Dr. Jenny Ko Gyi (Release Date: April 29)

Episode #232: When Dr. Jenny Ko Gyi followed her military husband to a remote posting in rural Gangaw, she had no idea how profoundly the experience would affect not only her own spiritual life, but also go on to impact the lives of hundreds of thousands of meditators across Myanmar. Jenny was working at the local clinic, and a colleague told her about a small meditation retreat she had attended deep in the forest, on Monle Hillock. Jenny was keen to visit, although it was not an easy trek to the monastery; in fact, she might have been the first outsider to ever set foot there and meet the Monle Sayadaw.  Impressed, Jenny soon made plans to return and attend a meditation course. Her experience with Monle Sayadaw was life-changing. He displayed great prowess in various mental feats, from being able to give nuanced, individualized advice to meditators based on their mental states, to reading the minds and intentions of others, to predicting the future. Jenny had always hoped to find a teacher like this, and her search was over. Jenny became Monle Sayadaw’s dedicated disciple, making more frequent trips to his forested abode where she learned about his teachings more deeply.  She soon realized that because the journey to his remote monastery was too arduous for most to manage, she should do her best to make the Sayadaw more accessible to others, and so brought him to Yangon for Dhamma talks. Eventually she organized a small, one-week meditation retreat in her own family home in Yangon. One of the attendees of the inaugural course was Aung San Suu Kyi, who had recently been released from house arrest. From that small first course, Monle Sayadaw’s renown began to grow, and eventually he became widely known in Burma. More retreats were organized in Yangon and throughout the country, and even in the United States. An enormous meditation center was built in Mandalay, and Jenny estimates that hundreds of thousands ultimately came to learn his technique.

An Outsized Influence (Emergency Edition)

In the charged atmosphere following Myanmar's 2021 military coup, a young Burmese, known as Little Activist on Twitter, radically changed from his previous political apathy to a total engagement in activism. He abandoned his studies in engineering, rejecting a degree from what he deemed an illegitimate regime. Instead, he channeled his efforts into raising global awareness about Myanmar's plight. With nearly 15,000 Twitter followers, he translates local news into English, facing frequent internet outages and significant personal risk under the watchful eyes of a repressive government. Recent developments have heightened his and many others' concerns: new conscription laws compel all citizens into military service to try and make up for the regime's recent manpower losses. The junta's measures also extend to increased surveillance and restrictions on travel, further isolating the population. Economic conditions are deteriorating rapidly, with inflation and scarcity hitting basic necessities like food and power. Amid this crisis, Little Activist voices the resilience of Myanmar's youth, their refusal to capitulate to a regime that views them as expendable. He portrays a nation in dire straits, akin to a "dark room with no doors," yet his resolve and that of his fellow activists remains unbroken, determined to keep fighting for a future where freedom is not just a distant dream. “The only thing I can say is I will never give up and I will never stop till we win! And the same like me, there are a lot of pro-democracy Myanmar people who are trying on a daily basis for our current region.”

Riches, Resources, and Revolutions (Release Date: April 22)

Episode #231: Guillaume de Langre, a former adviser to the Myanmar Ministry of Electricity and Energy, addressing the military regime’s urgent need to exploit the country’s natural resources to keep afloat in the nation’s ruined economy. He first notes that while valuable ores and minerals, like gold, silver, lithium, and jade, have been integral to the military economy since at least 1990, profits from these resources have not resulted diversified, equitable development or improved living standards for the local populations. Instead, they have been a curse, subjecting those communities to exploitation and environmental hazards without significant investment in their wellbeing. But problems mushroomed following the 2021 military coup. Foreign investment and expertise evaporated amidst the ensuing instability, leaving the economy in a chokehold. With dwindling revenue, and much of the natural resource extraction having been halted, the result has been a massive loss of revenue for the military. Coupled with the their incompetent economic strategies over the years, it spells out a grim future as to how they keep the faucets on. De Langre further speculates on the post-coup economic landscape, the challenges of energy infrastructure investment, and the potential for a new social contract that could address the wealth distribution between various ethnic and regional groups. He envisions a positive future where Myanmar ultimately emerge from this turmoil, attracting foreign investment with a commitment to transparency and sustainable development. “Myanmar is not doomed! There is a path, but it will be tricky. It'll be very imperfect, and probably unequal. But there is a path,” he says in closing. “This is a moment of flux. It's a moment to propose things, and if you have an expertise… I'm sure that there are hundreds of people out there who have very specific knowledge about things that are essential to understand about development in Myanmar, and how to get out of this situation… We don't have to wait to be given permission to imagine the future.”

Call It A Revolution (Emergency Edition)

Anthony Davis, a seasoned analyst deeply immersed in the nuances of insurgency and military affairs in the Asia-Pacific, including Myanmar, sits down with us today. He begins by articulating the palpable and sweeping resolve for change he sees across Burmese society— a collective epiphany that transcends ethnic lines and generations. And it isn't merely a repudiation of military despotism; it's a profound societal transformation, signaling a revolutionary tide reshaping every aspect of Burmese life. International perceptions, however, seem misaligned with this reality. They mostly fail to grasp the magnitude of what Davis does not hesitate to call a “revolution.” This has led to tepid and conventional responses at odds with the seismic shifts occurring within Myanmar. Davis argues that true revolutions defy containment and negotiation— they demand acknowledgment and robust engagement, something the world has been reluctant to provide. Complicating the picture, however, is the absence of a revolutionary nucleus in Myanmar. As a spontaneous uprising, it lacks centralized direction, leaving a disparate and autonomous array of ethnic armed organizations along with a national government-in-exile to wrestle with the challenge of unifying the fragmented resistance. Despite the remarkable successes of the recent Operation 1027, which shattered the myth of the military's invincibility, Davis tempers any premature declarations of the regime's demise. He recognizes the strategic recalibrations of Myanmar's neighbors, who may intensify support for the military, perceiving its vulnerability as a call to bolster their support rather than abandon it. “Everybody realizes that this revolution is about putting an end to a morally bankrupt regime! And this is a regime which needs to be shown the back door of history. I just hope and pray that the courage and resilience that population the vast majority of the population in Myanmar has displayed over the last three years can be sustained in the years to come.”

Taming the Tiger

Episode #230: “Unfortunately, in 2020, after the NLD won a landslide election, there was a military coup. And [then] the PDF resistance started. I took part in the resistance as I had years before, but there is a difference this time, too,” explains Nway. Inspired by his mother, an active participant in politics since Ne Win's 1962 coup, Nway's involvement in the resistance included clandestine communication with Aung San Suu Kyi during her detention and risky efforts to deliver messages to imprisoned allies, among many other important tasks. Despite the supposed democratic transition post-2010, Nway criticizes this period as superficial, with the 2008 Constitution maintaining military dominance. He rebuked international pressure for elections as a facade of democracy, emphasizing the need for genuine systemic change. The most recent coup escalated his activism, compelling his support for armed resistance and relocation to Mae Sot for safety. Nway also highlights the intricate relationship between Buddhism and politics in Myanmar, acknowledging the tension between nationalistic and progressive monks within the context of the country's struggle for democracy and the military's manipulation of religion to maintain power. “If we win the revolution, the international community will see a very civilized society in Burma, which will be very active in promoting peace for the whole world,” Nway says in closing. “But if the junta wins, you will have a society which believes in the stone age. So, I would like to request of you, please understand the feeling of people of Burma! We left our country, we want to be like you, we want our kids to be like your kids, to go to school and also we want to sleep with our family like you want to sleep with your family. That is why we are trying to get rid of the military in our political system. This is not only for a party sake, not only for an ethnicity sake, it is for all the people of Burma and also the people of the world.”

Leon Kennedy

Episode #229: Leon Kennedy's life is a chronicle of personal struggle. Growing up in an era of historical significance, his parents were heavily involved in the Civil Rights Movement, with figures like Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks frequent visitors to his grandparent's home. But when his parents divorced, the pain and the absence of a male role model led him down a path of rebellion despite the noble influences that had surrounded him. His mom sent him to an all-white high school, which in the South was very hard for an African-American, and a sense of fight was fueled in him. Leon's tumultuous youth saw him involved in a violent incident that nearly cost a man his life, resulting in Leon's incarceration. During his nine-year sentence, he embraced reading and music; upon his release, he sought normalcy through work and family life. However, the lure of his former life led to a bank robbery and another prison sentence. It was during his second incarceration that he discovered Vipassana meditation as taught by S.N. Goenka, which became a transformative force in his life. Leon's commitment to Vipassana continued despite the challenges posed by the prison system's resistance. He became a model prisoner, engaging deeply in self-help and meditation, eventually featured in a documentary. The practice of Vipassana allowed him to view the sacrifices of the Civil Rights leaders with even greater reverence, even as he connects it to the ongoing crisis in the Golden Land today. He served out his sentence, and is now a committed and involved advocate. He reflects on his spiritual connection to Myanmar in light of the country’s struggle. “How can [one] know what's going on [in Myanmar] and not reach back? That speaks to a different discounting level of your humanity. So whether it be Myanmar or any place in the world where there is oppression and suffering, this suffering and these injustices have been going on since the beginning of time. It is a blessing to be a part of that cloth or personhood where you can be a part of the solution, to be a light shining in a dark place, just a spark. So to my brothers and sisters in Myanmar and other places in the world, where they're being oppressed, slaughtered, genocide, starved, enslaved: Whether it be Vipassana, Christianity, Islam or whatever it is their special place where you find that strength and you can just hold out, and hope against hope.”

Shan Chronicles

Episode #228: Jane Ferguson speaks about her recent book, Repossessing Shanland: Myanmar, Thailand, and a Nation-State Deferred. The book’s title refers to Shan attempts to reclaim their land and community after many years of conflict. Ferguson explains that contemporary concepts of identity—like “ethnicity”—are often mistakenly used to interpret the past. Rather, her study reveals the lack of pan-Shan identity, and that even the way the Shan practiced Buddhism varied from east to west. The British, with hopes of a more efficient Empire, tried unsuccessfully to get the Shan to unite. Many Shan migrants work in Thailand, where they eke out a living to send money back to their families and communities in Myanmar. Recent changes in Thai-Myanmar relations and plans to create economic zones, however, raise many questions about the future of this arrangement. During the transition years, the Shan were skeptical that the NLD would be supportive of their political and economic interests. Whether it was the elected government under Aung San Suu Kyi or the military regime that was in power, they often felt they were caught between a rock and a hard place. In closing, Ferguson says that there is this idea that, “Okay, now that the military is back in the saddle, everybody has a common enemy again, so they're more likely to unite… I've met some really creative people that have incredible ideas for building a better future. I can't begin to express the horrors and the biggest internal conflict that Myanmar is fighting since the time of World War Two, it's tremendous. But on the other hand, there are some pockets of real optimism.”

Above the Fray

Episode #227: Nathan Ruser, a specialist at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI), is an expert in geo-mapping. Building on his experience using satellite imagery to track human rights violations in areas like Syria and Shenzhen, Ruser has begun analyzing the unique nature of the conflict in Myanmar. Influenced by the country’s geographic and ethnic diversity, the clashes here defy conventional understanding, and Ruser has developed a numerical scale to map control levels, often having to assess the situation village-by-village. His methodology contrasts starkly with oversimplified media representations. Ruser employs ground reports to complement satellite imagery in creating a richer picture of conflict. For example, he has identified helicopter pads at nearly all junta bases, which illustrates their growing reliance on air support for supply and reinforcements. This, in turn, shows how they are perceived as an occupying force by locals. With the junta's diminishing ground control, they are taking a more defensive posture overall, in particular strengthening their urban strongholds, reminiscent to Ruser of the tactics Assad used in Syria. And now, Operation 1027 has further altered the landscape. Resistance forces are taking key locations, which he suggests could indicate a potential overall collapse of the military. Despite this, the junta’s air superiority and strategic defense of high terrain remain significant. Ruser’s analysis also underscores the West's missed opportunity to engage meaningfully with Myanmar's democratic revolution, hindered by a reluctance to intervene in civil conflicts post-Libya 2011, a stance that has rendered the Right to Protect (R2P) framework largely ineffective. In closing, Ruser wants to stress that we are now witnessing a sea change in the crisis taking shape before our eyes. “Thousands of kilometers in the sky, on a satellite looking down, you can see the change in tone of this conflict,” he says. “The idea that you can turn a country that has historically been a violent dictatorship into… a flourishing, progressive, great democracy; I think that's an opportunity!” Yet he points out this won’t follow a conventional trajectory as it goes forward. “There's not going to be a movement where there's a slow democratization of the country, where the military enables the country to become more democratic… It's a matter of the military winning or the military losing. Not putting your foot on either side is definitely a hindrance rather than a help.”

The Long Road Home

Episode #226: After the National League for Democracy (NLD) party’s landslide victory in 2015, Ko Ko Gyi remembers thinking to himself, “Okay, this is the time to retire from my activism, so let's just relax. I felt forced to retire." This is now a rueful memory as Ko Ko Gyi looks back over some of the key moments in his decades-long struggle for Myanmar’s freedom, and autonomy from military rule and brutality. The trigger for his activism was in 1987 when the Burmese government suddenly invalidated currency notes, devastating the economy and propelling Ko Ko Gyi and his peers at the Rangoon Institute of Technology into action. The violent clashes with security forces that ensued, particularly the horrific night when peaceful protests were met with lethal force, ignited the 8888 Uprising. Ko Ko Gyi's journey led him to the Thai-Burma border, as the military dictatorship evolved into the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC). Uniting with ethnic militias like the Karen National Union (KNU), he fought for the regime's overthrow. In the fact of the army’s divide-and-conquer strategy and overwhelming military superiority, Ko Ko Gyi fled the country to continue to protest from abroad. He relocated to the United States in 1993, where he continued his advocacy. He thought the elections of 2015 might finally have ended the need for activism, but the 2021 coup dashed that hope. Today, his activism is multifaceted, involving organizing rallies, supporting diplomatic efforts, fundraising, and promoting innovative financial strategies like war bonds for the NUG. "We have voters' rights,” he says in closing, recognizing the power he now holds in possessing an American passport, “so we used those kinds of powers to approach the State Department. We definitely need the American people’s help, because…  the voice of the people is very powerful. [Getting support] not only from the Burmese diaspora, but also the American voices, is more powerful. So, please help Burma more effectively and to help end the terrorist regime!”

Jonathan Crowley, Part 3

Episode #225: In this third part of the ongoing discussion with Jonathan Crowley, we delve deeper into his experiences as an Assistant Teacher in the S.N. Goenka tradition of Vipassana meditation. Jonathan starts off by saying how he was moved by his appointment as an assistant teacher, but also candidly describes how aspiring teachers learn the importance of feigning disinterest, creating a false ego around the process. Jonathan then reflects on the weight of officially representing the organization, and how he grappled with the unspoken messaging behind its mission. He notes a paradoxical dynamic where Goenka shunned the title of guru publicly, while the culture within the organization promotes him as the unquestioned authority. As Jonathan delved deeper into his practice and examined the organization's modus operandi, he began to see the “trojan horse” nature of the ten-day course format. By this, he means that it attracts students with open-handed encouragement and says they their own masters, yet funnels them into increasingly narrower scopes as they commit to the organization. Despite deriving many transformative benefits from the practice, Jonathan started feeling the weight of the excessive faith expectations. He realized how storytelling and mythmaking play a crucial role in reinforcing this faith, and closing off avenues for questioning and critical thought.

Rage Against The Regime

Episode #224: Saw Htee Char, working under a pseudonym for safety reasons, has been heavily involved in Myanmar since the devastating Cyclone Nargis in 2008. Recognizing a significant gap in accessible, reliable information about the conflict in Myanmar, Saw Htee Char established the Substack page, Burma Coup Resistance Notes. Contrary to the often simplistic and misleading interpretations of the conflict as an internal issue with blame on both sides, Saw Htee Char presents a starkly different picture. He exposes the brutal and sadistic nature of the military regime's efforts to monopolize power, and highlights the desperate struggle of the Burmese people for a return to the semblance of democracy they experienced between 2015 and 2020. Saw Htee Char's analysis delves into the military's strategic and operational failures. Despite its significant manpower and armaments, the military has consistently lost territory and failed to suppress the ethnic militias it has faced for decades. They now face widespread resistance that has grown in sophistication and determination, challenging the military's control even in traditionally Bamar-majority regions. Saw Htee Char points to Operation 1027 and subsequent actions that have fueled momentum for the resistance, leading to a progressively shrinking sphere of control for the military. The junta’s reliance on air power, he explains, is a sign of desperation rather than strength, drawing parallels with historical lessons on the limitations of air superiority in achieving control without effective ground forces. “I just consider this this story so inspiring,” he says in closing. “And you also have to acknowledge that the people of Myanmar have received very little support from outside! They've been left to themselves and they've done it anyway, and that's even more incredible, given that they've got some powerful countries against them: China, Russia, India, Thailand, those who have supplied weapons to the junta or diplomatic recognition, even United Nations agencies that have played into the hands of the junta... So the people of Myanmar have carried through the struggle on their own against some very powerful foreign forces. And when they win, this victory will belong entirely to them. They will not owe anybody anything!”

Thinzar Shunlei Yi (Release Date: March 5)

Episode #223: Raised in a Myanmar military compound, Thinzar Shunlei Yi grew up sheltered from her nation's realities. University life exposed her to diverse ethnic narratives, challenging her military-centric worldview. Embracing democracy through literature and the internet, she grappled with guilt over the military's oppression. Her activism took shape through protests and performance art, even embodying a displaced Shan person to promote empathy among the Bamar majority. The 2021 coup unified various groups against the military, and Thinzar saw this as an opportunity to advocate for a federal democracy. Her Buddhist faith guided her ethical activism, striving to separate true teachings from the military's nationalist propaganda. Her public portrayal of a military victim gained international support. Despite personal sacrifices, Thinzar's journey from a soldier's daughter to a prominet activist symbolizes a profound shift towards a hopeful future for Myanmar. “You see all your close friends being tortured, sometimes killed, and also different stories coming out from the ground every day, we have to deal with these news,” Thinzar Shunlei Yi says in closing. “In the morning, you will be really sad and depressed, you don't know what to do, you're not in a position to control things; and in the evening, you will be motivated again, because you see the whole picture of what the revolution is about, and still people are striving, and this is for the good for the country.”

Visa Verses

Episode #222: Davin Hartanto, an experienced migration agent, discusses changes in Australia's student visa strategy, particularly how it is affecting Myanmar nationals after the coup. The changes are intended to verify applicants' intentions to return home after studies, a problematic criterion for those from conflict zones. Hartanto explains the discretionary power of immigration officers, which has resulted in a high visa refusal rate for Burmese applicants, which escalated notably after the coup. He suggests a correlation between visa rejections and Australia's prioritization of Myanmar nationals already in-country. Hartanto criticizes the politics of immigration, with the Labour Government accusing the previous Coalition Government of running a broken system, particularly concerning the Genuine Temporary Entrant visas. Despite proposed reforms, specifics remain unlegislated, leaving many in limbo. Hartano notes a discrepancy in the treatment of Burmese asylum seekers compared to those from other conflict zones. Hartanto points to the importance of advocacy and unity to influence immigration policy, and highlights the role of political processes in these decisions. Yet as frustrating as this can seem on one hand, Hartanto also sees a silver lining in the form of greater activism, which can then impact policy. “As much as we hope, and really want Australian government to do more, they're limited by the migration program quota [and] all these processes are really driven by the political process,” he says. “I understand and appreciate that the issues of immigration law is never as simple as it seems… My message to listeners is to unite, to keep raising this awareness, keep talking about it, keep sharing experiences amongst others, and keep helping each other.”

Ciao to Enlightenment

Episode #221: Our guest, Lorenzo Colombo, talks about the great Italian monk, U Lokānatha. Born Salvatore Cioffi near Naples in 1897, his family temporarily moved to New York due to economic difficulties. Salvatore embarked on a spiritual quest early in life. Though his family were devout Roman Catholics, Salvatore initially explored positivism but eventually found himself drawn to Buddhism, quite unusual for a Westerner at that time. Salvatore abandoned his family and possessions, venturing to Asia in search of spiritual fulfillment. His quest took him through India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and finally to Burma in 1925, where he ordained as a Buddhist monk, adopting the name U Lokānatha. In the remote regions of northern Burma, he engaged in intense meditation, developing supernatural abilities and a deep understanding of Buddhist teachings. U Lokānatha's journey didn't end there; he toured the US and Europe, introducing Buddhism as a practical and spiritual path for the common person. He connected Buddhist principles with science, politics, and psychology, emphasizing inner peace as a means to achieve world peace. His life touched a great many people, including such luminaries as Sayagyi U Ba Khin, Webu Sayadaw, B.R. Ambedkar, the Thai Royal Family, Munindra, S.N. Goenka, Sun Lun Sayadaw, General Aung San, the Sri Lankan head of state, and Mahasi Sayadaw, while also trying to even convert Mussolini and the Pope to Buddhism! Despite facing challenges, U Lokānatha's unwavering determination and commitment to sharing the Dhamma left a lasting impact on the world. His story continues to inspire those on their own spiritual journeys, highlighting the transformative power of spiritual exploration and inner peace.

