Tuesday 09 Mar 2021 @ 09:20
Chatham House
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Myanmar's Month-Long 'Phony War' is Over

EXPERT COMMENT

It is vital Myanmar's allies around the world rapidly engage with the military leadership. The discussions may be distasteful, but the alternatives are worse.

Myanmar's military leadership has reverted to type and started killing large numbers of people. The generals have spent decades preparing for this moment and they are ready.

Hidden in their military cantonments and protected by soldiers, police and plainclothes thugs, they are suffering only the mildest inconvenience while the cities ring to the sound of protest. Why should they worry about angry crowds with witty placards when their side has live ammunition?

In the city streets, the people demand democracy, but the military, known as the Tatmadaw, is not about to back down because of some disruptions in Yangon and Mandalay. It built itself a new capital in Naypyidaw precisely to escape the risk of disorder in the old one of Yangon.

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Original article link: https://www.chathamhouse.org/2021/03/myanmars-month-long-phony-war-over

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