Suu Kyi Receives King Charles's Gift Books as Myanmar Courts Diplomatic Ties

Myanmar's military-backed government has released the first photos in two months of detained former leader Aung San Suu Kyi, saying officials delivered a package to her from King Charles III. Critics say the episode is part of a push by the country's rulers to escape diplomatic isolation.

A presidential spokesperson said on social media that home ministry officials met Suu Kyi on Monday and handed over two gardening books about soil, a sealed envelope and a sealed diplomatic pouch, according to The Guardian and Al Jazeera. Charles is known for his interest in gardening and the environment.

What the photos show and what is known

The Guardian reported that the images show Suu Kyi, 81, smiling in a wood-paneled room with a paper calendar on the wall. Al Jazeera said the two pictures show her meeting two men whose backs face the camera, and that the room appears similar to the one in images released in August, when she met a Red Cross representative. The contents of the letters from the king have not been disclosed.

Al Jazeera reported that authorities on Tuesday called her a “special female prisoner,” the first time they have used that term for her. According to The Guardian, she is serving multiple sentences under house arrest at an undisclosed location in the capital, Naypyidaw.

How the story reached this point

• 2015: Suu Kyi wins an election, according to The Guardian.
• 2021: A military coup removes her from power and triggers a civil war that the conflict monitor ACLED says has killed more than 100,000 people.
• April: Coup leader Min Aung Hlaing is installed as civilian president after elections that were widely condemned as a sham. Al Jazeera noted that Suu Kyi's party did not take part, and that she was moved to house arrest soon afterward.
• August: An International Committee of the Red Cross visit gives the first clear sign of her whereabouts and health in some time, and Al Jazeera described it as her first publicized meeting with a foreign official since she was ousted.
• Monday: Officials deliver King Charles's gifts, and the government publishes the photos.

Reactions from her son and rights groups

Kim Aris, Suu Kyi's son, who lives in London, said he welcomed the king's gesture. He warned that the military should not be allowed to use selective disclosures to create “an illusion of normality” or gain international legitimacy, and said his mother's fundamental human rights continue to be violated.

Phil Robertson of the group Asia Human Rights and Labour Advocates told The Guardian the photo opportunity was part of Myanmar's quest for global legitimacy. He argued that Southeast Asian neighbors have tired of dealing with the military leadership and want to move on, and that Myanmar is occasionally presenting Suu Kyi to help them do so.

Why it matters: a government seeking acceptance abroad

For readers in Britain and the U.S., the episode shows how Myanmar's government is using a personal gesture from the British monarch in a wider effort to rebuild ties. The Guardian reported that Min Aung Hlaing has visited Laos, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and, this month, Malaysia, where he received an official welcome and an honor guard. The regional bloc Asean had earlier barred him from its summits for not following a peace plan it brokered.

He has also reached out to Washington. In a September interview with Time magazine, he said it would be ideal if the U.S. could cooperate with his government. Reuters reported that U.S. and Myanmar officials later held talks in Naypyidaw and Tokyo, in part about shutting down scam centers that target Americans, though The Guardian said the talks could broaden to Myanmar's mineral deposits. The State Department has said it is re-examining the tools the U.S. has used to promote its interests in the country. Min Aung Hlaing remains under U.S. sanctions for human rights abuses, including the 2016-2017 mass killings and expulsions of Rohingya Muslims that Washington considers a genocide. Myanmar denies the genocide accusation.

The international community, including Britain, has called for Suu Kyi's release and for access to her, Al Jazeera reported, but the government has rejected those calls. Rights groups say the charges against her were fabricated to return power to the military. In the Time interview, Min Aung Hlaing said he has been extremely lenient toward her.

Suu Kyi's international standing suffered after she defended Myanmar against genocide allegations at the International Court of Justice while serving as state counselor. China has become Myanmar's key global partner, according to The Guardian.

Sources: The Guardian, Al Jazeera