Cursing Tyranny

Episode #220: Elliott Prasse-Freeman, author of the recent book “Rights Refused,” joins the podcast for a wide-ranging, erudite discussion. Prasse-Freeman first distinguishes between two kinds of anti-regime acts. One he calls an act of “refusal.” In other words, one avoids direct confrontation and instead supports various prosocial, community-based society initiatives around things the state is unwilling or unable to support. The other he calls an act of “resistance,” when it the time is ripe to physically protest. Speaking about the culture of sacrifice that has evolved in Myanmar, especially since the coup, he sees Burmese activists carefully considering which pathway of protest is most appropriate in a given situation, while knowing that at some point, great personal sacrifice will eventually be demanded of them. It requires careful consideration to decide “when is the culture of sacrifice is truly sacrificial for the people, and when is it actually just for your own glory.” the years. Another area Prasse-Freeman explores is the concept of “rights,” which is different than they are understood in the West. In Myanmar, they are more often understood as “opportunities,” as opposed to fundamental human privileges safeguarded by a society or nation. In other words, having “rights” is not understood as a fundamental condition that all people should enjoy, but a zero-sum game where communities compete against each other for finite resources. More marginalized populations, such as the country’s ethnic minorities, must compete the hardest—and against each other—to get even a small slice of the remaining pie. In closing, he says: “When you don't ever presuppose you have rights in the first place, you never get caught in that downward spiral of demobilization. You know that if you want something, you have to go out and create it! So it takes a lot of work, but it can also be hopeful at the same time.”

Hidden Ledgers

The Center for Advanced Defense Studies (C4ADS) in Washington DC leverages public data to uncover illicit activities linked to global security threats and human rights abuses. As our guest Savanna Slaughter explains, her team focuses on natural resource security, wildlife crimes, and national security concerns. In Myanmar, they have been investigating the junta's military funding and illicit financial flows, including crony financing. However, sourcing data poses significant challenges, especially in Myanmar, where corporate activities are often shrouded in secrecy. C4ADS relies on public data, leaks, and informants to decipher complex networks. The team also utilizes digitized data and extensive cross-referencing with social media to construct clearer profiles of their subjects.Investigating illicit financial operations involves tracing shell companies and obscured transactions, often requiring a mix of diligent research, data analysis, and sometimes luck or insights from criminal probes. Slaughter mentions the constant emergence of shell companies exacerbates their work, making their task akin to playing “Whack-A-Mole.” “Moving forward with this is going to require a lot more innovation,” Slaughter says in closing, “in terms of identifying companies of interest, perhaps working to develop some screening lists, or building out directors of interest and combining corporate data in a new way to form screening lists for shell companies and things like that.”

Revolt, Rebuild, Rebirth

Episode #219: “The whole military is fragile. The military is collapsing,” says Kyaw Zaw, the spokesperson for the National Unity Government. “This is an unprecedented time, and a turning point in this revolution. It shows that we are winning, and when we are fighting together, then the military is collapsing. When the military fails, then this revolution will succeed!” Despite the pre-coup perception of Myanmar's military might, corruption and defections have significantly weakened it. Battalions are undermanned, while the NUG provides for defectors' families, aiming to rebuild the nation. Concerning Operation 1027, Kyaw Zaw highlights the display of unity and close coordination amongst diverse groups in Myanmar. He envisions a transition from dictatorship to federal democracy, a system change backed by meticulous planning and broad cooperation. He appreciates Western support but expresses disappointment in the lack of sanctions on jet fuel, as the military, bolstered by Russian aid, continues airstrikes. He hopes for greater UN and ASEAN involvement to curb Russian support and advocates for No Fly Zones or defense systems to protect civilians. He also criticizes the UN's approach to humanitarian aid, which he claims bolsters military resources instead of reaching those in need. Kyaw Zaw remains optimistic that post-military rule will not lead to civil war, but ta unified, peaceful Myanmar focused on building a federal democracy. He stresses that the resistance is already laying the groundwork for a new charter and transitional government, with plans for a new Central Bank to revive the economy, highlighting Myanmar's potential for a democratic future.

Dhamma at a Cross Roads

Episode #218: Beth Upton, a former Buddhist nun who practiced extensively in Burma and has become an influential teacher in the West, returns to the podcast. She reflects on how the richness of Burmese Buddhism has profoundly impacted her identity and teaching style, and highlights the critical need to acknowledge and preserve its spiritual heritage, especially in the face of the ongoing crisis. The prolonged conflict, she notes, has not only limited access to the depth of Burmese teachings, but she explains how it poses a threat to an understanding of Buddhist teachings globally, given Burma’s rich, diverse and unique depth of Buddhist teachings. She describes the challenge of interpreting suttas through modern cultural lenses, stressing the value of ancient commentaries common in Burmese Buddhist studies. Beth also believes that experiencing Burmese culture enriches one's understanding of Buddhism beyond just meditation techniques. She worries that reducing Buddha's teachings to “technique” overlooks the crucial relational aspects that are vital for spiritual growth. She reflects on the generosity, warmth, and community spirit in Burmese Buddhism, which she has found hard to replicate in the West, but which offer invaluable insights into personal growth. For example, while Buddhist terms like karma and vipassana have spread globally, the key concept of ‘kusala’ (skillful action), which is so commonly referenced in Burmese Buddhist communities, is much less known. This concept encompasses a wholesome way of life, extending beyond meditation. The loss of access to Burmese Buddhist culture, she fears, leaves a gap in fully understanding these broader aspects of the practice. “If we don't reciprocate, then we lose something in ourselves,” Beth says in closing. “We lose some authenticity or alignment in ourselves, on some level, and we know something is out of balance there. Whether you've directly spent time in Myanmar or not, if you are a dedicated practitioner of the Dhamma, then part of that has come from the Burmese tradition, and the dedication of the of Burmese practitioners over hundreds of years. So when we receive that gift, and we don't repay it when reciprocity is needed, we are not fully congruent in ourselves.”

Bo Thanmani

Episode #217: Bo Thanmani has emerged as a pivotal figure in the resistance against the military coup in Myanmar. Born into poverty as Tun Oo, he became a monk to access education, which led to English study, further opening the door to democratic thought. His earlier advocacy for human rights led him to undertake bold Peace Walks across Germany, the US, and Thailand; garnering international attention in the process. However, the brutal response to peaceful protests after the 2021 military coup shattered his belief in nonviolence. Frustrated by international inaction and witnessing the death of a friend, Bo Thanmani regretfully came to conclude that combatting the military required armed as well as nonviolent action. He disrobed and became a regional leader in the resistance. Controversy arose when a group under his aegis, the Yinmabin PDF, faced allegations of abductions and killings. Bo Thanmani vehemently denied personal involvement but admitted to the group's actions. “I don't know whether the international media or international readers will really believe or not if I am the murderer of these 10 people, but I tell you, I can swear, I never ordered, and I never sent someone to kill.” Amidst the controversy, Bo Thanmani critiques the weakened state of Buddhism in Myanmar, blaming the military for destroying monasteries. Looking to the future, Bo Thanmani anticipates that there may very well be fewer monks and devout lay Buddhists in Myanmar… but he’s ok with this. “There will be only pure Buddhists and the monks who really love the Dhamma, and who really want to practice meditation. Those monks will remain in the future. So I don't concern with that.” He remains committed to nonviolent action himself, his focus now on education. He remains hopeful, believing the crisis reveals true monastic allies of the people, and he foresees a future with fewer but more dedicated practitioners. Bo Thanmani's journey reflects the turbulent intersection of spirituality, activism, and the harsh realities of resisting oppressive regimes.

The Blueprint of Resistance (Bonus Shorts)

Episode #216: Helena Cing Deih Sian explores the interaction of socio-historical context and urban spaces, emphasizing how history manifests in architecture and planning. Her work investigates the influence of memories in shaping the narrative of a city, particularly focusing on Myanmar. She explores how architecture serves as a medium of identity expression and community remembrance, albeit sometimes warped by those in power. Helena discusses how the military junta has manipulated historical narratives to maintain dominance, in particular overshadowing minority histories. She critiques the regime's practices, such as the rebranding of significant sites like the Yangon University's Student Union building, the commercialization of the Secretariat building, and the wholesale move to Nay Pyi Daw, as predilections to erase uncomfortable parts of the past. These actions, she suggests, demonstrate a governance style that relies on neglect and selective memory. Despite the regime's attempts at historical manipulation, Helena finds hope in the persistence of oral histories and personal memories. The people's stories, particularly those shared through movements like the Civil Disobedience Movement, defy the junta's narrative control. Helena concludes that as long as these narratives are passed down, the true essence of Myanmar's history and the spirit of its people remain unassailable.

Navigating the Legal Pathways Down Under

Episode #215: Ko Ko Aung's life journey is a testament to resilience and purpose amidst Myanmar's political unrest. He was raised in a middle-class family in southern Myanmar, yet unlike his two brothers, Ko Ko Aung chose to focus on academics rather than the family business, making ngapi. He went to study law in Australia, aiming to aid his homeland's transition to democracy. Upon graduation, Ko Ko Aung specialized in immigration law, unknowingly preparing for the post-2021 coup crisis that saw countless Burmese seek asylum. He found himself confronting an Australian system that often rejected Burmese visa applicants without proper review, contrasting starkly with the more positive treatment of refugees from Hong Kong, Ukraine, and Afghanistan. He labored pro bono, developing guides to navigate Australian immigration bureaucracy, yet faced a daunting rejection rate for Burmese applicants. Despite the grim scenario, Ko Ko Aung remained hopeful, spotlighting options like the Protection Visa and the Skilled Refugee Visa Program. These alternatives gave a glimmer of hope for Burmese refugees, with the latter allowing community sponsorship. He also expresses the need for the Burmese community in Australia to do more outreach to educate people, including immigration officials, about what is happening in Myanmar“During these difficult times, because we come from a Buddhist country, the teaching of the Dhamma, we cannot be we cannot forget about that. Meditation and our Buddhist teachings have been helping me a lot going through this,” he says in closing. “During these tough times, being mindful will help a lot in terms of getting through these tough times.”

Whit Hornsberger

Episode #214: Whit Hornsberger's spiritual journey began unexpectedly when a devastating ACL injury ended his basketball career at the University of Calgary. The loss of his identity as an athlete plunged him into darkness, and he sought solace in surfing and partying in Australia. His path took a significant turn, however, when he discovered the teachings of the Dalai Lama and delved into the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. “I laughed to myself, and I realized in that moment, I was certainly not happy!” Whit recalls upon reading The Art of Happiness. “If this was an art—that is happiness—I wanted to pursue it with as much intention as I did basketball and everything else that I've pursued in my life. So that's what got me going.” So Whit signed up for a Mahasi-style vipassana course in California led by Jack Kornfield, and then later he sat an intensive (and life-altering) meditation course with Alan Clements at the Mahasi monastery in Yangon.  Eventually, Whit returned to Canada, and became a sought-after teacher. Whit’s approach merges yoga and meditation, emphasizing mindfulness in all activities. He challenges the Western approach to yoga and meditation, advocating for a deeper, more holistic understanding of the practices. He encourages students to embrace discomfort and foster awareness within it. Notably, Whit also emphasizes the interconnectedness of spirituality, shifting the focus from self-centered meditation to dedicating the fruits of one's actions to others and society. “This is the antithesis of a selfish path! It's possible to do things, including meditation, from a selfish perspective,” he says. “The ego instinct has many strategies as to how to make anything about itself, including spirituality.” Whit's dedication to giving back extends to supporting monasteries and humanitarian missions in Myanmar, and does so despite not charging anything for his courses. He believes in honoring the wisdom that originated from these places and urged his students to express their innate generosity. “When that mind goes back [after a meditation retreat] into its conditioned, myopic perspective, it doesn't think about Burma… the collection of dana for Myanmar is something that is hugely important for my own spiritual practice! And from what I've heard from practitioners, it's very important to them that we're helping out a place that has given us so much through these practices and through these teachings.”

Forging Solidarity Across Conflict

Episode #213: Isaac Evans-Frantz outlines the mission of Action Corps, a U.S.-based organization dedicated to justice and solidarity in the face of global disasters. One of their initiatives is in support of ethnic and religious minorities facing persecution in Myanmar. Even though Isaac has never visited Myanmar, the work hits home in a personal way. “When I was a child, somebody came to my class and spoke about surviving the Holocaust. He had been in a Nazi death camp, he showed us the number on his arm, and he told us horrific stories. I promised myself after that, that if I were ever in a position where I knew about some genocide that was happening… I would do everything that I could to stop that!” So for him, it was only natural that the situation in Myanmar would find a place in his heart. Jade, a Kachin-American, has been working with Action Corps, and joins Evans-Frantz in the discussion. She emphasizes the importance of building a collective identity among diaspora communities, which has two parts. One regards the younger generation of the Burmese diaspora and their struggles with cultural identity as “third culture kids.” The other is the challenge of unity within the diaspora community, which is hindered by historical social, cultural and political divisions. The ability of the wider diaspora community to engage in advocacy is further complicated by the economic struggles many face in the U.S. and cultural norms of stoicism in the face of difficulties. “Feel encouraged that there are people out here who are trying to make a difference and that you can too!” Jade says in closing. “No one is ever alone. Our power really does come from coming together and being in solidarity.”

Sean Turnell

Episode #212: Sean Turnell's remarkable journey in Myanmar, spanning over three decades, reflects a life deeply intertwined with the country's tumultuous history. He first describes his extensive research on Myanmar's economy, culminating in his first book, “Fiery Dragons,” which highlighted the importance of understanding history and culture in economics. Turnell's involvement deepened when he joined Aung San Suu Kyi's government as an economic advisor in 2016, a time fraught with challenges like the constant threat of a military coup and a looming banking crisis. His efforts to reform the banking sector faced resistance—along with personal threats— due to the involvement of criminal enterprises. Following the military takeover on February 1st, 2021, Turnell was tried on trumped up espionage charges and imprisoned for 650 days. His ordeal was marked by Kafkaesque court proceedings, horrible prison conditions and multiple battles with COVID-19. Turnell did find some solace in books, and especially solidarity with fellow political prisoners. He was even able to get some guarded moments with Aung San Suu Kyi, who impressed him with her strength and resilience even in such terrible circumstances. Turnell remains an outspoken opponent of the junta's crimes, despite facing extradition threats. The experience has transformed him, making him more inclined towards activism and advocacy. Amid all those challenges, Turnell developed a deep faith in the courage and compassion of the Burmese people, believing that they will ultimately prevail in their quest for a brighter future. “From what I've seen, Myanmar is the collection of the best, the brightest, most courageous people I've ever met in my life and I remain confident that they'll win through in the end.”

Climb Every Mountain

Episode #211: Enze Han, an Associate Professor at the University of Hong Kong, conducted ground-breaking research that analyzes patterns of conflict in relation to geography. His study, "Rugged terrain, forest coverage, and insurgency in Myanmar," analyzed the tumultuous years from 2010 to 2018. His findings revealed a strategic dance within the country's terrain. Conflict tends to avoid the extremes of high- or low-density forests, following an inverted U-shaped pattern related to conflict and forest coverage. Too light, and the military’s superior weaponry and technology give them too much of an advantage; too heavy, and their superiority is neutralized, giving ethnic forces too much of an advantage. So conflict happens in between. Elevation is also a key consideration; both rebels and the military favored the mountains. Even though the military historically dominated the Bamar regions, they have more recently established bases at higher altitudes, which are mainly in the country’s ethnic regions and allow them to extend their reach there. This strategic move is couples with systematic deforestation, which not only generates illicit profits for military leaders and their cronies, but also helps flush out ethnic fighters. Han's study predates the coup, so it primarily examines military-ethnic skirmishes in mountainous and forested areas, but not the Bamar heartland. However, post-coup Myanmar has introduced conflict between Bamar-led PDF groups and the military, which still adheres to the same terrain-forest patterns. Han's research leveraged quantitative methods, utilizing satellite data and GIS mapping to understand conflict patterns. While it delves into the technical aspects, it underscores the very human crisis Myanmar faces, where lives are impacted daily by the ongoing conflict. Han's work provides invaluable insight into the struggles of communities in Myanmar's mountainous and forested regions.

Echoes of Genocide

Episode #210: Andrea Gittleman's deep familiarity with Myanmar spans 15 years, and is rooted in her work with the Burma Lawyers' Council in Mae Sot. With meager resources, the council educated Burmese migrants on their labor rights in Thailand while documenting atrocities back in Myanmar.  Witnessing the regime's grim human rights record firsthand, Gittleman embarked on a mission to garner international momentum for a commission of inquiry. Today, as the policy director for the Simon-Skjodt Center for the Prevention of Genocide, Gittleman is able to draw on her Myanmar expertise, as the center has been tracking violence against the Rohingya since 2013. The museum's current Rohingya exhibit aims to make the tragedy tangible, urging introspection on missed opportunities to prevent genocide and ongoing human rights abuses. The impactful influence of the exhibition resonated in Washington as U.S. Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, credited his 2022 visit to the museum for informing his solemn declaration that the military's brutal atrocities met the legal definition of genocide. Gittleman emphasizes that the determination, while certainly not a cause for celebration, serves as a crucial catalyst for political momentum and the potential protection of innocent lives at risk. “We want to make sure that we're doing what we can to share this information with the public and those who are able to spread it within their networks,” she says in closing. “We’re trying to keep momentum going and keep a focus on the plight of people at risk of atrocities across Burma, and doing what we can to make sure that that policy conversations can continue to take that with the utmost seriousness.”

Burning the Midnight Oil

Michael Haack sheds light on the intricate world of US sanctions and their impact on Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprises (MOGE) and the wider Myanmar military regime. Haack, a familiar voice on the podcast, has spent two decades advocating for Myanmar, playing a pivotal role in the passage of the Burma Act. These latest sanctions, as Haack explains, cut off US financial services to MOGE, affecting loans and transfers, which may seem minor but actually have a profound impact. MOGE, being a vital source of foreign exchange for the military, deals primarily in US dollars, making these sanctions more significant than they initially appear. He believes one positive effect is that they will make it harder for the regime to acquire dollars for weapons. However, he says they are ultimately, not a game changer, contrasting them with the EU's more potent sanctions, which compelled even China to divert funds intended for MOGE into escrow. He emphasizes that US sanctions were drafted with Thailand's interests in mind, allowing Myanmar to continue selling gas to its eastern neighbor. Haack hints at the US prioritizing its relations with Thailand over opposing Myanmar's regime, and also notes the influence of corporate lobbying. Haack also points out that the history of US sanctions includes targeting the garment industry, which disproportionately affected vulnerable workers, and how such sanctions often serve as moral victories rather than practical solutions. Haack closes by criticizing what he calls the “semiotic loop,” in which good news from Myanmar is amplified without meaningful change. He highlights the challenge of navigating Myanmar's “low information environment” and the influence of diverse groups, from religious organizations to corporations, in shaping US decisions. Haack's insights reveal the complexities of international sanctions and their implications for Myanmar's ongoing struggle for democracy.

You Say You Want a Revolution

Episode #209: Susan Zaw’s father and grandfather were both military men, and she had never really been a real fan of the National League for Democracy (NLD).  But on February 28, shortly after the coup, everything changed. Her neighbor, a taxi driver, accidentally was hit in the neck by a soldier’s stray bullet. He was immediately rushed to the hospital for an emergency operation, but while in recovery, soldiers came and whisked him away.  It is common practice for the military to apprehend those who have been injured by soldiers, and then fraudulently charge them with assault. So victims suffer doubly, injured by the military, then arrested for it. Then on March 27, Armed Forces Day, Susan found herself in a large but peaceful protest. The military responded with force, however, killing 30 people. Some of Susan’s friends were arrested, and she, herself, barely escaped to safety. The military claimed that the soldiers had acted in self-defense against a violent mob. It was a blatant lie, and Susan was disgusted. The trauma of those experiences left a deep mark on Susan, and led her to throw her full support behind the democracy movement.  She soon became active in raising funds for CDM and PDF groups. Her family initially had reservations, but Susan was determined, and her family relented. Eventually, she was invited to join a group attempting to reach out to soldiers in the hope of finding common ground and reminding them of their empathy. This led to an invitation for her to teach English to defectors, and reach out to their wives as well. Those connections have been so successful that Susan’s group has been tasked with working with the defectors’ wives to make contact with the spouses of those who are still deployed, and convincing them to be on the right side of history.

“Why Has Myanmar’s Democracy Movement Been Ignored?”

Episode #208: Better Burma’s third panel tackles the issue of the lack of limited international governmental and infrequent media attention on the horrific, on-going situation in Myanmar and the Burmese people’s valiant resistance against a brutal, Russia-backed military. Considering the widespread atrocities and human rights abuses, this lack of attention is actually rather startling. This disconnect was nowhere more apparent than in the Crisis Group’s recent essay, “10 Conflicts to Watch in 2023.” Myanmar didn’t even make the list! The topic of this panel, then, was Why Has Myanmar's Struggle for Democracy Been Ignored? Five distinguished guests addressed these questions: Why has the democratic movement in Myanmar been left to fend for itself? Why has this issue not risen to a global consciousness and concern, and not engaged any real sector to take on as an issue? Why have news media outlets, international organizations, neighboring countries, Western governments, and large aid organizations consistently declined to provide the support and attention necessary to an unfolding humanitarian disaster?

