President of Nothing: How Long Can Min Aung Hlaing Rule Without His People’s Consent?

Last Saturday, I witnessed people across the United States peacefully taking part in the “No Kings” protests. As a diplomat advocating for support for Myanmar’s Spring Revolution, I am mindful not to comment directly on what is, by convention, an internal affair. What I can say is this: in today’s interconnected world, a single individual can still shape national and global agendas, affecting millions—indeed, billions—of lives, for better or worse.

In my country, a dictator consumed by his obsession with power and his personal ambition to become president has brought an entire nation to its knees. Just five years ago, despite the challenges of COVID-19, Myanmar was moving toward socio-economic progress and laying the foundations for a democratic and federal system. But all that came to an abrupt halt because of one man’s narcissistic dream.

Since then, the country has descended into a succession of man-made and natural disasters. We endured successive waves of COVID without effective leadership—unlike under the previous, democratically elected government. We faced storms and floods, and last year our people were struck by a devastating 7.7-magnitude earthquake that killed or displaced hundreds of thousands and destroyed entire communities. In response, the regime refused both international and domestic aid, confiscated essential supplies, and blocked internet access. Most tragically, the military carried out more than 550 aerial and artillery attacks, killing hundreds of civilians in the aftermath of the disaster.