The party embodies the people’s desire for a better future; Gen Z activists’ ingenuity and determination offer hope that the struggle to achieve this is in good hands.

The coup makes Wa integration with the rest of Myanmar even less likely; for now, both the UWSA and the junta will make the most of mutually beneficial ties with China.

Do the Tatmadaw’s generals and their cohorts believe the absurd fictions they use to justify their takeover and repressive rule? The answer is probably yes.