Why Myanmar's generals turned back to a dark past

Strong international backlash and domestic resistance appear inevitable

Romain Caillaud and Moe Thuzar

February 2, 2021 17:00 JST

Armored vehicles drive past a street in Mandalay on Feb. 2: the Tatmadaw is ready to give up diplomatic, trade and investment gains for the sake of domestic control. © Reuters

Romain Caillaud is the principal of Tokyo-based advisory company SIPA Partners and an associate fellow in the Myanmar Studies Program at the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute, Singapore. Moe Thuzar is co-ordinator of the Myanmar Studies Program at ISEAS.