Nobuko Nakano

Episode #207: Seeking a way to satisfy a growing internal discontent, Nobuko Nakano turned to psychedelics and other drugs, and hard partying in her youth. It was hard for her to stop, even after taking her first vipassana meditation course in the tradition of S.N. Goenka. Finally, though, she felt she had come to a fork in the road, and made the commitment to spend an extended period of time sitting and serving courses at Dhamma Aloka. Becoming more grounded in the practice, she traveled on to India and stayed at the Dhamma Giri, where she also took an extended Pāḷi course. Around that time, she and her partner enrolled in a 45-day vipassana course in Dhamma Sindhu in Gujarat. They had plans of returning to Australia and becoming more committed in their relationship, but on this course, something fundamental shifted in Nobuko; she realized that a relationship commitment in lay life was no longer for her. She ended up in Burma, where she decided to ordain as a nun. The ceremony was surprisingly emotional for her, and even nine months into wearing robes, the pain of having let go of her relationship with her boyfriend was still so acute that one day she decided to disrobe and go back to him, until a senior nun talked her out of it. She dedicated her time in robes to pariyatti study and intensive meditation practice, until several issues started bubbling over from under the surface. First was the disparity in how male and female monastics were treated in Burma. Yet even more egregious was the growing, anti-Muslim propaganda that was starting up (and eventually led to the Rohyinga crisis). She couldn’t reconcile how a community that had been so supportive and generous towards her, and was so committed to following the Buddha’s teachings, could become so hateful and paranoid. Nobuko realized that it was time for her to move on from Myanmar. Nobuko had still not disrobed when she finally returned to Melbourne, and her mother confided to her that she wanted her to return to lay life. She said, “I hadn't lived in the world for nine years, so I gave it some thought, and I decided, ‘How about I give it a shot being back in the world, and try to be a good, wholesome, dhammic person in the lay life, a contributing member in society?’”

Rebels Without a Pause

Episode #206: Soon after Delphine Schrank arrived in Yangon in 2008 as a Washington Post reporter to cover the aftermath of Cyclone Nargis, she realized that life under the brutal military was a big part of the story there. Her curiosity led her to uncover a thriving underground network of dissidents committed to building democracy. Her resulting book, The Rebel of Rangoon, delves into the lives of two main protagonists, Nway and Nigel, offering a nuanced perspective on their sacrifices and struggles. Nway's commitment to the movement stemmed from a pivotal moment in medical school when he chose activism over a comfortable life. Nigel, on the other hand, was initially disillusioned by politics but found his calling during the Saffron Revolution. Delphine also writes about other key figures, such as Win Tin, who dared to speak out against the regime, and Aung San Suu Kyi. The role of Buddhism and meditation in sustaining activists even behind bars is also explored. Delphine dispels the misconception that Burmese Buddhism leads to passivity, highlighting how it strengthens resolve and encourages self-sacrifice. While nonviolent resistance defined the pre-transition period, the post-coup resistance and National Unity Government (NUG) now considere armed resistance as necessary to confront the military's unrelenting duplicity, violence and brutality. “They haven't got to the destination,” she says in closing, “but they're getting there eventually, so I still have huge faith in them. And because of the sacrifice, the understanding of that long struggle, and all the other things that many of them have, and even the Buddhist philosophy underlying all this, they're going to get there, it just might not be in their own lifetimes. And some of them are willing to accept that. But they're going fight like hell until they get there and lose a lot of people along the way.”

Emergency Edition: Scams and Shackles

In the wake of Operation 1027, we are airing a new “Special Release” episode that looks into the complex and murky web of criminal enterprises operating with impunity in Myanmar, specifically, the harsh and sordid reality of large-scale scamming. Jason Tower, country director for the Burma program at the United States Institute of Peace (USIP), exposes the dark underbelly of an operation that ensnare over half a million people into modern-day slavery across Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, and the Philippines, forcing them to act as scammers in this multibillion dollar “industry.” Describing these scams as “pig butchering” because they’re designed to lead unaware dupes to the slaughter, Tower reveals a highly organized criminal network that resembling modern IT companies employing advanced technology, AI, and fintech to deceive victims globally. The kingpins behind this lucrative industry invest heavily in creating legitimate fronts, including fraudulent crypto schemes. Owned by wealthy clans with ties to the Myanmar military and protected by junta-aligned Border Guard Forces, these centers help fund the military regime. The relationship between the scam centers and the Myanmar military poses challenges for Beijing, because most of those trapped into acting as scammers being held in horrible conditions are Chinese. This has caused some speculation that China may even have tacitly approved Operation 1027 although nominally they support the military junta. The recent release of 31,000 victims and arrests of key actors offer a glimmer of hope amid this sordid business, but a grim reality persists—75% of Myanmar's scam center victims remain in bondage, and security forces, complicit in the criminal enterprise, have resorted to violence against those attempting to escape. "The point here is, we've got a major global crisis on our hands that extends way beyond Myanmar, and many people in Myanmar are being victimized by this,” Tower says in closing. “This is sort of something that's playing a role in violent conflict in Myanmar, but it's also something that's touching people and harming people all around the world!”

Uncovering Dr. Leon Wright

Episode #205: In a world where representation and diversity are more critical than ever, Aishah Shahidah Simmons unveils the little known story of Dr. Leon Wright, a remarkable African-American professor who served as the US Cultural Attaché in Rangoon from 1955-57, and who was authorized to teach meditation by the great meditation master, Sayagyi U Ba Khin. Aishah's own quest for representation within meditation traditions dovetailed perfectly with her discovery of Wright, a hidden gem in the history of vipassana meditation. His story is one of resilience, achievement, and a testament to the possibility of breaking barriers in a deeply segregated era. Wright's journey from orphanhood to becoming a distinguished professor and diplomat is nothing short of inspiring, and his work with meditation, spirituality and healing at a time in American culture when none of these were commonplace makes his story all the more unique and compelling. Aishah notes how Wright’s accomplishments predate the Civil Rights movement, challenging the notion of who could excel in a world divided by racial prejudice. And she wonders why Wright’s unique and amazing story is so little known today. Her journey to discover and share this hidden legacy has been a deeply personal and spiritual experience. “I feel like Reverend Dr. Wright is very much with me, and I feel very close to his spirit,” Aishah says in closing. “I have a lot of gratitude for Reverend Dr. Leon Wright, and for Sayagyi U Ba Khin, just tremendous gratitude in terms of my practice, and thinking about all of the all the ways that he's influenced me. I feel like I'm a part of that cycle or sphere of energy that came from U Ba Khin, which obviously came from people who proceed from U Ba Khin as well.”

Emergency Edition: The Spring Revolution Will Win

Matthew Arnold is an academic and independent policy analyst specializing in politics, governance, and peace and conflict, with extensive experience in Myanmar and a background encompassing roles at The Asia Foundation, academic research, and with the UN World Food Program in various conflict zones and humanitarian crises. Arnold notes that Myanmar now stands at a critical juncture, marked by 33 months of both armed and peaceful resistance against military dictatorship. He describes how Operation 1027, executed by competent and strategically inclined Ethnic Armed Organizations (EAOs), reflects a carefully considered move based on the evolving trajectory of the conflict. In his view, the junta, facing widespread and entrenched resistance, lacks the depth to recover, evidenced by its inability to launch significant counter-offensives. To Arnold, the pro-democracy resistance, a bottom-up revolt evolving into a national uprising for federal democracy, remains steadfast despite criticisms and flaws. The junta's brutal tactics have ignited an unquenchable fire of revolution, and its continued atrocities are unlikely to shift the tide. Arnold boldly predicts that the democratic movement, now viable and ascendant, is poised for outright victory within the next 3 to 6 months, shaping a post-conflict peace that, while potentially messy, is distinguished by social goodwill and solidarity among the Myanmar people. Amid calls for international support, Arnold urges an open-minded approach, emphasizing Myanmar's potential for positive collective change and dismissing notions of irreparable fracture. In his view, Operation 1027 serves as a catalyst, signaling a ray of hope in a dark world, inviting contemplation, preparation, and celebration of the impending collapse of the genocidal junta.

Ashin Kovida

Episode #204: Ashin Kovida, a prominent pro-democracy Buddhist monk, shares his remarkable journey from a remote village with no electricity to becoming a fervent advocate for democracy and human rights. His story is one of growth and transformation. He initially questioned foreign political concepts like democracy, and was against Aung San Suu Kyi, but later embraced the ideal of democracy and came to greatly admire her, especially after secretly reading her book Freedom From Fear. He continued to educate himself by listening to BBC and VOA, and engaging in discussions with visiting tourists. Ashin Kovida's deep-rooted belief in the teachings of the Buddha has also led him to challenge the oppressive military regime in Myanmar. He emphasizes the importance of democratic principles and the need for governments to respect the will of the people—and reinforces this argument by referencing stories from the Buddha’s life and the core of his spiritual teachings.  Ashin Kovida’s forward thinking extends to education as well, advocating for a broader curriculum in monastic education, one that includes subjects like math and English as well as Western philosophy and psychology, in order to make Buddhist teachings more relevant to a modern and diverse audience. Ashin Kovida is not shy in offering his criticisms of Burmese monks who align with the regime. He also calls out the role of Western media for focusing on extremist Buddhist messaging while not reporting on the more progressive elements of the Saṅgha. At a time when some wonder where the faith is heading while caught in the current strife, his answer is very clear. “Buddhism doesn't need to go anywhere! Ledi Sayadaw, was a revolutionist,” he asserts, referring to the famous 19th century monk, adding that many at the time accused him of being Communist, so radical were his ideas. “We worry about losing Buddhism, which is against the Buddhist teaching, but we don't need to worry,” he asserts. “Worrying about losing the Buddha's teaching is not the way to the Buddha's teaching! If you want to follow the Buddha's teaching, just practice, that's it!

Emergency Edition: Rakhine Roulette

Vladmir Lenin once said, “There are decades where nothing happens, and there are weeks when decades happen.” At this moment, in the wake of Operation 1027, Myanmar is going through one of these weeks. We now find ourselves in a complex, fluid, fast-moving and high-stakes situation, one which may well very well decide the fate of the country, so we are rushing the production of related interviews to provide listeners with informed, up-to-date analyses. Our inaugural episode in this series kicks off with Kyaw Hsan Hlaing, who provides an overview of the political context in Rakhine state, detailing the history of the Arakan League for Democracy (ALD), the Rakhine Nationalities Development Party (RNDP), the Arakan National Party (ANP), and the Arakan Front Party (AFP). He describes the often-fraught relations that the Rakhine people have had over the years with the Burmese military, the Bamar-majority National League for Democracy (NLD), and the Rohingya minority. He also explains the origins of the powerful Arakan Army (AA) and its political affiliate, the United League of Arakan (ULA), delving into their relations with the National Unity Government (NUG), why they initially agreed to a post-coup truce with the State Administration Council (SAC), but then why they have so dramatically broken that truce to join Operation 1027. In closing, Kyaw Hsan Hlaing posits that contrary to the opinions of some analysts, the AA/ULA is deeply invested not only in crushing the Burmese military, but also in establishing a strong federal democracy. He describes how the high-stakes gamble that the AA took in joining the operation is very much in line with this aim. He closes by noting that if they make it through the present challenges and the military is defeated, the country has a real chance to become a stable democracy, which will benefit not only the Rakhine people, but all the citizens of Myanmar.

Jack Myint, Part 2

Episode #203: Jack Myint's journey is a tale of cultural contrast and resilience. He had the opportunity as a teenager to attend a program at a US college, sponsored by the State Department. Coming from the very traditional, Myanmar public schools, his experience of open discussion and critical engagement in an American college classroom was an awakening. Returning to Myanmar from the vibrant American campus was stark, reverse culture shock. Jack’s independent spirit, only enhanced by his US trip, caused his mother concern under the repressive, military regime. She warned, “You're going to either get killed or end up in jail,” and that he needed to leave the country somehow.  Jack chose to apply to college overseas; he navigated the challenges, was accepted at several schools, and secured a scholarship so he could attend one. During Jack’s college years, Aung San Suu Kyi was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal, and he was invited to the ceremony, and he jumped on a Greyhound to DC. While expressing pride in a Burmese political figure being so admired on a worldwide scale, Jack acknowledges the conflicted nature of her legacy.  He also feels that the NLD government made many mistakes which, in retrospect, may have contributed to the conditions leading to the 2021 military coup. Jack’s strong view on sanctions is that they have historically proven ineffective in changing the behavior of despotic regimes, particularly in a resource-rich country like Myanmar, and that they primarily harm the people. He suggests that calls for sanctions in Myanmar are often motivated by emotional considerations, primarily as a symbolic, moral action than a concrete act of policy with clear consequences. Jack concludes the discussion with a resounding sense of hope for the democracy movement, while calling out foreign observers who wrote them off long ago. “Never underestimate the resiliency of the Myanmar people! We've seen pretty bad stuff, and we've lived through it, and we've survived it… If I don't have hope, I have nothing. And at least in my lifetime, I think we'll we will see a return to the promise that Myanmar once showed the world.”

The Breath of Awakening (Bonus Shorts)

Episode #202: Diego Prieto, guided by the allure of the Buddha's teachings, embarked on what would become a transformative journey into Myanmar. His first experiences with meditation took place in his home country of Chile, and he continued to take courses across South America, before heading to India, where he began work on a documentary about the Buddha’s teachings. But Diego’s perspective profoundly changed in the vibrant Buddhist society of Myanmar, deepening his understanding of practice by engaging in a living tradition. Myanmar revealed a dynamic Buddhism, shaped by the passage of time and the tapestry of changing cultures. It was a revelation! The sacred sites that bore witness to centuries of meditation held a strong attraction for Diego, leaving an indelible imprint on his practice. In particular, The International Meditation Center (IMC), where S.N. Goenka took his first vipassana course with Sayagyi U Ba Khin, was an intense and powerful experience, and allowed him to confront his inner darkness in a profound way. Later, in the ancestral village of Webu Sayadaw, Diego discovered that the practice of ānāpāna (the observation of breath) encompassed the essence of Buddhism's path to enlightenment, as opposed to just being a way to concentrate the mind, as he learned in his prior meditation. This revelation became the guiding light for his future practice, a seed of wisdom planted deep within. Yet, there were more revelations to come. In the Thabarwa Monastery, compassionate action became a gateway to meditation for Diego. Engaging in acts of active compassion—cleaning, assisting the vulnerable, and teaching—he witnessed the transformative power of selfless deeds. It was an awakening that expanded his understanding of Buddhism's true nature, beyond the confines of traditional boundaries. Contemplating Myanmar's current challenges, Diego drew upon his own experiences of turmoil and social unrest in his native country of Chile. In the face of helplessness, he advocates for presence, for listening and sharing, and for the profound lessons that emerge from embracing the pain of others.

Navigating the Financial Landscape

Episode #201: In this podcast episode, an economic advisor, Sean Turnell, provides a deep analysis of Myanmar's economic history and its transformation from a prosperous nation to one of the poorest in Southeast Asia. Throughout the episode, Turnell’s personal experiences, including his 650-day imprisonment, intersect with the nation's trajectory, emphasizing the resilience and courage of the Myanmar people in the face of adversity. Turnell’s insights shed light on the detrimental impact of decades of disastrous economic policies imposed by successive military regimes. Turnell discusses the military's complete control over the country's natural resources and their focus on a “rent-seeking” rather than growth-oriented economy, resulting in widespread poverty. He also explores the role of the Myanmar Economic Corporation and Myanmar Economic Holdings Limited, two major conglomerates overseen by the military, and the lack of transparency surrounding their operations. The conversation also delves into the brief period of economic openness and the shift towards more foreign investment during the transition period, which was driven by the military’s fear of becoming a vassal state of China. Turnell highlights the challenges faced during the transition, emphasizing the difficulty of implementing reforms, and the resistance from a corrupt bureaucracy. He reflects on the potential for what a second NLD term might have been, and the bold economic reforms it might have brought to the Burmese people. The episode concludes with a discussion of post-coup Myanmar, including the military’s reckless printing of money and its impact on monetary instability. Turnell highlights the widespread barter economy and economic inequality as factors preventing hyperinflation.

Battling Oppression with Economic Stability (Bonus Shorts)

Episode #200: “I am an Indian and American, and I carry both in my blood,” says Jagdish Dalal, who goes by the name Jag. “I am one of those with a Western mind and Eastern soul. So whenever I think about Myanmar, or I think about other Asian countries, I have a personal feel for it.” With over five decades of leadership experience advising Fortune 100 companies, Jag is a sought-after speaker on information technology management and futurism. He emphasizes the importance of "impact sourcing" and the need for infrastructure to harness the incoming wealth from corporations in developing economies, creating a thriving middle class and reducing social inequality. Jag's economic perspective on Myanmar is thought-provoking. He connects economic stability to political environments, believing that Myanmar must foster growth, not suppression, to avoid falling behind. His approach focuses on the economic root of Myanmar's problems, anticipating that an unraveling economy will lead to oppressive regimes and regional instability. He advocates for incentives over sanctions, viewing sanctions as counterproductive. Jag closes by affirming that people the world over should be following—and concerned—about what is now happening in Myanmar. “The challenge is that that issue is in the back of the mind, so I think the more and more you do to bring it to the forefront, it's going to help,” he says. Jag references Insight Myanmar Podcast as an effective example of creating engagement through education. “I was concerned about [Myanmar] at one point in time, and I would have done something about it if I could,” he says. “[But this podcast] really put Myanmar ahead on my thinking platform. There are a lot of things out there that I'm thinking about, but now it is higher on my platform

Michael Stein

Episode #199: Following a period of rebellion and exploration through the tumultuous 1960s, Michael Stein embarked on a journey that ultimately led him to a profound spiritual connection with S.N. Goenka. Winding his way through Israel, Turkey, Iran, and Afghanistan, he reached India just before the 1971 war with Pakistan. Michael had a deep sense of belonging the moment he crossed the border. At first, his main interests were dope smoking and travel, though the pull of spiritual practice was always in the background. Financial constraints forced him to return to the U.S. briefly to make some money before going back to India, where he sat his first vipassana course with S.N. Goenka in Dalhousie. India in the early 1970s offered a smorgasbord of great, spiritual teachers—Ram Dass, Neem Karoli Baba, Sai Baba, and Kalu Rinpoche, and Munindra among others. Michael became part of a close group of international seekers, including Joseph Goldstein, Jack Kornfield, Daniel Goleman, and Sharon Salzburg, forming lifelong personal and Dhamma friendships. Michael spent time with several of them, but felt his personal path was the practice as taught by Goenka. As that group of friends and seekers drifted apart in the mid-1970s, most returned to their home countries, bringing those vipassana teachings with them. Western teachers like Joseph Goldstein, Robert Hover and John Coleman started teaching meditation across the world at that time as well, and a further pivotal moment came when Goenka expanded his teachings outside of India. Michael played a key role in disseminating vipassana practice in the US. He managed many of Joseph Goldstein’s early courses, as well as some courses taught by Robert Hover. He was instrumental in helping start the International Meditation Society (IMS) in Barre, Massachusetts, and then in helping Goenka establish his first U.S. center, Dhamma Dhara, in nearby in Shelburne Falls. For Michael, Goenka’s legacy can ultimately be summarized by what he accomplished. “He wanted people to be able to meditate, he wanted people to learn this technique, and you have to surrender your life towards doing these things,” he says in closing. “That's the gratitude I have, because I can't tell you how much it's helped me in my life. I was pretty messed up!  I've gone through quite a bit over the years, and whatever came my way, I was not perfect in it, but I had the Dhamma and I kept my sīla, and I got through everything.”

Wes Kingsley

Episode #198: Wes Kingsley's remarkable journey takes us through his CIA assignments in various conflict-ridden regions, such as post-independence Congo, and Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War. It also takes us to Burma, which holds a special place in Wes's heart amid all his other adventures, as that is where he met his future wife and developed an appreciation of Buddhism. Wes’s first CIA stint was in Eritrea, in Africa. During his time there, the Simba Rebellion in the Congo was heating up. A crisis developed in which American hostages were taken, and Wes was dispatched there to try and rescue them. Wes then went to Vietnam, experiencing the brutality of war and narrowly escaping attacks by the Vietcong, eventually leaving Saigon on one of the very last flights out of the besieged city. Choosing Rangoon as his next destination, Wes hoped for a quieter atmosphere while combating Burma's narcotics trade. He witnessed the violent 1974 crackdown on student protests over the burial of U Thant’s body, but found solace in the peaceful nature of the Burmese people. The uncommonly adventurous nature of his life even extended to his Burmese wife-to-be. Due to her inability to get a passport to leave the country, she escaped with gem smugglers to Thailand.  Wes had to bribe Thai officials to marry them. Later, during his assignment in Jamaica, working for the State Department, he was “outed” as having worked for the CIA in Africa, resulting in he an assassination attempt on him and his family. From Paris to Liberia to Central America to Manila, Wes’ adventurous life continued.  But amid all the countries he visited and dangerous challenges he faced, the peaceful nature of the Burmese people and Buddhism still shine brightly in his memory.

