Conflicts within and between countries take many forms, but they are always about power.
That is as true for the brutal military coup that toppled Myanmar’s elected government two years ago as it is for Russia’s war against Ukraine. But while Ukraine’s plight has dominated world headlines and attracted billions of dollars in military equipment and other assistance, Myanmar’s subjugation from within has gone largely unnoticed by outsiders and the civilian opposition has received little support.
To be sure, Southeast Asia is a coup-prone region. Cambodia, Indonesia and the Philippines all endured “coup eras” before settling on roughly democratic trajectories, albeit with autocratic characteristics. Thailand has endured two putsches since 2006 and has yet to achieve a political bargain that can break the military and monarchy’s joint hold on power.