MYANMAR: Kim Aris Calls to Free his Mother, Aung San Suu Kyi, at the 30th Forum 2000 Conference in Prague

Posted by Asia Views | Oct 15, 2026 | 0 |

-Mizzima-Oct 12

The son of Myanmar democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi Kim Aris spoke at the Forum 2000 today on 12 October in Prague calling on the Myanmar authorities to free his mother, who has been jailed for over five years. The 30th Forum 2000 Conference is being held from 11 to 13 October in the capital of the Czech Republic focused on issues of democracy and human rights, including recognition of Myanmar nationals fighting for freedom for their benighted country that was illegally seized in a military coup in 2021. Aung San Suu Kyi was arrested on the day of the coup and is currently jailed for 18 years under trumped up charges. She is 81. At a time when democracy is under pressure from both external authoritarianism and internal weakening, the Forum 2000 conference seeks to identify practical ways to build a renewed global democratic architecture. Mr Aris took to the stage to highlight the campaign he is running entitled “Free Her” which is calling for the Myanmar authorities to allow her family to visit her, release her unconditionally, and calls for the release of all political prisoners in Myanmar. Excerpts of Mr Aris’ speech: “It has been 13 years since my mother addressed this forum, 13 years during which Burma experienced a vivid taste of progress, hope and freedom under a fledgling democracy, only to witness the military brutalize our nation and strip those hard-won freedoms away. Following the 2021 military coup, Burma has been locked in a devastating civil war and its democratically elected leadership, including my mother, has been imprisoned. When I was 12, I was with her when she was first put under house arrest. Even after I returned to England, I at least knew where she was. But over the past five years, her exact location has been hidden and for a long time we could not even be certain that she was alive. Yet, standing here in Prague today, I am reminded of what my mother said when she addressed this forum in 2013. She spoke movingly of President Havel’s commitment to living in truth and love. In the spirit of President Havel, we continue to live in truth. The struggle in Burma is long and painful, and your continued support on the global stage is vital as the spirit of personal responsibility takes root in our people, ensuring that fundamental freedoms and federal democracy will prevail.” Read more at: https://eng.mizzima.com/2026/10/12/39552

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EXTRICATING NDONESIAN CHILDREN FROM ISIS INFLUENCE ABROAD

Indonesia urgently needs to revisit the possibility of repatriating the neediest of its young citizens stranded abroad, whose families had earlier joined ISIS. Most of these children are in camps in northern Syria but there are also small numbers in the Philippines, Afghanistan and Iraq. “Extricating Indonesian Children from ISIS Influence Abroad”, the latest report from the Institute for Policy Analysis of Conflict (IPAC) argues that the government could begin by bringing back small groups of unaccompanied children under ten years of age, who pose minimal security risk and are most vulnerable to deteriorating conditions in the camps.“The problem is that health and security conditions are worsening by the day in the Syrian camps, and the children are growing older,” says Dyah Kartika, IPAC analyst. “They need access to schools, a nurturing environment, and medical attention. If the government waits too long, the children will be further exposed to ISIS ideology.” The new report examines a 2019 list of Indonesians in camps and prisons run by the Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). The Indonesian government has been trying to verify their citizenship, but with pseudonyms, misspellings and bad transliterations, it is a daunting task. At the time the data was collected, between March and June 2019, there were 555 Indonesians in SDF camps and prisons, including 367 children. Among the children, approximately 277 were under the age of ten and 34 were unaccompanied. In June 2021, there are fewer than ten children who are both unaccompanied and under the age of ten that could be prioritized for return. Bringing back children of ISIS families is no easy task. The report analyses the main challenges faced by the Indonesian government. These include definitional issues, bureaucratic competition, the difficulty of verifying nationality, evaluating the toll of exposure to conflict, assessing security risk, and finding relatives or others willing to provide care once the children are returned. In addition, COVID has meant stringent restrictions on travel, placing further obstacles in the way of repatriation. There are several models for rehabilitation of children exposed to violent extremism in Indonesia that could be modified to accommodate the needs of children repatriated from abroad. The report examines these models and argues that the government does not need to have every detail of rehabilitation programs in place before it starts extricating children from ISIS influence. It can start by bringing back the most vulnerable children and then modify programs as needed.

“It’s important that the government see these children as victims” says Dyah. “They deserve a chance to be children again.”

MYANMAR: Kim Aris Calls to Free his Mother, Aung San Suu Kyi, at the 30th Forum 2000 Conference in Prague

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