021 coup, announced her transfer from Naypyidaw prison to house arrest in April. He presented this as a merciful gesture, marking his transition from military ruler to civilian president following tightly controlled elections. Critics, however, dismiss this as a tactic to improve his international image, asserting that the 81-year-old Suu Kyi remains as isolated as ever.

Not everyone can know her location. I don't know. Because I am one of the people.

— Thein Tun OoA member of the pro-military Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) explains the lack of information regarding Aung San Suu Kyi's whereabouts.

Even within the pro-military Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), which backed Min Aung Hlaing, her location is unknown. "Not everyone can know her location," stated Thein Tun Oo, a party spokesman. "I don't know... Because I am one of the people."

Being in the city is its own kind of house arrest. That's very much on purpose, with a political agenda in mind.

— Galen PardeeAn architect describes the isolating nature of Naypyidaw, the capital of Myanmar.

Naypyidaw, meaning "Abode of Kings," was established as the capital in 2005 by a previous military ruler. Urban theorists suggest its remote location was chosen out of paranoia regarding popular uprisings and foreign intervention. The city's vast, empty scale, patrolled by security forces, creates an atmosphere described by an architect as "the complete opposite of what a traditional urban planner would say makes a good city." This design, he noted, is "very much on purpose, with a political agenda in mind."

Suu Kyi, who spent much of her early life abroad, returned to Myanmar in 1988 to lead a campaign for popular rule. Her activism previously led to 15 years of house arrest in her Yangon home, which had become a pilgrimage site for supporters.

Everything looks the same to us. We are still confused by some roads. We do not know where she's kept.

— A resident of NaypyidawA 25-year-old resident of Naypyidaw expresses the difficulty of navigating the city and her ignorance of Aung San Suu Kyi's location.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Daily Star in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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