Revolutionary Poetry (Bonus Shorts)

Episode #197: Meet Sai, a poet whose words echo the raw emotions and evolving landscape of Myanmar. Known by his Instagram handle, In the Land of Grief and Gold, his verses offer first-hand insight into the country's turmoil, inviting others to empathize with and support the people’s revolution in Myanmar. Sai's journey is intertwined with his desire to reconcile his faith and Buddhist practice with the harsh realities of the ongoing conflict. He finds solace in vipassana meditation, while also using poetry as a refuge amidst overwhelming emotions. As a member of the Burmese diaspora, Sai understands the challenges faced by his community and writes to uplift their spirits despite the despair they endure. He prays that the generational trauma that has afflicted his own, and countless other Burmese families, will not have to be borne by future generations. Sai believes that poetry is deeply ingrained in Burmese society, serving as a backbone for resilience and resistance.  And recognizing the power of words, he pays tribute to the fallen poets of Myanmar who have courageously spoken out against the oppressive regime. Disturbed by the regime's manipulation of Buddhist teachings to justify violence, Sai emphasizes the need for unity and inclusivity in the fight for change. He speaks out against military propaganda, and strives to raise awareness of the struggle in the international community. Aware of his privilege as someone living in freedom and safety, Sai feels compelled to fulfill his civic responsibility by amplifying the struggle and urging the world not to abandon the people of Myanmar.

The Brutal Incompetence of a Floundering Regime

Episode #196: “You have these new battlefields that the military seems unprepared for and certainly doesn't have the manpower or resources. And yet they're fighting! They've chosen to fight in these places.” In this episode, security analyst Zach Abuza unravels the intricate web of conflict that continues to unfold in Myanmar. The Burmese military finds itself ensnared in an unprecedented multi-front war. From Chin state to Magwe, and from Mandalay to the remote reaches of Shan and Kayah states, the military is stalemated. Abuza delves into the military's stark predicament – stretched thin, facing dwindling resources, and grappling with internal dissent—along with the nation's crumbling economy, and the evolving contours of the crisis. He also illuminates a compelling narrative of resistance forces, showcasing their battlefield innovation and unwavering determination. Meanwhile, in rural regions, Abuza stresses that the everyday bravery of fighting against the military’s tyranny continues. “Despite the threat of arrest, of terrible treatment upon arrest, whether sexual violence or rape, being tortured to death, people are protesting military rule. Every day, there are flash mobs in villages around the country protesting military rule! The courage of the people of Myanmar to do this for 30 plus months, it is astounding.” However, Abuza concludes that the military's ability to fund its reign of terror has not been affected even by its battlefield failures. The junta exploits the nation's natural resources and foreign investments. But the country teeters on the precipice of an economic abyss, facing rising inflation, a contracting economy, widespread poverty and food insecurity. The military's mismanagement of the nation's financial institutions further exacerbates the economic chaos. Yet in spite of the drastic economic situation and the junta’s lack of military success, the generals keep their grip on power, and while resistance forces can now keep the military at bay, they do not presently have the capacity to push for victory.  So the question continues to linger: How long can the military keep this seemingly unending conflict going?

Dancing in Duality

Episode #195: “I just always felt most comfortable in retreat settings, and in monastic settings to some degree… and in strip clubs.” This is Natalie Claire’s story, and though she no longer is employed as a stripper or sex worker, her perspective on her story and her decisions is very thought-provoking. Natalie traces her story back to a very messy parental divorce. To help her cope, she took up yoga and then vipassana, but also experimented with all kinds of drugs. In fact, even as she began sitting long vipassana retreats, her drug and alcohol addiction spiraled out of control. Finally, with professional help, she was able to get it under control, and has not used substances for over a decade now. But she continued her job as a sex worker and stripper, and was comfortable with her decision. She sought out advice from therapists and Dharma teachers about how she could stay in that profession while still being true to her inner values of living with integrity and not taking any action that would cause harm to others. She was intent on applying the Buddha’s teachings of mindfulness in all postures and in all situations to the strip club. So even while stripping, Natalie tried to maintain her observation of her body and mental volitions. Outside of work, Natalie spent her free time on retreats, studying the Pāḷi scriptures or at the local Mahasi monastery in Las Vegas which she visited often. She took a trip to Thailand in 2007, and then Burma in 2019, where she spent time living in nunneries in the Sagaing Hills. She remembers Sagaing as “a Disneyland of monasteries.” She was deeply inspired by the generosity and friendship of the community of nuns she came in contact with. The coup and its aftermath have been devastating for Natalie, especially hearing stories of violence inflicted on the very nuns she spent time with. Still, she comes back to the deeper lessons that remain with her from that trip in the Golden Land, which she is still deeply grateful for today. “What really sits with me is this expression of that life and of that culture of Dharma, of monastic life, just the most loving, tender, gentle, nurturing… that's what's really emerging for right now.”

Presumed Guilty (Bonus Shorts)

Episode #194: In the midst of Myanmar's turbulent times, Manny Maung, a dedicated advocate from Human Rights Watch, sheds light on a dire situation. Behind closed doors, a shadowy military court system relentlessly tries civilians without proper legal representation. This injustice has escalated to an unprecedented level since the coup, eroding the foundations of democracy and rule of law. The Myanmar justice system, rooted in colonial-era penal codes, has never embraced fair trials. Now, it operates entirely at the whims of military leader Min Aung Hlaing, undermining the very essence of legality. Lawyers valiantly defending their clients often face harassment, and are not immune to threats of detention and even torture, adding immense stress to their lives. Merely attempting to defend a client who the state has accused may land them in contempt of court. The judiciary, once on a path to independence, has regressed under the military's grip. Arbitrary arrests, the state of emergency's dubious renewals, and sham elections are orchestrated to consolidate the regime's power, while neighboring countries lend support. Recent sanctions, though effective to some degree, are not substantial enough, allowing the military to find a way around them. Maung calls for more stringent measures, including a Global Arms Embargo and action against Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprise. Amid these harrowing circumstances, the Rohingya suffer more than anyone. They remain stateless, trapped in apartheid-like conditions, with no justice for the atrocities committed against them. A multifaceted approach is needed to limit the military's capacity to oppress. Maung asserts that international support can be directed to reignite Myanmar's democracy movement, offering hope for a brighter, post-junta future. Though darkness looms, hope remains the beacon guiding Maung and others fighting for Myanmar's freedom. “Myanmar will have a lot of problems, you have a generation now that is very used to extreme violence, let alone the trauma and the types of violence that they've been exposed to. But there's also some hope in starting from the beginning, perhaps if we can actually move towards somewhere that doesn't have the military as part of that underlying fabric of society, then I think we can get to a better place.”

Narcos: Myanmar

Episode #193: In Myanmar's tumultuous landscape, Patrick Winn urges us to see the drug trade not as a moral dilemma but as a potent force shaping the nation's destiny. This trade is a means to amass power, manipulate borders, and influence Myanmar's very future, much like how Saudi Arabia was changed by the discovery of oil there. Winn's perspective on the multibillion dollar drug trade is pragmatic; it's a colossal industry, akin to Fortune 500 companies, driven by ruthless individuals who'll go to any lengths for profit. He traces the Golden Triangle’s origins back to Chinese Nationalist soldiers who, with clandestine CIA support during the Cold War, turned to opium and heroin production after they failed to overthrow Mao and  Communist China. This had the unintended consequence of addicting American soldiers in Vietnam, and eventually making its way into the US. Over time, the drug trade has become deeply ingrained in Myanmar, affecting not only the country’s governance but leading to widespread corruption and exploitation. Recent shifts have seen drug lords pivot to methamphetamine production, significantly boosting profits, as meth profits now far outpace heroin. Chinese crime cartels dominate the landscape, using a "landlord model" for drug cultivation, with profits going to those ethnic militias which provide them space. Surprisingly, the West pays little attention to the Golden Triangle's thriving drug trade because it mostly caters to local demand across Asia, leading to the devastate of local communities. Illicit narcotics is a major factor in the political mix of post-coup Myanmar. Besides enriching the military, it largely funds the United Wa State Army (UWSA). The UWSA is a very strong and well-armed ethnic defense force that has so far managed to hold itself apart from the conflict. Thus, its role in helping shape the country’s political future remains uncertain. “The real revolution that's already happening, is the beginning of this feeling of unity between the lowlands and the highlands,” Winn says in closing. “And if that if that doesn't work, then the revolution won't succeed.”

No Country for Democracy

Episode #192: “Where are the fighters of Europe who came out against fascist Hitler, or communist Stalin? All disappeared?” This is one of many blunt questions posed by Kasit Piromya, a distinguished Thai diplomat with 37 years of experience. He delivers a powerful critique, calling out the paltry global response to Myanmar's democracy movement. Piromya passionately criticizes the feeble commitment of politicians worldwide to involvement in this crisis, and urges them to align their actions with their ideals. He expresses particular disappointment in Western democracies for hesitating to confront tyranny in Myanmar, emphasizing the need for bold and tangible actions rather than excuses. Piromya also highlights the cozy relations between the Thai government and Myanmar's military, which hinder effective intervention. The role of ASEAN comes under particular scrutiny, with Piromya advocating for a permanent envoy to represent collective decisions and greater coordination with the NUG for humanitarian efforts. Emphasizing the importance of taking a strong stand against the Myanmar junta and warning against ASEAN's failure to act, Piromay argues that ASEAN’s response has set a dangerous precedent for permitting autocracy to take root in the region. He calls for a united front in promoting democracy and human rights, potentially reducing external influences from China, India, and Russia, which have continued to prop up the regime. Piromya acknowledges the challenges faced by democratic activists and NUG ministers in Myanmar and he appeals to ASEAN members, especially Thailand, to provide travel documents for their safe passage so that their voices can be heard by regional stakeholders. Lastly, Piromya offers constructive criticism of the NUG, urging them to select leaders willing to take risks for their country, move beyond Aung San Suu Kyi, and firmly reject past Burmanization policies. “They have to take the risk of their life because that is a noble thing called service to the country,” he says of those current NUG leaders. “So their life is secondary, because this is a very crucial time for them to take the mantle of leadership and take the risks, even to their physical well-being to their life.”

Resisting Until Victory

Episode #191: Myra Dahgaypaw was born in a camp for internally displaced persons in Karen State. Yet there was no safety there. From infancy, she had to flee with her family to escape violence, facing gunfire, airstrikes, and landmines. No matter where they stopped, the Burmese military found them and forced them to flee again. Myra wondered why this was happening to her and her family, and began to see the Bamar people as monsters. Her parents died before she was a teenager, and she was raised by extended family in a Thai refugee camp, where safety was still elusive due to cross-border attacks launched by the military-aligned Democratic Karen Buddhist Army. But Myra's thirst for education pushed her to learn English, leading to work as a librarian in Thailand. Her work eventually got her a ticket out of the camps to Washington, DC, where she works with the US Campaign for Burma, whose focus is uniting the diaspora and rallying both government and grassroots support. She highlights the urgent life-or-death situation in Burma and urges international intervention. “No matter what we say here, no matter what we advocate for, we can still go back to bed at night and sleep peacefully. I know people in Burma are not having this luxury. Next time they're killed, they're beheaded, they're put in jail… just because they are fighting for freedom, they are fighting for their rights and the rights of the people, the civilians of Burma.”

Grahame White, Part 1

Episode #190: A carefree Australian surfer, Grahame White’s life changed dramatically on a chance encounter with Hermann Hesse’s, Siddhartha. After reading it, he decided to practice breathing based on a short line in the text. What happened next blew him away. “The mind became very bright and luminous after about five minutes and I said, ‘Oh, this is better than drugs!’” Grahame then practiced Buddhist meditation in the Mahasi style at a monastery offered by the Thai Embassy in London, before heading onto Bodhgaya and ordaining there as a monk. At Bodghaya, he learned about an Indian vipassana teacher, S.N. Goenka, and Grahame made plans to go to the Tibetan monastery in Ladakh where Goenka would be conducting his second ever course. Those days in Bodghaya were an amazing time. He met Joseph Goldstein and Munindra, among many other names who would become prominent in Dhamma circles. Goenka soon announced his intention to come there to conduct a series of courses. Even among all the other spiritual teachers he was encountering at the time in India, he found that Goenka stood out in a remarkable way. “I feel as though Goenkaji just had a presence about him from his meditation practice,” he commented, adding that his strong personality and humility also stood out.  He spent long periods in Goenka’s presence, and listened to Goenka and Munindra converse for many hours on the Dhamma. In those days, Goenka courses were intense, but quite relaxed.  But little by little, Grahame felt an emergent “fundamentalism” in the organization as it rapidly grew in size, which made him uncomfortable, and so he returned to his Mahasi practice. In 1973, Grahame made his first visit to Burma. With only 7-day visas given to foreigners, he practiced briefly at the main Mahasi monastery, where he studied under Sayadaw U Janaka. Mahasi was also gaining a growing interest among Westerners, and when Grahame finally made it back to Australia, he began to involve himself with supporting Mahasi courses there. He eventually stepped into the teacher role himself, which will be the subject of Part 2 of our interview with him.

The French Connection (Bonus Shorts)

Episode #189: Nan Su Mon Aung took on a significant role to support her country and government by agreeing to become the NUG Representative in France. Despite acknowledging the challenges and responsibilities that come with the position, she embraced it with determination. Nan Su Mon Aung's mission is to inform French society about the situation in Myanmar, represent Burmese citizens in France, and foster communication between the NUG and French organizations. She expresses gratitude for the support provided by the global Burmese diaspora while recognizing the sacrifices made by those in the resistance movement who are on the ground. Nan Su Mon Aung highlights the ongoing struggles faced by people in Myanmar, such as arrests and ongoing human rights violations. Having grown up under previous dictatorships, her aspiration was to provide freer and more open education to Burmese youth. She aimed to encourage critical thinking and create a learning experience similar to that of international universities. However, her plans were disrupted by the coup. Nan Su Mon Aung also discusses her mixed, Karen/Pa’O background and the ethnic divisions still present in Myanmar. She praises the younger generation for their acceptance of diversity and their awareness of human rights and equality, and chalks it up to their easy access to information, which sets them apart from previous generations. She also emphasizes the global nature of the conflict in Myanmar, urging outside observers to recognize the involvement of Russia and China and the threat it poses to neighboring countries and the international community. Nan Su Mon Aung believes in the importance of eradicating dictatorship worldwide and encourages support for the ongoing revolution. “As long as we don't lose hope in our revolution, we are already winning. And we should be believing in it, because our revolution should prevail.”

Picturing a Revolution

Episode #188: Min Ma Naing, a photojournalist and narrative visual artist, stumbled onto her path accidentally. While studying in Hong Kong, she often went to a park to take a break from the strain, where her innocent smiles were misconstrued by men. To deter unwanted advances, she carried a camera, igniting a passion for photography. After attending an intensive international reporting training, she ventured to Meiktila, a town marred by religious tensions. In contrast to the media’s usual focus on the negative, she wanted to find positive stories to cover, and after further media training, she returned to Meiktila to do just that. Employed by The Myanmar Times, disillusionment set in, not only with the media’s focus on the negative angle of stories, but also gender bias in the newsroom. So she began to explore the field of documentary photography. Min Ma Naing ended up spending extended time living in Bangladesh, where she very much felt like an outsider. So when she ended up serendipitously meeting some Somali exiles there, she realized they both shared the experience of being outsiders. This led to a project she called “Jigsaw,” which shared many diverse, individual stories of displacement. Her portfolio then expanded to encompass diverse topics, including nunnery life and human trafficking, as well as more personal stories, such as one project exploring a failed relationship. But the military coup in February, 2021, dramatically shifted her focus. Through film photography, she captured the diverse perspectives of those opposing the coup. Her stories explored the individual experiences of ordinary people because it was, after all, a people’s revolution. The coup upended her life, and after surviving some close calls as a protester, she realized that the military would be coming for her sooner or later. She finally fled the country, with her family’s blessing, although her sister remains in prison to this day. Now in living in safety, her art has become a double-edged sword, reminding her of her privilege in being in a place of safety and escaping arrest. Seeking healing, she began to chronicle her emotions in visual diaries on the advice of a therapist, which later transformed into poignant handmade books that help her bridge the emotional chasm caused by her exile and love of her country. Min Ma Naing continues today to give a voice to her country’s vulnerable population who are struggling to be heard. Yet, she notes, “I don't like the term like a voiceless. We were not able to hear it, but they have their voice, and we [just] fail to hear it.”

A Light at the End of the Tunnel

Episode #187: Guillaume de Langre, a former adviser to the Myanmar Ministry of Electricity and Energy, paints a bleak picture of the country’s multiple, overlapping, energy crises. He describes how the junta's inadequate governance and years of mismanagement under past military regimes have exacerbated the situation. Today, power cuts are becoming more frequent, causing the spoilage of food and vaccines, business closures, and postponed surgeries, among many other disruptions. De Langre points out that approximately 50% of Myanmar's power comes from gas they produce, but a resource expected to run out by 2030. this poses a critical challenge for the country's economy. Importing gas or transitioning to alternative energy sources like solar, wind, and hydropower requires significant investment and time, both of which the current regime lacks. Foreign investor trust eroded after the coup, leaving energy projects abandoned. De Langre underscores the dire, society-wide consequences of failing to address the energy crisis. De Langre notes that the military's primary interest is in securing foreign currency and funding, rather than developing energy for the people’s benefit. As a way out of the current energy crisis, and to build a better future, he suggests a transition to solar and wind energy along with hydroelectricity, coupled with rebuilding investor trust. However, the military's history of neglect hinders any possibility of progress in this area. Still, De Langre envisions a possible silver lining in this challenging period – an opportunity to reimagine a decentralized, renewable, power grid. But this would take an awareness and a shift in the current authorities’ priorities, something not likely to happen. In closing, de Langre highlights the economic aspect of Myanmar's tragedy, which is often overlooked in light of the many other atrocities continuing to take place. “It is a massive opportunity cost for the development of regional unity and stability! It is a massive opportunity costs for keeping that qualified labor in Myanmar… that’s really critical to the economic freedom of people of households of individuals of businesses.”

A Double Minority

Episode #186: “The term ‘double minority’ simply means a ‘minority within minority,’” Christopher Win explains. “Rakhine is an ethnic minority group in Myanmar, and Maramagyi is an even smaller group than the Rohingya! I'm from that small minority group, and I work as an ethnic rights activist.” The Maramagyi have faced discrimination and marginalization from the larger Rakhine and Rohingya communities, as well as severe restrictions placed on them from the Burmese state. Despite these challenges, Christopher has been involved in activism, documenting human rights violations and collaborating with organizations such as the UN Human Rights Office. He views the issues faced by the Maramagyi as part of an "ethnically patriarchal system," where dominant ethnic groups oppress smaller ones. Christopher believes that smaller ethnic groups should unite to amplify their voices and push for their rights through a new federal charter, rather than narrowly seeking freedoms for their own groups alone. The military coup in Myanmar has brought greater awareness to the ethnic struggles that were previously ignored or misunderstood by the majority Bamar population. Christopher sees a positive shift in the Bamar perspective, as they now recognize the importance of federalism and respect for ethnic diversity. Christopher was politically active after the coup, which put him in the crosshairs of the dreaded Special Branch. So he had to make his escape, and eventually found his way to Washington, DC. Here, he joined the General Strike Committee of Nationalities, a group working towards a unified resistance against dictatorship and advocating for the rights of Myanmar's diverse ethnic groups. “We’re making especially Bamar people understand that Myanmar is extremely diverse country and our rights have long been violated. We're experiencing all these atrocious acts every day, but since people of Myanmar are determined, and they are on the right path, I am hopeful that we will win eventually, because we never had this sort of momentum in the past!”

From Reconciliation to Resistance

Episode #185: Alan Clements returns to the podcast, this time to talk about his recent book, Burma’s Voices of Freedom in Conversation with Alan Clements: An Ongoing Struggle for Democracy, a four-volume opus consisting of his interviews with “dozens of the country’s most respected and well-known politicians, pro-democracy activists, artists and religious leaders from Burma’s democracy movements” since the 1988 uprising. Clements first addresses concerns about Aung Sang Suu Kyi, devoting the book’s first volume to her. He sets it up as one long interview, writing simple questions that she “answers” with selected verbatim quotes. Clements claims that her actual words disprove many of the narratives that have arisen about her since the Rohingya crisis. He insists that her actual words demonstrate that she in fact was not an apologist for the military’s genocidal actions against the Rohingya. The next part of the book is an interview Clements conducted with Fergus Harlow, who he believes to be one of the leading experts in fascism, totalitarianism indoctrination and related subjects. The third part of the book is a letter Clements wrote to General Min Aung Hlaing, requesting permission to come to Nay Pyi Daw to interview him. His outreach is based on the themes of shame and redemption in the Angulimala Sutta and the life of King Ashoka. The fourth section of the book is what Clements calls a “brilliant” letter written by a very prominent (as yet unnamed) Tibetan Buddhist teacher, addressed to Aung Sang Suu Kyi, that explains how the world got the Rohingya crisis wrong. The final part of the book summarizes important events of the past few years in Myanmar. Finally, the conversation turns to Clements’ defense of the use of violence in self-defense in the appropriate circumstances, which applies to those now in the resistance movement in Burma. While he still believes in an emphasis on reconciliation, he also thinks that pragmatically, people should have the right to choose how to defend themselves.

