Myanmar release of top Suu Kyi ally spurs small democracy hope

YANGON: The release of Myanmar's putsch-ousted former president has piqued speculation about the fate of detained leader Aung San Suu Kyi, but little optimism among citizens and analysts watching for a democracy comeback.

"I don't expect much from this release," said one 50-year-old Yangon resident, speaking on condition of anonymity for security reasons.

"There is no reason to be thankful because he was arrested unjustly in the first place," she added.

Myanmar's military swept aside the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in a 2021 coup, detaining the Nobel Peace Prize laureate and senior aides including her ceremonial president Win Myint.

His pardon on Friday (April 17) was the biggest concession yet by the country's post-coup leadership headed by Min Aung Hlaing, who ruled for five years as military chief before last week being sworn in as civilian president.

The release has raised the question of whether 80-year-old Suu Kyi may soon be freed or shifted to house arrest.

"This is definitely a possibility," said International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) research fellow Morgan Michaels, while cautioning "such measures should not be misconstrued as a genuine turn toward peace or reconciliation".