Since 1962, the people of Myanmar have endured brutal military oppression, human rights abuses, and the denial of self-determination. In their decades-long struggle against military oppression and for self-determination, numerous uprisings have been met with extreme brutality from the military, yet the spirit of resistance has endured. By 2012, this perseverance bore fruit in the form of a fragile pseudo-democracy, where a civilian government operates under the shadow of military control, which still holds sway over key ministries and commands 25% of the parliament seats.

The pivotal 2020 elections saw civilians secure enough of the 75% of available parliamentary seats to potentially overturn the 2008 constitution, which had been crafted to perpetuate military dominance. This development precipitated a military coup, sparking widespread protests. Initially peaceful, the demonstrations, including street rallies and the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM), eventually escalated into violence after the military brutally suppressed protestors, including shooting young, unarmed women in the heads.

In response, the protestors, now organized into the People’s Defense Forces (PDF), began to fight back with homemade weapons, as the conflict escalated into a full-scale civil war. The PDF, alongside diverse Ethnic Resistance Organizations that have long contested military rule for equal rights and self-determination, are coordinated, though somewhat loosely, by the National Unity Government (NUG). This government is the executive branch mandated by the Committee Representing Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (CRPH), which consists of elected parliament members who evaded the coup.

Over the past three years, and particularly in the last six months, these resistance movements have demonstrated significant military victories and have gained control of substantial territories, surprising many international observers. This critical juncture presents the Internation Community, especially the United States, with a prime opportunity to intervene—not merely as observers but as catalysts for a democratic future in a region desperate for freedom. The time to act is now, before the flickers of hope are extinguished.

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