The Myanmar Coup: Evolving Ethnic Rebel Politics and Civil Resistance

Myanmar has been in a turmoil since the Tatmadaw (country’s military) ousted Aung San Suu Kyi’s government and seized power in February 2021.1 The coup took place hours before the new parliament could convene following the 2020 general elections. The junta has detained her since then and reimposed military rule after running a short experiment under a power-sharing arrangement with the National League for Democracy (NLD).2 There are concerns that Myanmar could morph into another Syria with widespread displacement and hunger, aggravated by the COVID-19 pandemic. This commentary explores the sustained crackdown by the junta, the painstaking efforts undertaken by the ousted government to remain relevant domestically and gain legitimacy abroad, how the Tatmadaw is currently fighting a multi-front war in several areas of the borderlands, the adoption of violent tactics by members of the civil disobedience movement and ASEAN’s inability to find a permanent solution to the worsening crisis in Myanmar.