Myanmar's ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi's historic home for 15 years, now under threat

Amid the political unrest in Myanmar, the lakeside house in which ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi lived under house arrest for 15 years is anticipated to be under threat. According to The Guardian report, this came after a court ruled in favour of Aung San Suu Kyi's estranged brother, allowing the villa to be sold. Aung San Suu Kyi and her older brother Aung San Oo, an engineer who lives in the United States, have been engaged in a court dispute over ownership of the property for decades. He originally filed a lawsuit in the year 2000, and the courts have subsequently reviewed the matter many times.  

As per The Guardian report, for many people in Myanmar, the colonial-style villa, which is located next to Inya Lake in Yangon, is a representation of the nation's fight for democracy. 

Notably, the most recent court hearings continued at the time when Aung San Suu Kyi was again detained. She has been imprisoned since the military overthrew her administration and seized control in a coup in February 2021. There are several allegations against her, many of which, according to rights organisations, are politically motivated. 

Court dispute over the lakeside villa 

Furthermore, Aung San Oo told the Guardian that a 2012 decision that he was entitled to an equal part of the land has been backed by the most recent verdict by Myanmar's top court in Naypyidaw. He said, “In 2012 it was stated that if we cannot agree how to physically divide it up then it will be legal to auction off and split whatever money … The last court hearing a few weeks ago was to confirm that”.  

Highlighting this to be a private matter, Aung San Oo refuses to reveal whether he intends to sell the property. He disagreed that it was a significant historical location. 

After their father, the independence hero General Aung San, was killed in 1947, the government gave their mother, Khin Kyi, this two-acre property. Further, Khin Kyi passed away in the year 1988, just after the military brutally suppressed sizable pro-democracy uprisings that Aung San Suu Kyi had assisted in organising, The Guardian reported. In 1989, Aung San Suu Kyi was initially put under house arrest. She stayed in the villa for 15 years, until 2010. 

Despite being in poor shape, the property is thought to be worth $90 million by Aung San Oo's attorney, according to media reports. 

Besides this, the national unity government (NUG), which was established by elected legislators and activists from the civil society in opposition to the coup, said last week that it had designated the villa as a site of national heritage, preventing its sale or demolition. However, such a proclamation cannot be put into effect until the military junta is removed. 

Meanwhile, after being found guilty of election fraud, a court in Myanmar sentenced deposed leader Aung San Suu Kyi to three years in prison with labour on Friday, adding to the 17 years of more jail time that she is already serving for previous crimes pursued by the military regime, Associated Press reported.  

The most recent decision underscores the government's explicit threats to dissolve Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy party before a fresh election the military has scheduled for 2023, which may have huge political ramifications for the party.  

(Image: AP)