Rising Above Borders (Bonus Shorts)

Episode #184: One of six siblings, Tu Lor Eh Paw grew up in a bamboo hut in a tiny village in Karen state.  Her mother was a local Karen Christian missionary, and Tu Lor grew up celebrating Christian holidays and basing her ethics and values on Christian teachings. When Tu Lor was just a child, her mother unfortunately passed away, and her father made the difficult decision to move most of the family to a refugee camp. He felt he just couldn’t support the entire family in the village anymore, and there was a constant fear of the military. After two years in a Thai refugee camp, the family moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota. Arriving in the thick of winter, her first thought was, “Hey, what’s all this white stuff?!” They did not have the right clothing for that climate, knew few people there, and couldn’t speak any English. Her siblings ended up going to different schools. Fortunately, Minneapolis boasts a sizeable Karen community, which Tu Lor quickly integrated into. Tu Lor has since made the most of her new life in the United States, but she can’t help but feel a sense of guilt when thinking of her remaining family back home. She is constantly thinking of what she can do in the United States that will help those back home, which is a challenge with the conflict continuing to rage. While Tu Lor is hopeful about the democracy movement in Myanmar, she is tired by the ongoing stress and trauma, tired of the international community barely paying attention or providing support, and tired of hearing about yet more airstrikes around her home village. “But I am hopeful that we're finally going to get the freedom that we want.”

Pabhassaro Bhikkhu

Episode #183: Sebastian Copija began his journey amid the mesmerizing mountains and bountiful nature of his southern Poland home. Through the years, he developed a strong interest in American and British music, especially heavy metal, yet there was also always the deep yearning for living a life of simplicity. Fueled by an insatiable thirst for understanding consciousness, Sebastian delved into an array of wisdom, exploring Zen, Thich Nhat Hanh's writings, and NLP.  And his encounter with an old pianist revealed the power of pure, open-hearted expression. However, Sebastian realized that the old musician’s joy was just tied to playing music, and Sebastian was looking for something more profound and lasting. Sebastian started working at IBM, but left after a year to teach English in Thailand. Immersed in Thai culture, he found himself drawn to monastic life; he took robes, and was given the name Pabhassaro Bhikkhu. He embraced meditation and immersed himself in Buddhist traditions, with one foot in the Thai Forest Tradition and the other in the structured meditation of the Mahasi tradition. “If that intention is very clear, if we know that we are practicing the path of renunciation… then those are tools to support, and to bring nutriment to the heart. That has been the most important shift in my way to see the practice, [not] trying to see which is better, which is worse, but how to really see oneself as a monastic, a son of the Buddha, and to see one's teacher as the Buddha….” Pabhassaro Bhikkhu has since disrobed, and is Sebastian again, living back in his native country. His quest for inner freedom and unconditioned joy remains steadfast, illuminating the path for all who seek true fulfillment.

The Dark Side of the Teak Trade

Episode #182: “If you're a millionaire, or a billionaire, you want the best,” says Timo Schober, a German-based journalist who works at Papertrail Media, “and the best is natural grown teak [from Myanmar]...And that's what is driving the demand.” Schober joins the conversation along with Shirsho Dasgupta, an investigative reporter for the Miami Herald. They talk about the decimation of Burma’s once vast forest lands which started during colonial times, and today is just 40% of what it once was. After the military coup in 2021, the US imposed sanctions on Myanmar Timber Enterprises (MTE), a military-linked corporation controlling the teak trade. Following a leak from Myanmar’s tax department, the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) collaborated with 39 media outlets to investigate teak exports and potential sanctions evasion, and their work is the subject of this episode. The international demand for high-quality teak remains strong, particularly among the ultra-rich. At least $400 million worth of teak has been exported since the coup, mainly to European and American markets. Traders argue that they don't buy directly from MTE but through private companies, and therefore their teak trade is legal.  This creates complexities for customs officers in enforcing sanctions. Additionally, others believe their actions are legal as they bought teak before the sanctions, though officials state that the date of purchase does not exempt them. At the end of the day, Dasgupta reminds listeners that it comes back to finding a way to speak directly to the consumer about this murky business, as a way to discourage any involvement in teak. “A lot of luxury products that we covered, they do lead to conflict and the destruction of the environment, and we should keep in mind that even if we're not buying teak, we might be complicit in in other ways

Scot Marciel

Episode #181: “I was walking into a country that was in the middle of significant change,” states Scot Marciel, the US Ambassador to Myanmar from 2016 to 2020. One of the first challenges Marciel faced was the role of sanctions. While initially imposed to pressure the regime, he found they had limited effectiveness, and argues that the policy, long driven by a justifiable anger towards the junta’s brutality, ultimately hindered analytical thinking about more helpful approaches. “You can’t wait until it’s Norway or Switzerland to act, you’ve got to come in and try to do what you can to support and encourage more change! And so I think it was the right move [to remove all sanctions]… if you want to have influence at all, you got to be there.” The Rohingya crisis was the most challenging issue that Marciel faced in his entire diplomatic career, as the military perpetrated violence so extreme it was later determined to be a genocide. Despite international pressure, the Myanmar government denied the atrocities, and it was difficult to get access to even basic facts. “Thant Myint U wrote at some point that you can't fix Rakhine if you don't fix Myanmar,” he recalls. “I took that to heart, and so that's what we tried to do. But it was a struggle. It was a lot of anguish, and not everybody agreed, and there weren't any great options.” Regarding the current situation in Myanmar, Marciel believes engagement with the military junta is unproductive. Instead, he suggests supporting local governance, public services, and the resistance elements opposing the junta. He is cautious about providing lethal weapons to resistance groups due to potential logistical challenges and the risk of escalating conflict with China's involvement. “First and foremost, I think 80 to 90% of whatever happens is going to be decided within the country by people of Myanmar, and that's just a reality,” he says in closing, adding that there are also ways the international community can help.

Cooking Up a Revolution

Episode #180: Immediately following the military coup, Trish, participated in the nonviolent demonstrations by cooking and serving food to protesters. Soon, however, she became a target of the military, so she relocated to Chiang Mai, Thailand, where she continues to cook and raise awareness about the situation in Myanmar. Not satisfied limiting her cooking to Bamar dishes, Trish delved into researching and showcasing recipes from Myanmar's diverse ethnic and religious minorities. Inspired by a “Chef’s Table” episode about safeguarding traditional recipes as a means of preserving culture and history in Mexico, Trish sought to bring the same spirit to her own work. And by exploring traditional recipes and techniques, she discovered the importance of fermentation in Burmese cuisine and its role in ensuring food preservation in a tropical climate. After matriculating at a French culinary school, she tried to elevate Burmese cuisine with French influences, but realized the effort ended up erasing the authenticity and devaluing the culture she sought to promote.  More recently, Trish established “Bamama Cooks,” a platform that initially focused on creating food content but has expanded into community building and product-based ventures. By employing displaced Burmese individuals, including those affected by the coup, Trish aims to provide a sense of stability and purpose during a time of great uncertainty. Earlier this year, she organized the "Can't Stop, Won't Stop" event, combining music, art, and food to demonstrate resilience and continue living despite the military's attempts to suppress lives and identities. Like many journeys, Trish’s culinary voyage has landed her back to where she started. Today, she continues to contemplate the deeper meaning behind not only the food of her homeland, but also what it represents. “I had to ask myself, as a Burmese person, what is the essence of Burmese food? And that was just bringing people together and having that community vibe.”

A Post-Coup Thriller

Episode #179: Deputy Chief Inspector Lu Fei, the Chinese protagonist of author Brian Klingborg's thriller series, represents an archetype often seen in fictional detectives—an honest officer seeking justice in an unjust society. The series, set in the Chinese city of Harbin, near the Russian border, aims to entertain readers while also shedding light on various aspects of modern Chinese society. Klingborg, drawing on his background in East Asian Studies and his experiences abroad, wanted to create a Chinese character relatable to foreign audiences while staying true to his cultural roots. In the second book of the series, "Wild Prey," Klingborg explores Chinese connections with post-coup Myanmar. The plotline balances such disparate subjects as the COVID-19 pandemic and illegal animal trafficking trade between China and the ethnic regions of Myanmar. Klingborg's research involved studying real-life drug lords, as well as historical figures like the female warlord, Olive Yang, who inspired him to create a layered, female warlord character who challenges gender roles. He emphasizes the importance of developing well-rounded characters, even the villains, with motivations that extend beyond a simple dichotomy of good and evil. Klingborg mentions that while the average Chinese citizen may not think much about Myanmar, there are parts of the country which attract a certain Chinese clientele. He highlights Mongla, the infamous border town, which is offered compared to Las Vegas or Tijuana. “Busloads of Chinese tourists, mostly men, would go down there and… drink tigerbone wine, gamble, and pick up prostitutes, basically,” he notes. He adds that a wide variety of animal products are available there, like ivory, as well as all kinds of exotic food that isn’t legally allowed to be eaten in China. Circling back to the current conflict since the military coup, Klingborg notes in closing how “Myanmar is a fascinating place with tragic history. We all hope that things can change sometime in the near future.

Locked and Loaded

Episode #178: Step into the hidden world of Burmese small arms, where intrigue, danger, and geopolitical secrets intertwine. Miles Vining, a former US Marine and member of the Free Burma Rangers, recounts how his obsession with digital weapons in video games led him to start documenting real-life firearms in Myanmar. Miles discovered a vast array of small arms sourced from unlikely corners of the globe. He describes the refurbishment and resourcefulness that keeps Burmese weaponry operational long after it was decommissioned elsewhere, as well as the intricate web of foreign influences and local production that shape the small arms landscape, and his work in unmasking the deeper political alliances they represent. But Burmese small arms are not merely tools of war; they symbolize a nation's struggle for freedom, too. Miles describes the blurred lines between suppliers and fighters, along with corrupt commanders secretly supporting those they oppose. “Diving into small arms research in Burma, you can go down some of the most amazing and fantastic rabbit holes and relationships and geopolitics and then who double crossed who and backtrack to where things are getting made and what secret deals were going on,” he says. “The whole shebang is there! But it's untouched, and nobody's interested in it, because it's the dark hole that Burma is, so it’s no surprise there. It's like the world doesn't care about Burma yet again!”

Sunda Khin, Part 1

Episode #177: In the captivating story of Sunda Khin, we delve into a world filled with remarkable individuals who left an indelible mark on Burma's history. Sunda Khin's father, U Chan Htoon, the esteemed first Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Burma, played a pivotal role in shaping the nation's destiny. Growing up as part of an elite family, Sunda Khin encountered influential figures such as Aung San, the nation's first post-independence leader, and his wife, Daw Khin Kyi. She also had personal connections to Ne Win, the military dictator responsible for the 1962 coup, and Louisa Bensen, a movie star turned rebel leader. Sunda Khin's father shared a close friendship with U Nu, a devout meditation practitioner who found himself leading a country in turmoil. Amidst these historical events, Sunda Khin's family had unique experiences with renowned personalities worldwide. They received formal invitations from Lord Mountbatten in London, interacted with visiting dignitaries, and even became guests of King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand, despite historical tensions between their nations. U Chan Htoon's pursuit of Buddhist wisdom led him to connect with Buddhist monks and scholars across Asia, fostering a broader understanding of the religion. One of U Chan Htoon’s most significant friendships was with the young Indian businessman, S.N. Goenka, who suffered from debilitating migraines, and was afraid he would become addicted to morphine. U Chan Htoon strongly suggested that Goenka take a meditation course with Sayagyi U Ba Khin to help overcome his affliction. This encounter would later inspire Goenka to spread the practice of Vipassana meditation worldwide, impacting countless lives.

Jonathan Crowley, Part 2

Episode #176: Jonathan Crowley's journey into meditation at Dhamma Dhara was both fascinating and fulfilling. As he immersed himself in vipassana meditation in the tradition of S.N. Goenka, he discovered a deeper understanding of the practice, and himself, along with the joy of serving as a volunteer. However, learning how to integrate his newfound wisdom into everyday life posed challenges, compounded by the fact that at this time in the 1980s, meditation was still considered fringe and largely outside the bounds of conventional society. Still, Jonathan pondered how vipassana meditation could impact society and bridge the worlds of introspection and social change. Around this time, the center was organizing courses for traumatized Cambodian refugees who had escaped the Pol Pot regime and were being relocated in Massachusetts. While these initiatives brought the world to the center, Jonathan still yearned to find a way to bring the center into the world. An opportunity arose when he accompanied Bruce Stewart, a senior teacher, to a maximum-security prison in Alabama, where they were allowed to conduct an intensive meditation course for inmates. While it was a transformative experience at the time, later Jonathan would reflect upon his racial naiveté and how he had positioned himself into a role as a “White savior.” Increasingly concerned about the lack of diversity within the organization's leadership, Jonathan advocated for targeted courses for Black communities and tracking retention rates by demographics, but the center showed little interest. Earlier in his practice, Jonathan had been deeply moved by how Goenka attempted to universalize the technique, proclaiming that “breath is breath,” and explaining that it couldn’t be differentiated according to nationality, religion or skin color. But Jonathan was beginning to see that there was more to this story than this universalist-sounding messaging. “I understand structural racism as intergenerational trauma,” he notes. “So now, I would say that even our breaths and our sensations are conditioned by this level of trauma, and that has to be addressed.”

Jonathan Crowley, Part 1

Episode #175: Long before it was commonplace in America, Jonathan Crowley’s parents were keen on exploring Eastern philosophy. As for Jonathan, his first exposure to meditation began with a four-day silent retreat led by Larry Rosenberg at IMS. Seeking a deeper experience, he attended a ten-day course at a vipassana meditation center in the S.N. Goenka tradition. The course proved to be incredibly challenging, both physically and mentally. After taking a second course, Jonathan gained a better understanding of Goenka's teachings, and left him with a lasting experience of mettā (loving-kindness). This newfound understanding also inspired him to look at how to integrate meditation into everyday life. Still, Jonathan struggled to reconcile these realizations with conventional expectations and societal pressures. He found inspiration from books on renunciation and sought simpler lifestyles, which eventually led to applying for the sit-and-serve program at Dhamma Dhara. At this point, Jonathan faced a choice between joining the center or pursuing an intensive theater program. Ultimately, he chose the path of Dhamma, immersing himself in the vipassana community around western Massachusetts. His time spent with fellow students, servers, and teachers deeply influenced him, and is explored further in Part 2 of the conversation. “I was getting to know that world,” Jonathan recalls. “And that period of time certainly had a very deeply conditioned experience on me.”

Jack Myint, Part 1

Episode #174: Jack Myint’s story begins with his attempts to learn English, which was no easy feat coming from a lower middle-class background, and in a country that had intentionally restricted English language instruction. Early on, he relied on the phrases his father taught him during taxi rides and recited them phonetically to foreign tourists at Shwedagon Pagoda, even though he didn't fully understand their meaning. As Jack's language skills improved, his parents managed to find English CDs and videotapes, and his remarkable journey of becoming self-taught before he was seven years old eventually caught the attention of famed author, Ma Thanegi, at The Myanmar Times. But even at that young age, Jack had to come to terms the harsh reality of living under a military dictatorship, as his lack of freedoms and need for self-censorship became evident. Jack's insatiable thirst for knowledge later found solace at the American Center, where he immersed himself in literature and political speeches—George Orwell and Bill Clinton were his favorites, respectively. Other impactful lessons came from his tutelage at the foot of Shwe Nya Nwar Sayadaw, who taught him about the struggle against military governance and the complexities of monastic politics. Jack came to recognize how the military was exploiting Buddhism by using nationalist rhetoric to co-opt monks as messengers of their propaganda. The rise of anti-Muslim sentiment and the military's effective use of social media, particularly Facebook, further divided the country. During Myanmar's transition period, Jack witnessed the hunger for a better life among the people. However, economic growth seemed to bypass many Bamar Buddhists, leading to a resurgence of racial and religious identity, which played into the military's hands.

Revisiting the Aluminum Trail

Episode #173: Historian Robert Lyman takes listeners on a captivating journey through the little-known Burma Front of World War II. Lyman's 35 years of research and his fascination with the ethnic hill tribes, particularly the Naga, come together in his book, Among The Headhunters, which serves as the focal point of this conversation. Lyman unveils the intricate details surrounding a remarkable story: an American C-47 plane crashes in the Naga Hills, triggering a race to rescue the survivors. The backdrop to this adventure is the Japanese invasion of Burma and their successful blockade of the Burma Road. The Americans needed to do all they could to keep China in the war, in order to keep Japan tied down there, and away from the fighting in other parts of the Pacific. Lyman describes how Roosevelt eventually approved the audacious logistical undertaking of transport planes navigating the treacherous Himalayas as a way to keep Chinese troops supplied. Pilots braved perilous flights without oxygen, facing towering peaks and Japanese adversaries. Lyman also introduces us to the rich tapestry of the Naga people— some of whom were headhunters and slave owners— and describes their ongoing conflicts with the British Empire as it expanded into their region. The narrative returns to the plane crash, where the survivors find themselves in the Naga village of Pangsha. Lyman talks about the initial amazement of the villagers toward the strange visitors, emphasizing the cultural disorientation experienced by both sides. He highlights the benevolence shown by the Naga people, sheltering the survivors and enabling their communication and eventual rescue. Lyman concludes by reflecting on the ongoing conflict in Myanmar, attributing it to flawed colonial mapping and the lack of effort on the part of the Burmese military to establish a unified nation for the diverse hill tribes. He underscores the importance of creating structures and processes to foster peace and urges Myanmar's government to adopt a more inclusive approach. “The really tragic thing about Myanmar is that the government doesn't seem to understand that every time they use violence, they simply create more warriors. They're not doing anything to create a long peace!” Lyman says in conclusion.

Hope From the Heartland

Episode #172: In 2021, Jake Snyder embarked on a journey from Kansas to Missouri, unknowingly setting the stage for a life-altering encounter. As he tuned into an episode of the Insight Myanmar Podcast during his drive, the guest’s voice captivated him. Her name was Thiri, and her vulnerability and vivid portrayal of the challenges she faced drew Jake into her world. Inspired by her openness, he felt compelled to support her cause, and decided to offer recurring donations to her work that have now stretched over two years. Jake's firm decision to “show up” in this way was rooted in his own experiences of transformation, as he himself had successfully come out of a devastating heroin addiction. Thiri, moved by the degree of Jake’s support, reached out to Insight Myanmar with an idea: to bring Jake and herself together for a podcast episode. She wanted to shed light on the power of one person's actions and inspire others amid the darkness that plagued Myanmar. Thiri recognized that Jake's support went beyond financial contributions; it represented a willingness to stand with those in despair. Living in a country where their plight was often overlooked by the international media, Thiri felt isolated and unseen. However, these donations became a beacon of hope, reminding her that they were not alone. “I share about you to other friends as well,” Thiri relates, addressing Jake. “‘Hey, I have this friend. I have never seen him, but he's been supporting me!’ Some of my friends have even heard of your name. And even though they don't know who you are, you are now known among us. We're like, ‘Oh, we have that friend! Jake, somewhere in the US. I talked to my mom and my mom's like, ‘Oh, such a great human being! Can you give thanks to him?’”

Tempel Smith, Part 1

Episode #171: Tempel Smith, a meditation teacher who is also an active, committed social activist, is used to finding a balance among differing perspectives, points of view and ideologies. This can be traced back to his childhood, with two very different parents with two very different world outlooks. Tempel went to Reed College in Portland, Oregon, where he began volunteering to support environmental conservation, and after a nearby abortion center was bombed, he took up that cause as well. Eventually he traveled down to Nevada to join a large protest at a nuclear site, which turned violent.  It caused him to start questioning how he was processing it all. “I'm so angry at the way things are, and I'm so impatient. I'm trying to be peaceful, but it's all I can do is stop myself from reacting!” Through the behavior modeled by other committed activists, however, he eventually realized his path was that of peaceful engagement. The question was how to pursue it. By then he knew that academic study could not provide any of the answers he was looking for. On a visit home, a neighbor told him about a recent course he had taken at the nearby Insight Meditation Society, and so Tempel signed up for a nine-day silent course. It was very impactful experience for him.  A year later he headed back to another retreat, and he knew by then he had found his practice. Tempel began to do more intensive retreats, joining courses in the Mahasi and Goenka traditions. But now the danger was that he was becoming a “retreat dweller;” moving on from one intensive experience to the other while getting further and further away from the past social engagement that was once so important to him. And once again, he felt in a tense limbo between two very divergent communities: while his yogi friends found his activism a distraction from the real work of insight, his activist friends dismissed meditation as a selfish pursuit. He eventually found inspiration about how to reconcile all this in the writings of the Vietnamese monk, Thich Nhat Hanh. To go deeper into the practice, he decided to visit Myanmar to practice under Sayadaw U Pandita and Pa Auk Sayadaw.

