Detained Suu Kyi Meets ICRC Representative Amid Health Concerns

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Yangon: Myanmar's detained former leader Aung San Suu Kyi met with an International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) representative on Monday, in what is believed to be her first publicly acknowledged meeting with a foreign official since the military deposed her elected government in a February 2021 coup, according to the president's office.

The 81 years old Nobel Peace Prize winner and ICRC local representative Arnaud de Baecque met in Naypyitaw, Myanmar's capital. While officials did not disclose the specifics of their discussions, the visit comes amid ongoing international concern about Suu Kyi's health, jail circumstances, and access to independent observers.

Suu Kyi has been detained since the military seized power in 2021, ending a decade of partial civilian administration and prompting widespread protests that turned into a prolonged civil conflict. She was convicted in a succession of politically driven trials, which were highly condemned by international rights organisations and Western countries. Earlier this year, she was sent from prison to house arrest in Naypyitaw due to health concerns.

The Red Cross visit is regarded as a significant humanitarian breakthrough, as the organization has previously requested access to detainees and conflict-affected areas in Myanmar. The summit follows Myanmar's government's recent assurances to regional allies that Suu Kyi is in good health and receiving sufficient care.

More than five years after the coup, Myanmar remains in turmoil, with battles between military and rebel forces raging across much of the nation. The military-backed government is under international pressure to release political prisoners and engage in an inclusive political discussion to settle the situation.