Myanmar’s military has been able to suppress dissent in the past. Will it succeed again? Under the country’s authoritarian regimes from 1962 to 2010, harsh tactics such as imprisonment, torture and mass killings were used to silence citizens. Feb 08, 2021 · 11:30 pm Protesters take part in a demonstration against the Myanmar military coup outside the Myanmar Embassy in Bangkok. | Jack Taylor / AFP Myanmar has once again returned to military rule, with a year-long state of emergency declared by the army. When military dictators ruled Myanmar from 1962 to 2010, they were able to maintain tight control over the people through the country’s extensive intelligence apparatus and harsh tactics such as imprisonment, torture and mass killings. As a result, Myanmar’s people lived in virtual silence for decades.