David Hutt is a research fellow at the Central European Institute of Asian Studies (CEIAS) and Southeast Asia columnist at the Diplomat. He writes the Europe Meets Southeast Asia newsletter.
Dr. Tayzar San was reportedly the first protester to take to the streets in Mandalay after Myanmar's military launched a coup in February 2021. In July, the Irrawaddy news website tracked him down for an interview. "After the dictatorial system that has plagued our country for over 70 years is gone ... we will be able to build a new country in a new era, with a new system where people are treated as equals and secular laws flourish," he proclaimed. Such fine words make clear that if there is hope for liberty in Southeast Asia, it now lies in the hands of the Burmese.