Acting Against Injustice (Bonus Shorts)

Episode #170: May Wynn Maung is a well-known Burmese actress that now lives in the United States.  Her father was a long-time Army officer who also worked in the government.  His maxim was the importance of doing one’s duty, to do as one was told without question regardless of how one felt personally about it. This outlook bound the way she lived in Myanmar, through protests and during her acting career.  But little by little, censorship decisions about movies she acted in became increasingly ludicrous.  It wasn’t until she came to the United States where she “found her voice,” as it were.  Now, she speaks out against the military and does fundraising for the democracy movement, and still acts as well. She also has continued a vipassana practice.  In speaking of this, she references famous monks in Myanmar who seem to be teaching that people should just accept military rule, which she finds disheartening.  Because of all the hardships the people of Myanmar are facing, she strongly feels that monastics should be involved in the movement for freedom and democracy.

Leaving On A Jet Plane

Episode #169: Today’s discussion looks at the Burmese military’s on-going, devastating airstrikes from a slightly different angle: What helps the jets get in the sir? Amnesty International’s Montse Ferrer joins us to explain the process of how jet fuel gets into the country. Myanmar does not have the technology to refine crude oil into international grade aviation fuel, so the military needs to import it. It uses a grade of fuel that is typically meant for commercial aviation so it can be freely traded. Ferrer and her colleagues tracked every shipment of jet fuel that has arrived following the coup, and found that all of them arrived at the Thilawa Port in Than Lyin outside of Yangon, in a process that might involve 20 different oil companies in a single shipment, and with insurance and ship ownership factored in, involving as many as 100 entities overall. Out of all these players, Trafigura, one of the world’s largest independent oil and petroleum products traders, is the major figure. They benefited from an exclusive contract some years ago to build up Myanmar’s ports infrastructure, including Thilawa.  The fuel is transported from the port by one of Trafigura’s affiliates…which is linked to the military regime. Cutting off Myanmar’s fuel imports would cripple the country’s non-military air traffic. For their part, energy company executives claim they are selling their product legally, and have no prior knowledge of, and certainly no control over, the military’s decisions about using the fuel. However, Ferrer believes that oil company executives probably do know what is happening, at least to some degree. But suspecting something to be true and proving it in a court of law are two different things. Sanctions are also always a discussion point, but need to be evaluated very carefully by the international community as to their possible “unintended consequences.” Ferrer does note that, amazingly, most of the companies named in their recent report have not taken part in further shipments of jet fuel to Myanmar. Yet she can’t conclusively affirm that any less jet fuel is entering the country, either. And given the large stockpiles of fuel that the military likely has access to, one can’t even speculate that their ability to launch airstrikes has decreased in any appreciable way.

A Candle in the Darkness

Episode #168: Shade’s story is a kind of microcosm of how thousands of Burmese and foreign allies have involved themselves in ways they could scarcely have imagined before 2021, while also shining a light on the many members of the Burmese diaspora who have been using their freedom and safety to do whatever they can for those struggling back in Myanmar. “We have to play our parts and do whatever we can. It may be small. It could be very small. But just doing anything that you can to stand up against a coup, I think that's the most important thing,” he says. Shade describes how hard the Sagaing region, in particular, has been hit by the military’s aggression, and how people there continue to bravely resist military rule. This, in turn, has provoked the military into trying to beat them even more brutally into submission. Shade soon realized that providing emergency medical care was one of Sagaing’s most critical needs, but he had no experience or knowledge in this field, let alone the logistics of providing care in a hot conflict zone. So he immersed himself in learning all he could to get his mission up and running as soon as possible, and with friends, founded the organization Healing Hands. Their initiative now administers local training courses that cover basic medical care and first aid—to date, 150 people have graduated their program! They also worked to establish and stock basic medical stations throughout the region that are overseen by these graduates. The military demands that humanitarian aid coming into the country needs to be administered through them directly, and they will only support local organizations officially registered with their regime. This situation has caused much debate among large aid organizations, who typically take a cookie-cutter approach. However, Shade strongly advocates that local organizations with a proven track record of on-the-ground success within Myanmar’s unique context, and not tied to the military, be supported. "If [these large aid organizations] try to give aid money via the military, they're going to use it to buy weapons! That's the reality. That's what they have to face if they try if they're trying to deliver any sort of aid to the military, and if think that's going to be effective, they're deluded!”

Steve Smith, Part 1

Episode #167: Steve Smith’s first meditation teacher was Mahasi Sayadaw. He visited the Sayadaw’s rural Seikkhun monastery back in 1977.  Steve was moved by how the great teacher embodied centuries of monastic wisdom and discipline, while at the same time making great strides to spread the teachings beyond the monastic order—an unprecedented act at that time. “The feeling around him was vastness and void. This radiating presence and emptiness at the same time. It was indescribable, but very powerful, kind of a goosebump energy.” Several years later, the country started allowing longer stays for foreign meditators, and Steve went to Bodghaya to undertake lower ordination under the renowned teacher, Taungpulu Sayadaw, before becoming a full bhikkhu under Mahasi Sayadaw. “He was just as I remembered him, this incredible presence, sense of vastness and yet transparent personality, like no sense of self-centeredness or self-importance or anything but this pure transmission of these liberating teachings.” After a brief trip home, Steve returned to ordain under Sayadaw U Pandita, whom he had been drawn to from their first meeting. Although U Pandita didn’t teach many foreigners at that time, he dedicated himself to Steve’s training, and the results were profound. “I felt like there was nothing he couldn't see about me.... I trusted this person quite quickly, more than I had ever trusted anyone in my life.” Beyond U Pandita’s powerful meditation guidance, Steve also gained inspiration by observing the Sayadaw’s interactions in society. Steve relates such an example, when U Pandita turned his back to Khin Nyunt, the dreaded chief of military intelligence, when the latter was trying to offer him requisites. U Pandita was also Aung San Suu Kyi’s primary meditation guide. Since they shared the same teacher, Steve developed a close friendship with her and her family. But because of this friendship, the military had blacklisted Steve from returning to the country for many years. However, when Sayadaw U Pandita passed away in 2016, Steve was allowed to join a small handful of foreign disciples who traveled to Yangon for the ceremony. The gifts of Myanmar have filled Steve’s life in ways he never would have anticipated. “I think Burma's great gift to the world has been the Dhamma, either directly through these ordained monastics, or in the way it's influenced nearby Southeast Asian countries. It's inspired this Western surge of interest in Dhamma practice and training.”

Threads of Justice (Bonus Shorts)

Episode #166: Han Gyi, a coordinator at the Network for Human Rights Documentation, also known as ND-Burma, joins us today to talk about the organization’s work, which focuses on human rights documentation; accountability and the utilization of data to seek justice, truth, and reparations. ND-Burma’s work emphasizes what is called “transitional justice,” which Han Gyi c defines as the “myriad of ways a country tries to deal with mass human rights violations that have been committed on its soil. It aims to deliver justice to the victims through accountability and redress, which in turn can contribute to building a society that respects the rule of law and guards against the same abuses happening again.” One key aspect of transitional justice is reparations. Interestingly, he notes how just “symbolic satisfaction” can often a critical step for victims in healing psychological wounds and for rebuilding their lives. Victims also routinely express a wish to receive a guarantee that such violations will not occur again. But Han Gyi notes that ensuring non-recurrence is only possible through institutional reform, which has proven impossible for decades in Myanmar, and is certainly not a likelihood now. Han Gyi sadly acknowledges that following the coup, the domestic judicial system has become completely unreliable, used subject to the whims of the military regime. As a result, ND-Burma has sought to work for international accountability, such as taking violations to the International Criminal Court. Still, rights violations will only continue to occur if there are no changes to the system. Although transitional justice remains an urgent priority for the country, Han Gyi says that there first must be an end to violence. The establishment of military rule has led to a “collapse of sociopolitical economic rights, numerous violations by junta troops, the killing, detainment, and arrest of thousands of civilians, and millions of people internally displaced due in part due to the destruction and arson of civilian structures.”

Access Denied

Episode #165: Toe Zaw Latt, a journalist currently with Mizzima talks with us about access to communications in Myanmar. Before the arrival of mobile phones and internet in the country, one of the few options for communication was the telephone, when whole apartment complexes or entire villages might have to make do with only one or two. A private phone line was usually possible just for senior military figures or their cronies. Because the military actively monitored phone use, the Burmese teashop took on an outsized role as a workaround communications hub. The internet arrived in Myanmar in the early 2000s, and within a decade, the Burmese online space had exploded to about 30 million users. General Min Aung Hlaing understood the danger that such free access to information posed to his plans to take over the country, and on the morning of the coup, he suddenly closed down all the country’s mobile networks and blocked the signals of independent media. The military has tried to monitor communications as much as possible, putting up firewalls to prevent access to sites they consider dangerous or provocative. They also employ rolling blackouts that severely restrict access to news, coupled with massive, targeted disinformation campaigns to further confuse people. Activists have had to fall back on more old-fashioned strategies such as shortwave radio, as well as human carriers. Toe Zaw Latt believes there is one communication tool that would have a dramatic impact on the fortunes of the democracy movement: Starlink, the satellite internet technology developed by Elon Musk. The military would have no control over this network, so Starlink would truly be a game-changer: communities could be warned before violent military assault, it could also help in organizing humanitarian missions on the ground, and provide life-saving access to medicine and food. Finally, Toe Zaw Latt says that the Tatmadaw is most afraid of its own soldiers getting access to the internet. Getting uncensored information is the impetus for many defections. So providing internet to those still serving could open the floodgates of soldiers ready to put down their weapons.

Flavors of Freedom

Episode #164: Yunanda Wilson has warm memories not only of the scrumptious fish noodle dish—known as mohinga—that her grandmother was famous for, but also its place in her family history. Her grandmother was an amazing cook and ran a market stall in Yangon that sold a variety of snacks, and the whole family would go each morning to help her run it. Yunanda is following in her grandmother’s footsteps, recently launching a career for herself in Asheville, North Carolina, to showcase Burmese cuisine. Calling her company A Thoke Lay, she has a food truck and also caters events, with dreams of one day owning a brick and mortar. Historically, she goes on to explains how Chinese, Indian, and Thai foods have found their way into Burmese recipes, ultimately describing Burmese cuisine as a kind of Southeast Asia fusion, albeit with a handful of unique dishes like mohinga, fermented tea leaves, and the variety of salads. She describes it as a creative cuisine that balances heat, acid, texture, umami, color, and presentation. Yunanda also notes how for many Burmese, the realities of poverty and living in fear of the military play a role in how people eat. For example, when the Burmese can’t afford meat or fish, they improvise by adding protein such as chickpea flour, beans, and nuts. And although one might think that living in a state of fear and poverty would bring about greater selfishness in order to survive, Yunanda says it is the exact opposite, as the Burmese people are some of the most generous people in the world. In closing, Yunanda describes how she wants to “help spread awareness about what's going on in our country, and shed some light on our resilience culture and what are we facing now. I feel this is my way, my path, to helping it be added to the culinary map.”

The Inconvenient Truth about the Military Coup

Episode #163: Jack Jenkins Hill, a PhD student at the University College London, joins the show to discuss the state of capitalism and the deteriorating environment in Myanmar.  Hill has spent the last decade studying such issues as deforestation, mining, and natural resource governance, as well as how indigenous communities have been impacted in Myanmar. Since the colonial era, Burma has had a sorry history of exploitation of its natural resources. The British engaged in massive logging, while in the last decade, deforestation has largely come in the guise of agribusiness, such as palm oil and rubber plantations. There are also smaller, illegal logging operations whose lumber is smuggled across the border. The widespread clear-cutting—both legal and illegal—has led mass displacement of communities. Gold, silver, tin and jade mining operations are also rampant, and more recently rare earth metals have been mined, all with no regard for the environment. The toxic processes used poison the surrounding area, displacing many communities. Greed and lawlessness in post-coup Myanmar exacerbates the problems now being faced by those in the country, but may even give rise to more far-reaching implications, since this destructive cycle in Myanmar impacts worldwide climate change.  For example, Myanmar is home to some of the largest contiguous rain forests in Southeast Asia, so their destruction would have a domino effect for both climate change, and also species extinctions. Hill describes his outlook on the future as bleak. “I don't know when a breaking point or a critical point will come… But unless something changes quickly, I'm sure we'll reach it, probably sooner than we expect.”

Contrasting Iran and Myanmar

Episode #162: Pardis Mahdavi, Provost and Executive Vice-President as well as professor of anthropology at the University of Montana, joins the conversation to talk about the growing discontent and protests in the Islamic Republic of Iran, which shares several similarities with the situation in Myanmar. Professor Mahdavi describes an interesting dynamic that arose in the mid-20th century: the Iranian people’s growing disgust with what they call “westoxification,” a term referring to the Pahlavi Shahs’ infatuation with Western cultures, and their push for changes within Iranian society which often went against Iranian Islamic social and cultural mores. The motto was “Iran for Iranians.” Ayatollah Khomeini became the most popular and inspirational of the anti-Shah voices, giving a very Islamic face to the Iranian people’s discontent. However, after the 1979 Revolution, the Islamic government grew more brutal and repressive, instituted the Morality Police, engaged in the catastrophic Iran-Iraq War, etc. History began to repeat itself, as popular discontent festered under the surface and then eventually burst out into the open, much like it had under the Pahlavi regime. The situations in Myanmar and Iran are similar in several ways. Some of the sparks that ignited widespread popular protests against the junta came in the form of the military gunning down teenagers in the street, and the latest iteration of anti-government protests in Iran exploded with the death of a Kurdish-Iranian teenager arrested by the Morality Police and subsequently beaten to death in police custody. As with the regime’s brutal military crackdown on protests in Myanmar, Iran’s Islamic government has responded with harsh, repressive measures. But just as the increased repression in Myanmar has only strengthened the Burmese people’s resolve to resist, a similar dynamic is happening in Iran.  In both Myanmar and Iran, the resistance has seen a growing unity among the respective country’s diverse religious and ethnic populations. And in both cases, young people have been in the forefront of the protest movement. Finally, there is a real need to keep international attention on the situations in Myanmar and Iran, so that the democratic movements are not isolated and can be supported. Professor Mahdavi ends by asking the listening audience to “think about what kind of a situation must people be facing to be willing to die for their cause?… What we can do to support them and to bring about meaningful and lasting social change that is rooted in justice and human rights for all?”

The Rohingya Refugee Crisis (Bonus Shorts)

Episode #161: Dan Sullivan, the Director of Africa, Asia, and the Middle East at Refugees International, joins this episode to discuss the challenges facing the Rohingya community.  Most of the world began to pay attention to the Rohingya crisis in 2017, when over 700,000 people fled a genocidal campaign against them, creating the largest refugee settlement in the world in Bangladesh. Sullivan led an effort pressuring the United States to recognize the anti-Rohingya campaign for what it was:  his  campaign was termed, “Call It A Genocide!” The Rohingya have face so many challenges in Burma because of their Muslim faith, which puts them at odds with the majority Bamar, and even with the native Rakhine who are their regional neighbors and who themselves have historically been at odds with the Bamar majority. Although the Rohingya have been on their land for at least a century, their citizenship continues to be challenged. They have been cast as scapegoats through the hateful rhetoric of Bamar Buddhist nationalists, and victims of violence and assault at the hands of the Burmese military. While the Rohingya are finally settling more comfortably into their camps in Bangladesh, under the surface, there is a growing sense of desperation. This has led thousands of Rohingya to flee and seek a better life elsewhere, often by boat. Some are turned away by any neighboring countries they manage to get to, many others drown, and others get returned to the Burmese military. Sullivan says that many Rohingya currently look at the work of the National Unity Government (NUG) with hope. This is in contrast to the betrayal that many felt when the NLD, and Aung San Suu Kyi in particular, defended the military’s actions against the Rohingya at The Hague.  Even so, should the NUG ultimately prevail, there remains much concern as to how they would translate sympathetic and inclusive statements about the Rohingya into a viable and realistic repatriation plan.

U Gambira

Episode #160: U Gambira was a 29-year old monk in 2007 when he helped foment the initial protests that grew into what came to be known as the Saffron Revolution. After running away from home because of an abusive father, he first ended up as a young soldier. But he grew dissatisfied with army life and ran away yet again, this time to become a novice monk. In 2005, he was asked by his older brother, an underground political leader, to join the democratic movement, which U Gambira did, creating an underground network of monastics who trained in non-violent resistant strategies. Following the regime’s very unpopular rescinding of fuel subsidies, U Gambira organized a peaceful march; the military responded by publicly beating the monks who took part. The public, physical abuse of these monks triggered an even greater uprising, and soon tens of thousands Burmese were in the streets, capturing international headlines. When the military dictatorship refused to apologize for the beatings, the monastic community took the rare action of preventing the military from making merit by refusing their alms offerings (patta nikkujjam kamma). This standoff ultimately led what became known as the Saffron Revolution, in which tens of thousands of people protested the military in over 25 cities across the country. Yet, the movement ended the same tragic way that is often seen in Myanmar: through extreme violence on the part of the regime. U Gambira was arrested. He spent the subsequent eight years in and out of prison, where he was regularly subjected to physical, mental, and chemical torture. Once released—in poor health and with no access to medical care, stripped of papers and a risk to any monastery where he might reside—U Gambira had no choice but to return to lay life. U Gamira’s personal thoughts on resistance have changed. While the people of Myanmar adopted a non-violent approach for decades, he believes they have little to show for it, and he questions its effectiveness in the current situation. Citing the almost total lack of international backing, he feels it is time to consider other means of resistance. “It is very painful for me. It’s not according to the teachings of the Buddha! I don’t like it…but we have no choice.”

The Harmony of David Lai

Episode #159: “As soon as the coup started, the first thing in my mind was how we, the people of Myanmar, had lost our future, and are going back to old times, which weren't good.” This was David Lai’s initial feeling in February, 2021. While the sudden military takeover impacted all fifty-five million people living in the country, David’s situation was more complex than most—he is a public figure, a sort of soft-rock/country rock singer with a large following. He was well on his way to Burmese pop superstardom when the coup hit. Burmese artists of all backgrounds viewed the transition years as a kind of Golden Age, in which creativity of expression was finally permitted to some degree.  David saw the impact of this increased freedom affecting not only the artists, but also the wider community. So when the coup hit, Myanmar’s elite class of celebrities and influencers had to choose between their professional careers and their personal safety. Some chose to speak out, others kept silent, while a handful openly supported the military. David chose to speak out for the democracy movement, writing songs in support. This stance put his life at risk, and he had to flee to India. Still, he is sympathetic for those celebrities who balked at taking such drastic action. The potential for music to bring diverse communities together has been an important focus of David’s post-coup work. Growing up a Chin Christian, a minority in both religion and ethnicity, he has been more than aware of how the military has used these divisions to sow mistrust among the people over the years.  But for David, the present situation underscores the importance of the current moment. “This military coup made us united!” he explains. “Diversity is a beauty.” David has collaborated with a number of other musicians from other ethnicities, and produced songs he hope will uplift the people during this difficult time. The resulting music is well- produced and high quality, while conveying an important political message.

Ayya Yeshe

Episode #158: Following a family tragedy when she was just a teenager, Ayya Yeshe set off on a spiritual journey, becoming a nun in a Tibetan lineage at just 23. However, she soon learned that female renunciates weren’t treated with the same respect as males, and left to train under Bhante Sujato in the Ajahn Chah tradition, before taking Bhikkhuni ordination in 2006 at Thich Nhat Hanh’s Plum Village. “Engaged Buddhism is the way I practiced going forward,” she says. “A monastery in Asia is more than just a place where you go and sit alone and find liberation from the world, separate from the world…[it] is a community,” she explains, adding that in the West, “we are disconnected from community… from the planet.” While Ayya Yeshe also values the need for periodic seclusion, she feels that Westerner practitioners overemphasize this, overlooking the traditional Buddhist value of communal practice.  She is also not afraid to call out Western yogis who remain disengaged, indifferent or apathetic in the face of injustice. She points to the danger of spiritual bypass, and encourages meditators to examine when they are passively benefiting from systems of oppression. Ayya Yeshe is a strong feminist because of her experiences as a nun, being treated as a second class citizen just because she was a woman, that simply her gender was “bad karma.” But she knew that the Buddha taught that women had every potential of awakening as did men. So “[i]t was by necessity that I became a socially Engaged Buddhist, because I literally had nowhere to live as a nun!” She joined forces with Bhikkhuni Vimala soon after the military coup, encouraging Buddhist monastics around the world to photograph themselves with their alms bowl upside down as a sign of solidarity with the resistance movement. She understands that the military atrocities need to be resisted in some form. However, she notes the importance of deferring to those actively engaged on the ground, and doing more listening than leading.

