A humanitarian disaster in Myanmar is unfolding in real-time, as the military regime continues to force the Southeast Asian nation into stiffer repression, even amid the ongoing Rohingya crisis. The global community should not be legitimizing a government that has essentially outlawed dissent against its regime. International organizations and the rules-based order should do everything in their power to see Myanmar return to democratic rule.
The situation in Myanmar can only ever be resolved by the citizens of the country, not through foreign intervention. Myanmar enjoys regular relations with regional partners such as China, Japan, and Thailand, making Western sanctions on the regime ineffective. The lack of global unity only highlights that change in Myanmar can only come from within, as the West lacks the leverage to exert significant influence on the situation.