Warning: this episode contains descriptions of injuries. Myanmar is home to one of the deadliest, most intractable civil wars on the planet. But something new is happening. Unusual numbers of young people from the cities, including students, poets and baristas, have joined the country’s rebel militias. And this coalition is making startling gains against the country’s military dictatorship. Hannah Beech, who covers stories across Asia for The Times, discusses this surprising resistance movement. Guest: Hannah Beech, a Bangkok-based reporter for The New York Times, focusing on investigative and in-depth stories in Asia.
From the New York Times, I'm Catrin Benhold.
This is the daily.
Myanmar is home to one of the deadliest, most intractable civil wars on the planet.
But something new and remarkable is happening.
An unusual wave of young people from the cities, including students, poets, baristas, have joined the country's rebel militias.
This coalition is now making startling gains against Myanmar's military dictatorship.
Today, my colleague Hannah beach takes us inside this surprising resistance movement.
Hello.
It's Monday, June 24.
Hannah, you've been covering a war that is barely getting any attention in the world.
We hear a lot about Gaza in Ukraine, but you've been covering this war in Myanmar, and now three years in, something is shifting in a really unexpected way.
Tell us what's happening.
I think when we imagine a civil war in Southeast Asia, we expect, I don't know, guerrillas and combat fatigues fighting in the jungle.
And, yes, you do have those longtime rebel fighters.
But what's happening now is that these veteran soldiers have partnered with a new and exciting force, which is young people from the cities who have joined together with these old guys, and they've decided to fight the good fight for an ideal called democracy.
And remarkably, three years after the civil war began, they're starting to win.
Wow.
And just for context, remind us how this war started.
Where are we in this story?
So for about 50 years, Myanmar was stuck in this kind of awful preserved and amber military dictatorship.