Simplicity And Solidarity

Episode #157: In 1995, Burmese assaults into Karen territory created thousands of refugees who fled to Thai refugee camps, including Eh Nay Thaw’s family.  He spent the next ten years in a refugee camp before being resettled in the United States. Eh Nay Taw’s years in the camps were quite painful, but he realizes the necessity of coming to grips with that experience. He says, “Part of my goal is advocating for the Karen people and other ethnic groups that are persecuted by the Burmese military regime,” and for this he needs to be able to revisit and retell sometimes horrific stories. Growing up, his hatred of the Tatmadaw extended to a mistrust of the entire Bamar ethnicity. It was only after arriving in America that he was able to move on from his deep-rooted hatred. “It took a long time to convince myself that Burmese people are not to be blamed, but instead the military junta, those in power.” But he also realized he had his own inner work to do. “If somebody still hates others based on their race or ethnicity, it tells me that that person hasn’t healed him or herself yet… I [had to] learn to forgive my former perpetrators.” Eh Nay Taw also thinks a lot about what constitutes Karen identity, and is concerned with how splintered the Karen community has become. This older generation has long viewed politics as a zero-sum game, in which one emphasizes one’s own group over others. Further impacting “Karen identity” is that so many are now growing up in the diaspora, without a firm connection to their ancestral homeland. But he is hopeful with the younger generation who have joined in solidarity against the military with other ethnic groups and even the Bamar majority. And he sees the Bamar evolving as well, towards more understanding of and solidarity with Myanmar’s ethnic minorities. He says, “I'm cautiously optimistic about the future of Burma.”

From Democracy to Demolition

Episode #156: Even two years after the coup, the Tatmadaw continues its campaign of terror, disrupting communities, causing a massive refugee problem and destroying the country’s infrastructure. And because the military looks for loyalty rather than competence in choosing personnel, it has led to incompetent economic managers heading the country’s banks. Not surprisingly, the result is the effective collapse of the country’s economy. This is the subject of today’s episode with Zach Abuza, a professor at the National War College and specialist of Southeast Asian security and politics. Abuza also expresses a fear about the proposed upcoming elections, which are most likely to be a sham.  He believes that any election will result in at least some part of the international community accepting military rule in Myanmar, putting the NLD between a rock and a hard place: If they boycott the election, the narrative will be that they refuse to participate in democracy; and if they participate, the election will be rigged against them. Addressing the hypocrisy of pro-democracy countries failing to support democratic efforts in Myanmar, Abuza says that, at the end of the day, a country’s support is largely one of self-interest. Most nations in the West have limited trade and investments in Myanmar, and so intervention is not an economic or political priority for so-called champions of democracy. Plus, without a figure like Aung San Suu Kyi, the NUG lacks someone who can command the attention of Western policymakers. And while Abuza is sure that PDFs will never defeat the military through combat, he asserts that the Tatmadaw will soon realize they do not have the necessary manpower or resources needed to win the war, which will result in increasing defections. However, in the meantime, Abuza emphasizes that in spite of the long pent-up desire to forcefully redress past wrongs caused by the military, the NUG must maintain a moral high ground. Yet Abuza emphasizes that the military’s mentality will not allow them to back down gracefully. High-level military leaders, led by General Min Aung Hlaing, are “are surrounded by sycophants who tell them what they want to hear. They’re happy to rule the country and run it into the ground because they think it is their birthright to do so.”

Yearning For Home (Panel Discussion)

Episode #155: What is a “home?”  It is more than just the physical structure we live in; “home” has overlapping dimensions. We say that the town or city we live in is our home, as is our country, and the entire planet… even the solar system and galaxy where we are but a speck. “Home” conveys a sense of belonging. It evokes feelings of comfort, safety, and familiarity. If we are forced to leave our home and cannot return, it as a deeply distressing and unsettling experience, filled with grief, sadness and disorienting sense of disconnection.  In short, forcibly losing our home is traumatic. For so many Burmese, this “loss of home” trauma is felt acutely on multiple dimensions. In our second panel, titled “Yearning for Home: Burmese Voices on Exile and Loss,” our panel is composed of guests who have tragically lost their “home.”  For those of us sitting comfortably in our own homes, the conversation engenders a greater sense of empathy and connection with the people of Burma and their plight, inspiring us by their courage and determination in the face of adversity. 

Kory Goldberg is Along The Path

Episode #154: When Kory Goldberg was just nineteen, he spent a year studying in India. After the program ended, he traveled around and kept “seeking out whatever I was seeking out,” he recalls. He attended daily lectures given by the Dalai Lama, and later visited a socially engaged meditation center in the tradition of Lama Zopa. Then after some other explorations, he sat a vipassana course in the tradition of S.N. Goenka. The result was transformative. “The first time I heard Goenkaji’s voice, it just sounded familiar, it resonated!...I hadn't felt that at ease in a long time.” Back in North America, he began sitting and serving vipassana courses at centers in Quebec, Massachusetts, and California, among other places, often following his practice with hikes deep in nature that lasted up to two weeks.  Some years later, he serendipitously ended up meeting his future wife, Michelle Décary; they have been together for twenty-three years, sitting, traveling and raising a family together. On top of that, Kory and Michele eventually wrote a book, Along The Path: The Meditator’s Companion to the Buddha’s Land. For seven years, they periodically trekked all over northern India, refining their book and researching the history of the various sites, as well as soliciting tips and submissions from meditators taking their own journeys in the region…and all the while somehow maintaining a very busy professional and personal life. Following the book’s publication, Kory led pilgrimages to the special sites he had written about. As he also attended and supported various pilgrimages to Myanmar, he has unique insight into the contrasts between leading meditative journeys into the two societies. “Myanmar is way more complex,” he notes right away. “There's so many living traditions and itineraries… you have this whole buffet that you can choose from!” Kory feels deep gratitude for the people of Burma who were so welcoming and generous to him, which makes it all the harder for him to follow what is now transpiring in Myanmar. “I can't possibly imagine what it's like to be in such a horrible situation,” he notes sadly. “[But] when I see what the people in Myanmar are going through right now, some of them are just responding in such courageous ways that, I hope that if I'm ever in that position, that I could be as strong as they are.”

Tears Matter (Bonus Shorts)

Episode #153: Rahel and Damon Lam founded A Cup of Color in 2014. It is an organization with the goal of “bringing art to places where there is brokenness.” They have created art in public spaces in many places in Asia, and recently they carried out a project in Zurich, where they live, about the suffering in Myanmar. Their involvement was precipitated by a request to them from Raise Three Fingers, an artistic collective resisting the coup. After getting city approval for a large mural, they then went about soliciting Burmese around the world about the messages and images they might want to express.  In the end, they designed a mural whose central image features “a woman holding up the three fingers, and it's a woman who is mourning for her family member who got killed.” Calling the finished piece “Tears Matter,” the woman is surrounded numerous words and other images, which came from the many submissions that were sent in from around the world. Besides the work’s obvious message, they set out to capture a sense of common humanity, represent a sense of perseverance and encouragement, with the hope that the piece would move people to start paying more attention to the situation in Myanmar. “[Burmese in the diaspora] are really not suffering loudly, but they're very silently suffering…[and it] is very, very deep,” says Rahel. “Myanmar people can make jokes about the darker things. That's kind of a way they survive, which helps you to be with them in the really difficult times. But seeing their silent tears, it's very heavy.”

I Fought the Law (and the Law Won)

Episode #152: Kristina Simion’s book, Rule of Law Intermediaries, looks at the complex transition period of the 2010s in Myanmar, when dramatic changes were sweeping across the country. Simion notes how even though real substantive change actually didn’t take place, there remained a sense of optimism that finally there would be some pathway leading out from under the military’s half century of oppression. Simion weaves her narrative primarily through the perspective of the “rule of law.” While development actors usually see transformational rule of law policies as way to help create a more equitable society, many Burmese actually felt quite differently. They were generally suspicious after decades of oppressive military rule, when “the law was always seen as a tool from the rulers to oppress the population.” Ironically, military figures delighted in the concept, which they took to mean “law and order,” and which they appropriated to justify their stranglehold on individual freedoms and liberties. In trying to better understand the exploitative nature of military rule, Simion examines the system they inherited from the colonial period. The British imposed less a legal system than a type of “regulated control and brutality.” Many colonial laws, including the more restrictive ones, stayed on the books after independence, and the Tatmadaw later operationalized them to justify and strengthen their oppression—and which they have once again resorted to since the coup. Simion’s study also centered on the “intermediary.” During the transition period, with the lack of formal systems yet in place, the rush of foreign development actors who flooded into the country needed to rely on personal contacts—intermediaries—to get their projects off the ground.  Intermediaries not only guided conversations, but were responsible for finding the appropriate personal connections and making necessary introductions, etc. Simion wryly notes that it begs the question of who was actually leading the projects! Since the coup, Simion has been impressed with how activists have shown a keen interest in the rule of law and transitional justice mechanisms. Incredibly, even as they are resisting the Tatmadaw and simply trying to survive, many are taking virtual classes with Simion on these complex yet important topics. She conducts training courses with people hiding in the jungle who want to learn more about principles for lawmaking, and tutors others about Constitutional reform, who are already looking ahead to ensure that ethnic minorities are protected in a new, post-Tatmadaw Myanmar.

The Revolution will not be Incarcerated (Bonus Short)

Episode #151: Tomas Martin is a prison researcher who presently works with DIGNITY, the Danish Institute Against Torture. His interest in prison research was first piqued when he heard about ten-day vipassana meditation courses in the tradition of S.N. Goenka being conducted in Tihar Jail outside of New Delhi. He is now focusing on how imprisonment in Myanmar, and its ramifications, and not only the prisoners, but the staff as well. Besides the violence which often plagues incarceration, Martin pays close attention to the everyday experience of prison life. One of the more unique areas of his research has been a study of the usually foul prison air and its psychological and physical affects. He has pushed for new prison designs that encourage better ventilation, to improve the overall quality of life for prisoners. On the subject of human rights within Burmese prisons, Martin points out the tragic truth that torture has long been used by the military regime to punish political dissidents. After they go through unfair trials, Martin explains how they then have limited contact with family, and their access to food and medicine is restricted. In addition, they are often either placed in extremely overcrowded conditions or kept in solitary confinement, two extremes that are equally detrimental to mental and physical health. Martin has observed a paradoxical relationship between the revolution and the regime’s attempts at oppression. “Prison is where revolutionary actors and protests are being quelled. People are being locked up and even killed, to destroy the revolution. But the prison is also a place where there is opportunity to collect revolutionary actors and to produce revolutionary action and spirit!”

Overcoming the Nightmare

Episode #150: Joining the podcast over a year after her previous interview, Thiri returns to update listeners on her own personal story, as well as to discuss the state of the resistance and the democracy movement. Thiri describes living with debilitating stress and constant fear until finally she decided she had to flee the country. It was not an easy decision, and transitioning to life in a new country has been traumatic. Separated from her family and community, from her country, and with no possibility of returning while the military regime remains in power, she also feels guilty for abandoning the fight. At times she even feels that she has lost her soul. In spite of the pain that has overwhelmed so many Burmese, it’s important to Thiri that the international community not reduce the Burmese people to a one-dimensional caricature of a devastated population in shambles, which she strongly believes robs them of their humanity. Yet even from a place of safety, Thiri often finds herself triggered, her mind jumping back to the constant fear and dread of her life in Yangon. She has had to compartmentalize these intense emotions in order to complete tasks. In looking back over the past year, Thiri notes how the increasing brutality and violence of the military eventually resulted in many youths fleeing the country, joining the armed resistance, or going deep into hiding. She is dismayed to hear criticism that the resistance movement shouldn’t take up arms to defend themselves. She says, “I am not a violent person, and also I don't like war.” But it soon became apparent to many activists that there was no other way to resist the oppression and tyranny the military was trying to impose on the country.  Thiri believes the democracy movement should be an inspiration to people around the world. “A threat to democracy in our country can be a threat to democracy in your country… This is beyond a political strife of brown people in Southeast Asia, it's broader than that… And we are telling you to join us in this fight together, so that we all can live in a society where fascists and dictatorship cannot have a space.”

Funding a Revolution (Bonus Shorts)

Episode #149: Nandar Min Swe is a fundraiser for the government in exile.  She helped sell NUG bonds, as well as facilitating the sale of subdivided plots of land owned by Min Aung Hlaing and the military, which can be redeemed upon a successful end to the revolution. These days, she is working on facilitating a cryptocurrency which can circumvent the military regime’s control over the national financial system. Nandar identifies a developing problem, however, in that most fundraising efforts are directed at Burmese donors. “Why are we digging deeper into our own pockets, and our own pockets are not that deep enough, no matter how much we dig into?” she asked herself. She thinks this is due, in part, to Burmese cultural values. Nandar agrees with Phillipp Annawitt, who expressed on a recent Insight Myanmar podcast episode that the “culture of sacrifice” that has long existed within Burmese democracy movements is not a sustainable form of governance, and this is reflected in the Burmese focus of fundraising efforts—the same people give over and over until they can’t, while volunteers are beginning to feel overwhelmed. Nearly two years into the attempted coup, the Burmese diaspora still continues to have to shoulder nearly this entire burden, unable to find a way to break through to a wider audience beyond their own bubble. Going forward, Nandar makes clear she is seeking a new and better country, rather than advocating for a specific party or policy. “I'm not an NLD supporter or a Daw Aung San Suu Kyi worshipper. I feel myself to be more like someone who wants to liberate Burma any way I can. And the only way I can right now is by fundraising.”

Girl, Interrupted

Episode #148: Melody Mociulski’s first trip to Burma was in 1974, during a round-the-world backpacking trip on the so-called “hippie trail.” A fellow traveler at one point convinced her to see Burma.  So with little money in her pocket, flew to see for herself.  It was the height of the hot season and swarming with mosquitoes, but Melody nonetheless was profoundly impacted by her brief stay in the country. Melody returned to Burma numerous times in the years following, a deep connection continuing to pull her back. The reason for her growing attachment was partly that Burma’s challenges seemed to be ignored by the international community more than other places, but mainly was just how moved she was by the Burmese people.  So she founded Clear Path International, a nonprofit that provides medical assistance landmine victims and supports their reintegration into the local community. Eventually this led to female empowerment, which Melody describes as the central core of her passion and activism.  In furtherance of this goal, she co-founded Educational Empowerment, whose main mission is to invest in girls’ education because of its positive effect on many aspects of women’s lives. Their work is perhaps most important now, as women are especially at risk during this time of conflict. Melody’s organization also works to provide better lives for children in various ways. For example, they fund children’s books to be printed in ethnic languages, featuring local folk tales, so that the children’s traditions and languages can be preserved. They also allocated funds for a school to be built in the Delta. Understanding the dangers of repeated flooding during monsoon season, they arranged for it to be constructed two feet higher than other buildings. Melody notes with pride that it is one of the few buildings in the area that always remains dry, and that it operates as a kind of emergency hub during heavy rains. Beyond this, her group has also established a number of libraries throughout the country, which offer courses in digital literacy and even job placement.

The Urban Village

Episode #147: Many years ago, Jesse Phenow signed up to be a volunteer at a resettlement organizing, initially thinking he would be “the friend and ally and welcomer that that they've been needing.’” But he found something quite different! “This family didn't need me; in fact, in a lot of ways, I was the welcomed, not the welcomer. That family’s posture and sense of welcome was something that I desperately needed, and hadn't really experienced before.” Jesse was completely taken not only with the sense of hospitality of the Karen family he met, but also their savvy, gritty resilience. While in college, Jesse took what would be his first of many trips to Karen refugee camps, and he chose to write his senior thesis on the Karen Revolution, which filled with a much deeper sense of the people and their complex history. After graduation he moved to Minneapolis, where he worked in an office providing mental health services to immigrant communities. “There's a lot of trauma,” he acknowledges. “There's not a Karen person in Minnesota who doesn't have a story about a family member or a friend being harmed, raped, killed, tortured, or a village burned.”Jesse bought and renovated an older building nearby, which he transformed it into a communal space called “The Urban Village.”  Its goal is to support Karen and Karenni youth struggling with their sense of identity. “We're hearing from elders a genuine fear around a growing disconnect between them and their kids,” Jesse says. “Our hope is that that connection really starts with a connection to themselves and to their identity, whatever they come to believe that to be, but that they feel a sense of connection.” The aftermath of the coup has exposed an additional manifestation of the generation gap.  While the elder generation had to survive near constant assaults from the Tatmadaw, the latter do not have that personal experience, and their different perspectives strongly shape their outlook and sense of possibility. Even since the coup, Jesse has continued his relief trips supporting health and education projects back in Burma and around the border regions. While there, he also helps to document the on-going situation, and interviews elders with the aim of building a historical archive. As tumultuous and challenging as the last two years have been, he says, “The entire country is really fighting back, and I think this type of unity probably hasn't been seen before.”

Behind ASEAN’s Closed Doors

Episode #146: Calvin Khoe, the Co-Director of Foreign Policy Community of Indonesia (FPCI), speaks with us about ASEAN’s and Indonesia’s in role in the Myanmar conflict. Khoe emphasizes the importance of allowing ASEAN to lead detailed, closed-door conversations with a wide range of actors within Myanmar, and that it shouldn’t be rushed by outside parties. He criticizes Westerners who he feels are unfamiliar with ASEAN’s protocols (and Asian culture in general) and who push too aggressively for progress. To Khoe, the need for private dialogue also informs his perhaps controversial opinion that it is inappropriate even to publicly chastise the Tatmadaw for its many serious human rights infractions, and that such matters should only be addressed by using soft language with them in private. And perhaps even more controversially, he insists that discussions on the future of the country must involve the SAC, as well as the NUG and various EAOs. This is because he feels that all parties have a seat at the table in looking at the future of the country, and he hopes Indonesia can be seen as a “big brother” member of ASEAN that could facilitate this kind of discussion. Addressing concerns that the military-led elections proposed this year would likely not be free and fair, and thus provide a false legitimacy to the junta, Khoe argues that he does not see any better option for resolving the conflict, and adds that ASEAN and Indonesia could help oversee any elections. Khoe explains how ASEAN and Southeast Asian nations view the role of the military within their respective countries. Most Southeast Asian countries have strong militaries, and Khoe believes that outside countries do not appreciate the local context and history of the region, and the traditional role that militaries play in that part of the world. This is also why he insists that the Tatmadaw does have a role in deciding the future of the country, in spite of the widespread violence they have perpetuated in these past two years.

Meditation on Revolution

Episode #145: “Who am I?” Valerie remembers asking herself this question while sitting in a meditation hall at Aung Lan Monastery late one evening. “Why are we seeking and loving so much about having this attraction and attachments? What is going on? And so, that's how I started out.” Born in Myanmar to a Chinese Muslim family and a later convert to Buddhism, Valerie eventually relocated to California. There she became involved in the beauty pageant circuit and modeled, and was employed as manager of a commercial lending bank. But when an acquaintance she was due to meet suddenly died, her life priorities were shaken and she decided to attend a meditation course in the Thae Ingu tradition. Her first retreat was excruciating. The pain at one point became so severe she began to fear she was dying.  But she was determined and eventually became able to detach from her pain. Her mind sharpened, she delighted in the subtle detail that only a penetrative mind is able to reach. She began to sit for longer and longer periods, examining the origin of suffering and the identification with body, and the conditionality of self. The course had a profound effect on Valerie, as she discovered when she returned home. She stopped modeling, and in fact barely attended to her appearance at all, which led to interventions from management at her bank and alarmed her friends. Then the military coup in Myanmar happened. And as deep as her spiritual journey had taken her, Valerie also found herself unable to sit at all following the coup because of the horrors being perpetrated by the Tatmadaw. Valerie became involved with the democracy movement and began to question her practice in light of the military’s brutality. While fully aware that the ultimate cause of suffering is inside, Valerie also feels strongly that seeking out a peaceful inner life is not possible in the wake of the excruciating harm the military is inflicting on the Burmese people. Valerie felt compelled to choose between prioritizing spiritual or worldly liberation, and temporarily has chosen the latter.  Her reasoning is that the singular cause of so much intense suffering on the outside needs to be taken care of in the short term before conditions can again arise that support widespread meditation practice in the future, when peace eventually does return to the Golden Land. For now, her present pathway is clear. “We will try to support those people who are inside the country and fighting for the people, who are fighting for fairness, and fighting for the truth.”

