Myanmar Coup
2021 Feb 1A Military Seizes Power, A Nation Descends into Civil War
On February 1, 2021, Myanmar's military seized power, detaining Aung San Suu Kyi and annulling elections. The coup triggered nationwide protests and escalated to full-scale civil war. By 2024, over 5,000 civilians were killed and 27,000 detained. The economy contracted 18% in 2021.
Western sanctions had limited effect on a junta backed by Chinese and Russian arms. ASEAN's "Five-Point Consensus" produced no enforcement mechanism. Ethnic armed organizations and the People's Defence Force fragmented the country into contested zones.
The Myanmar crisis exposed regional institution impotence when confronted with internal state collapse. Sovereignty norms protect perpetrators as effectively as they protect the oppressed. Does international law protect state sovereignty more than human life?