The people of Myanmar are determined to stop military rule and restore democracy, and they are trying their utmost to defend their own lives and the lives of others. The brutality, inhumane acts, arbitrary arrests and torture committed by the military clearly amount to crimes against humanity.

The brutal crackdown and the violence committed by the military against its own people show no sign of easing. Ignoring mass opposition to the coup from the international community, the military is still using unnecessary, disproportionate and lethal force to suppress demonstrations and the civil disobedience movement.

While the international community has condemned the coup and has imposed measures against it, we can’t deny that the military is still operating under its own twisted reality and is disregarding the world’s pressure and actions.

It is disappointing to see the reluctance of the international community to take collective and decisive action against this illegal coup. United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said the military coup was not acceptable in the modern world and that it must fail.

But the people of Myanmar alone can’t make it stop when the military bears deadly arms and an arsenal. The people of Myanmar are still pinning their hopes and aspirations on the international community, and it has become clearer that sanctions and denunciations alone are not enough.

After more than 100 days of brutality and tyranny in Myanmar, we have learned, with heavy hearts, that some countries still refuse to condemn the coup and listen to the will of the people of Myanmar.

When we look at the current situation and how the people of Myanmar are doing whatever it takes to stop military rule, we can say that the coup has not succeeded. The military might be able to use violence to suppress demonstrations and resistance, but that doesn’t mean it has control.

What has been happening in Myanmar marks a singular moment in time. The country’s people have never appeared more unified in calling for democracy and the rule of law. They are united in opposition to military rule and the coup.

Although I am not the most optimistic person, I think the common fight against the military coup could bring unity and reconciliation to the country.

Every day, the military continues killing its own people – including children as young as 7 years old – and yet the international community’s response to this has been underwhelming. While we appreciate the support and commitment of ASEAN member states to assist, we remain greatly concerned about the military’s adherence to the five-point consensus reached at the meeting on April 24.

Even though those five points did not entirely reflect the current situation and the will of the Myanmar people, the military rejected and violated them the next day, showing once again its contempt for international rules and agreements.

There have been reports on the dire need for medical aid in vulnerable areas of the country, and the military has been arresting the healthcare workers who volunteered to provide medical assistance to the injured. These are clear violations and abuses of international humanitarian law and international human rights law, plain and simple.

Here is the question to the world: Do you hear the desperate calls of the people of Myanmar? The situation in the country is no longer an internal affair. The world’s reluctance to act has now cost the lives of more than 800 civilians. There is still no sign of an easing of the brutal crackdown and the violence.

The future of Myanmar hangs in the balance, and it is critical to act, as we have seen that the coup in Myanmar has turned into a regional disaster. The stability and development of the region depends on swift and decisive action.

The world is failing the people of Myanmar, who deserve nothing less than a free, open and peaceful democratic country.

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The writer is the second secretary at the Myanmar Embassy in Washington, DC, who joined the Civil Disobedience Movement after the country’s military coup on Feb. 1 and has refused to represent the military regime.