A Generational Change

Episode #144: In October 2007, Bobo witnessed uniformed soldiers beating Buddhist monks on the streets of Yangon. That experience radically changed the trajectory of his life. Bobo realized that any success or security he could accrue on an individual level through education and a profession could be snatched away without warning as long as the corrupt and cruel military regime remained in charge. He soon joined Generation Wave, an underground collective formed following the uprising in 2007. The work was dangerous and has put Bobo in the crosshairs since he was a teenager. Following the military coup in 2021, Bobo began working to help mobilize the populace into action with massive nonviolent protests and strikes in key sectors.  As the nonviolent protests continued, the military began using live munitions. Being an organization committed to nonviolent resistance, Generation Wave has had to be creative in their approach. Yet while Generation Wave, itself, has been steadfastly committed to peaceful forms of opposition, there is an understanding that each part of the movement is equally needed in order to counter the Tatmadaw: nonviolent action, armed resistance, the Civil Disobedience Movement, sanctions from the West, recognition of the NUG, etc. For the foreseeable future, Bobo is doing all he can at a personal level to play this role himself, pushing aside any thought of the toll it’s taking. “I don't want to be there,” he admits wearily. “I want to live very peacefully, and to have fun with friends and with my family. I want a normal life like other people, of course. But now all my energy and all my commitment are for the revolution and for the movement.”

The Burma Act

Episode #143: The Burma Act’s origins can be traced to before the coup, according to Michael Haack, a longtime advocate. Its goal was to provide support for civil society while limiting the power of the military. One of its major features was calling out the Rohingya genocide, but Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell feared it would reflect poorly on his close friend, Aung San Suu Kyi, who at that time was leading the country, and blocked the bill’s passage. The final version of the Burma Act drew rare, almost unanimous bipartisan backing in the House, but it was again blocked by McConnell. So a decision was made to include it as an Amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), a bill that funds the US military and has passed annually since 1961. Haack notes that the language of the Burma Act specifically allows for only non-lethal aid. Haack emphasizes the groundbreaking nature of the bill, in that it lists many of the Ethnic Resistance Organizations (ERO) by name, along with the NUG and PDFs. Yet advocacy for continued attention to the crisis in Myanmar remains challenging. The Burmese diaspora’s failure to effectively coordinate their efforts with local legislators has been an on-going issue. Haack suggests a two-pronged approach to advocacy work. One is cultivating relationships and building trust with influential people and groups. The other is kicking off a well-coordinated media campaign, ideally with a compelling figure at its center.  However, Myanmar’s ethnic groups now have their own direct lines of communication to the West—which was until recently not the case—making what were once Bamar-centric conversations and policy in the US far more complicated. Not only are past histories being contested, so also are visions of what a federal democracy even means. In the end, though, Haack notes that “Congress runs on winning campaigns,” and so for him, the best thing about the Burma Act is that…it (finally) passed!

You Down with NUG?

Episode #142: “What must a government do to be worthy of recognition?”  This is a question that Philipp Annawitt poses in a recent The Diplomat article, and discusses with Insight Myanmar Podcast vis-à-vis the NUG and its allies. The concept of “legitimacy” has evolved in the past couple of centuries century. Considering the various strands of “legitimacy” standards in present-day Myanmar, Annawitt emphatically states that the military junta meets none of them. In contrast, he points out that the NUG (and its allies) carries out many of the commonly accepted, functional duties of a government in those areas of the country not under Tatmadaw control, and has even overseen security for civilians and administered justice in safe areas inside the country. But not only have few nations recognized the NUG as Myanmar’s legitimate government, it has hardly shown even modicum of support, especially in the face of the junta’s obvious abuses and demonstrable inability to govern well. Annawitt calls this out as indefensible. The robust Burmese diaspora communities around the world have been more than doing their part to keep the NUG afloat. This connects to the unique and amazing spirit of collective sacrifice that characterizes the NUG, which includes tens of thousands of civil servants volunteering their time. Moreover, Annawaitt finds that this spirit of sacrifice becomes a political factor in determining future career opportunities, should the Tatmadaw be defeated. That said, Annawitt also feels that the lack of wages for NUG’s civil servants is a serious issue with major ramifications that urgently needs addressing. Sustainability and the ability to fund all areas of the government are serious concerns. Given this situation, Annawitt envisions a big and urgent role for development partners to come in with financial resources and technical assistance. In fact, if more is not done to build up the government structures of the NUG, Annawitt cautions that there is little hope at any improvement for the country or its people, as the military leadership cares little for infrastructure beyond fattening their own pockets. Still, the present situation is a long way from being a utopian federal democracy, and Annawitt acknowledges the NUG’s various shortcomings, including a lack consultation with ethnic allies and a convoluted decision-making process. But Annawitt repeatedly reminds us is that this is not a peacetime government or a mature federal system, but a functioning though transitory bureaucracy with limited resources, that at the same time is actively resisting a brutal military. “In the current situation, a pressure is there constantly,” he says. “Pressure for survival, security pressure, and communication is really difficult. And the demands, physically, health, psychologically, on all the actors, are overwhelming.”

Talkin’ ‘Bout a Revolution

Episode #141: Jon rejoins us one year following his interview last year, and straight away expresses how his original hopes for a nonviolent solution were somewhat naïve. In the past year, he has come to realize that he either must submit passively to military rule or fight back aggressively. So Jon has personally been involved in both non-violent and guerilla activities. The midst of all this, he maintains a meditation practice, which has helped him balance the traumatic experiences he now faces. However, he puts it in perspective. “I still do all my Buddhist practice. But when we're at war, we do our spiritual stuff, but then we still fight to kill the enemies.” Indeed, this has been a somewhat confusing time for many Burmese Buddhist activists, as some prominent—and previously highly revered—monks appear quite hypocritical, sermonizing about morality and not killing, for example, while either supporting the murderous military outright or at least happy enough to take large donations from them.  This connects to the fault lines now appearing in Burmese Buddhism following the military’s manipulation of the Saṅgha, and their attempts to pervert the clergy into sponsoring nationalist messages. Jon’s analysis of the present state of the resistance movement is grounded in his own, on-the-ground perspective. “We are not winning yet, but they're losing for sure!” At the same time, he also points out some of the less reported-on kinds of devastation that the coup has wrought, such as alcohol, drug addiction or mental health issues, which he sees as coping mechanisms to extreme stress and trauma. He adds that life has become particularly fraught for the younger generation, many of whom have been randomly assaulted and/or arrested by the military. While Jon and his friends have all but given up on international organizations coming to their aid, he still hopes that individuals who are allies around the world will continue to stand by their cause. “If you see someone who is close to Myanmar, talk about it,” he says. “And then if you see someone who doesn't know Myanmar, educate them about it! I think that's the only way that we can push the story of Myanmar forward.”

Myanmar’s Voices for Freedom

Episode #140: Better Burma, in partnership with One Light Global, was proud to host "Myanmar's Voices for Freedom,” a panel discussion that bought together five, dynamic, Burmese nationals, each resisting the military regime in Myanmar in their own unique way. This full panel discussion has been modified into podcast format, and can be listened to here. The discussion explored a wide variety of topics: the Rohingya crisis, issues regarding the country’s marginalized groups and ethnic minorities, gender equality and LGBT+ rights, the role of the international community, how allies can rally to support the democracy movement, public school education, Burmese Buddhism and the practice of meditation, and how art and creative expression have been used to resist military tyranny. In addition to exploring these topics, the forum was created to help fundraise for two important missions: providing education in Mizoram to refugee children, and supporting villages in the Sagaing Division that were victims of military aggression.

The Overturned Alms Bowl

Episode #139: After Bhikkhuni Vimala (they/their) learned about military coup in Myanmar, they wanted to find a way to express their feelings against it. They ultimately landed on the idea of encouraging their monastic friends abroad to take a picture with their alms bowl overturned, since Burmese monastics would likely face arrest and torture for making such a statement. “Even just a simple action like turning over the alms bowl… could get you in prisons or even killed” they explain. An overturned alms symbolizes a monk or nun’s disagreement with the actions of a group of lay supports who have done something that egregiously broke their precepts. Their campaign received an immediate if unexpected boost from such noted monastics as Bhikkhu Analayo and Bhikkhu Bodhi, who immediately sent in images of themselves with overturned alms bowls, and many more followed.  Speaking on the subject of Engaged Buddhism, Bhikkhuni Vimala feels first and foremost, that it is essential for the practitioner to continue gaining inner wisdom through insight practice. “You have to find the truth within yourself,” they say. “But while doing so, you notice greater compassion for other people! This is what's often called ‘compassion in action.’” Bhikkhuni Vimala continues, “I think it's really important to help our fellow people in Myanmar. Because how can [people] sit quietly on a cushion and meditate, and pretend that all these things are not going on?... I think it is very important to help people to come to a place where they can practice the Buddhist teachings, and make sure that as Buddha's teachings also live on.”

Paint It Black

Episode #138: “Almost everything was propaganda,” Paing comments, reflecting on his childhood growing up in Yangon. His release came in the form of artistic expression through music, largely influenced by Western bands and singers. He describes his songs as being gloomy and melancholic, which also characterizes his feelings about the recent, turbulent events in his country.  Recently, however, Paing has been unable to write new music, nor even play his old tracks, because he is still recovering from the trauma of what he witnessed soon after the coup broke in Hlaing Thayar, his hometown. March 15, 2021, Paing watched from his rooftop balcony, as the military brutally assault protesters. Powerless, he saw people falling from injuries and others being killed outright, a memory which he feels has scarred him for life. Paing has been disappointed by both the lackluster international support as well as the leadership of the NUG. With diplomacy failing, he hopes that resistance fighters having better access to weapons can also help. However, as someone who still believes in the principles of non-violence, he is conflicted on this issue, especially as he realizes that a post-Tatmadaw world must include those former soldiers. “You can’t kill everyone that opposes any new idea,” he notes. “You have to see things on a human level, instead of just using guns.” Paing knows the way forward will not be easy. “Again, I'm a pessimist,” he says, laughing. “So I think everything that can go wrong, will go wrong. But the worst thing that could happen is the military winning.”

Mission of Burma

Episode #137: A lifelong Czech diplomat and currently Ambassador to Austria, Jiří Šitler talks about his career and the interesting ties between his country and Myanmar. He first official task was to negotiate terms for German compensation of Czech citizens who had been victims of forced labor and Nazi war crimes. After this, he was given the Ambassadorship to Thailand. This led to further ambassadorships in Laos, and Cambodia, and eventually the post of Director for Asia in the Czech Foreign Ministry. Šitler describes how Czech President President Havel was sympathetic to the growing Burmese aspirations for democracy. Havel helped get Aung San Suu Kyi nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. Their efforts were successful, and she and Havel continued their correspondence until Havel’s death in 2011. In May 2001, Šitler was appointed the Czech Ambassador to Myanmar. Because the Czech mission was so explicitly focused on human rights and democracy, the military regime was openly hostile at times. After Šitler left Myanmar in 2005, he stayed actively involved in the country. Stressing that he is speaking personally and not in any official capacity, Šitler feels there is a very compelling case for providing weapons to the resistance. He has also been heartened by the solidarity he has seen among democracy activists, even as he’s been horrified by the level of violence the military has used against its own people. Šitler is uniquely well-positioned to analyze the road to reconciliation in a post-Tatmadaw Myanmar. He thinks that military commanders who massacre civilian population shouldn't be pardoned. “But at the same time, you need to move forward somehow. So it's all always a question of measure, right?” Although Šitler has traveled the world through his role as diplomat, his experiences in Myanmar stand out above all else. “This incredible commitment to the cause of freedom and democracy where people are risking so much, and still fighting and risking their lives, spending decades in prison… It was like the thoughts and approach of Václav Havel but in another part of the world.”

Breaking Glass Ceilings, Documenting Atrocities

Episode #136: “I usually do what I want,” Nyein admits openly. Somewhat unusual for a woman in traditional Burmese culture, it is an attitude Nyein cultivated during the democratic transition period of the 2010s.  Since the coup, she has become quite possibly the country’s only female photojournalist, one who has captured some of the most violent examples of military oppression. However, she has never been able to quite escape from the confining limitations of gender discrimination still plaguing her culture. When the coup was launched, Nyein was in the capital of Nay Pyi Daw, and came upon a tank parked on a street. She snapped a photograph of it which became an important image in visually confirming the military’s actions that day even as the generals were trying to downplay the military’s presence in the city. Back in Yangon, Nyein documented the non-violent protests that were growing in size. And although the protests were dangerous for everyone, besides standing out as a female photojournalist, her dedication to her profession made it extra risky because when the police began to crack down, she often chose to stay behind doing her job until the last possible moment. But her terrifying experience on March 14th, 2021, in Hlaing Thayar changed everything. She was trapped among the protesters when the military suddenly opened fire, and Nyein saw bodies falling all around her. Eventually she managed to find an apartment balcony where she hid while continuing to capture what was happening below. That experience led to a complete mental breakdown. She turned to meditation, aromatherapy, consulting with a psychologist, and ultimately had to take serious medication. Eventually, because of an increase police presence and her growing reputation as a female photojournalist, she no longer felt safe staying at her home and began changing where she slept every night.  Then one day, she sadly came to the realization that she needed to leave Myanmar. The day of her departure at the Yangon Airport was nerve-wracking, as she was convinced she was going to be apprehended and arrested before her flight took off.  Fortunately, she managed to get out safely. Now in Thailand, Nyein’s determination to seek her own path is as resolute as ever. “If you're really interested in photography,” she says, “whether something about your gender, whether you're gay, you just have to have to follow your dreams.”

Following the Dhamma (Bonus Shorts)

Episode #135: “We just felt like we knew Myanmar, and it didn't seem like a foreign place to us.” So says Tamara Edwards, currently the Center Teacher at Dhamma Pabha, a vipassana meditation center in the tradition of S.N. Goenka. A chance encounter led Tamara to her first course in 1990. The teachings stuck, and she became dedicated to the practice. Together she and her Dhamma partner, Jamie, sat and served courses. After taking two years away to earn a livelihood, they felt they needed to reorient their life back towards meditation. So in 2012 they enrolled in a 30-day course in Myanmar. They also traveled widely throughout the country, particularly those sites in the lineage of S.N. Goenka. Eventually, they found a sense of home and community at the Webu Sayadaw Monastery in Ingyinbin, which she describes as “the most peaceful place on Earth.”  After repeated extended visits to the monastery, Tamara came to feel she wanted to take a deeper plunge, and so decided to ordain as a nun there. Doing so opened up her practice as well as her interactions within the community in ways she never could have anticipated. Tamara later decided to don robes a second time, and following her return to lay life, she felt fulfilled in this particular aspiration. Tamara finds something ironic, and deeply tragic, about recalling these memories now. “I felt so helpless [when the coup started] that there was absolutely nothing we could do,” she notes. “But I couldn't turn away from it!” Eventually her obsession began unbalancing her mind, and so Tamara had to take steps to limit how much she was following the latest news, while still trying to be in touch with close friends and giving donations to nonprofits.  Her practice is also of great help during these difficult times.

Freedom Behind Bars

Episode #134: Liv Gaborit, a Danish social scientist with a background in psychology, conducted a groundbreaking study about intensive vipassana meditation retreats offered in the tradition of S. N. Goenka in notorious, overcrowded, Insein prison. Gaborit was told a story about a high-level military figure who regretted his bloody actions in suppressing the 1988 democratic uprising. Seeking spiritual salvation, he traveled to India, where he took a course in the Goenka tradition and was determined to bring it back to the prison system in Myanmar. Gaborit’s study centered on the experience of hearing voices in solitary confinement versus during a meditation retreat. Solitary confinement can lead to a range of hallucinations and mental disorders; while during intensive meditation, seeing and hearing from invisible beings can be understood as a deepening practice. Another important factor that Gaborit points to is the presence of metta, or loving-kindness. When political prisoners hear voices on meditation courses, metta is in the environment and cushions the experience, while in solitary, it is quite a different story. For the political prisoners on the prison course, Gaborit says that the result of that positive energy was remarkable, while for the monk, the lack of being able to receive or practice metta no doubt contributed to his mental imbalance. What began as a research project has transformed into something far larger for Gaborit: her own life trajectory has been radically altered. After the coup, Gaborit left her position in academia to become a full-time activist, and co-founded Myanmar Action Group Denmark.

The Fight of Their Lives

Episode #133: Zach Abuza, a professor at the National War College who shared his analysis of the Burmese military in our previous discussion, now turns his attention to the resistance movement. While initially the concern about the Peoples’ Defense Force [PDFs] was that they were well -intentioned yet poorly trained individuals going up against a ruthless and brutal military, much has changed since.  Every one of the country’s 330 townships now boasts at least one PDF unit, and they have steadily increased their supply of materiel.  The PDFs were created “bottom-up,” with people coming together organically for the purpose of self-defense. Thus, most PDFs are regional, largely funded by the population they have been set up to protect, and from whom they derive their sense of legitimacy. But this “horizontal network” creates organizational and coordination challenges much more challenging, and chain of command unwieldy.  The concern now is how to best manage them. To try and impose discipline across the resistance, the NUG has tried to extract at least some kind of nominal pledge from these groups that they fight solely for the purpose of resisting the military, with the eventual goal of creating a federal democracy. However, this has become somewhat more challenging by the fact that the NUG has almost nothing to offer these now semi-autonomously functioning units in return for their allegiance—neither funds, nor arms, nor strategic military advice, nor on-the-ground leadership. Whatever challenges remain in this regard, Abuza is amazed at the spirit and courage the PDFs have shown. Like many people, Abuza is keen to envision a post-Tatmadaw Myanmar, yet he is not optimistic by what he sees. “I could easily see the NUG winning the war and losing the peace, because they are unable to fulfill the aspirations of the EAOs and establish a true federal democracy.” Moreover, he wonders what would happen to these hundreds of PDF organizations throughout the country, which by that time will have become well-armed, effective fighting forces.

On The Ropes

Episode #132: Zach Abuza, a columnist at Radio Free Asia and a professor at the National War College in Washington, DC, provides his analysis of the tactical and strategic situation facing the Tatmadaw nearly two years into their attempted coup. He debunks several theories regarding the Burmese military. One is the size of the Burmese military, which he believes is much smaller than is often assumed, and is now showing signs of strain.  There is also an increasing number of defections, and Abuza estimates that around 15% of the Tatmadaw’s soldiers have been killed, wounded, or defected. In the past, the military relied on an urban Bamar population who could at worst be counted on to tacitly support their incursions into ethnic territories. Now, however, Abuza says, “The people are not being cowed into submission…it's got to drive Min Aung Hlaing and Soe Win absolutely batshit that the population continues to resist the military every day!” People with almost nothing still manage to give whatever they can to the People’s Defense Forces (PDFs), a clear sign of how determined they are to continue to sacrifice in hopes of seeing the military defeated once and for all.  In terms of the military’s resources, on the one hand, Abuza notes that helicopters are the biggest threat to the resistance efforts, and their munitions are produced in-country. However, Abuza has seen a decrease in the number of mortars being launched into villages, indicating that they are concerned about their depleting stocks. With all this in mind, Abuza feels it is critical for the PDFs to begin avoiding direct conflict in favor of “fighting the military's ability to wage war. They have to concentrate on the increasingly depleted logistics network.” His main concern is the resistance’s ability to sustain their efforts, since the Tatmadaw still benefits from relationships with China and Russia.

A Jaded Hellscape

Episode #131: Mike Davis is CEO of Global Witness, an international NGO that seeks “justice for those disproportionately affected by the climate crisis: people in the global south, indigenous communities and communities of colour, women and younger generations.” It published two groundbreaking reports on Myanmar’s mining industry. One is Jade and Conflict, which shines a light on the dangers, corruption and environmental degradation of the lucrative jade mining industry in Kachin State, which is largely controlled by Chinese companies in collusion with Myanmar military elites.  The other, Myanmar’s Poisoned Mountains, covers the mining of the rare earth metals dysprosium and terbium, which go into a variety of everyday electronics, and for which the demand will only be increasing. They had previously been mined in China, but the environmental cost of doing so was so extreme that even the Chinese government realized it was no longer viable. So, they outsourced their “filthy mining operation” to Myanmar, which also has reserves of these rare earth metals. Mike points out that while his organization supports the mission to seek alternatives to fossil fuels and locate more renewable energy sources, it must be done in a way which is equitable and environmentally conscious. Towards these ends, Global Witness is hoping that their advocacy can encourage countries to ban the import of products which source from this region, as well as to lobby companies to refuse to acquire them. “The renewable transition wants to buy greener products but they also want to see the companies that supply them controlling their production supply chains in a way which is in line with the high ethical standards which they purport to purport to abide by,” he says. And with the rampant logging also taking place in that same region, Davis paints the picture of a vast web of illegal operations that benefit only the very top elites, with local populations suffering and the overall environment being devastated in the process. It is a significant and extremely messy situation that adds a sense of increased gravity and immediacy to the already disastrous military coup. 

Igor Blaževič on the Spring Revolution

Episode #130: Igor Blaževič experienced the chaos, violence and fear of the Bosnian War at a young age. Once the war ended, Igor wanted to support others who were suffering from the lack of freedom he had only just escaped from.  With this in mind, Igor traveled to such hotspots as Kosovo, Chechnya, Cuba, Belarus, and eventually to Myanmar. This work led to a close friendship with Czech President Václav Havel, whose own country had recently emerged from a traumatic past.  Havel’s participation at events that Igor sponsored ensured a wider visibility to their cause. In Myanmar, Igor found the oppression similar to what he had seen elsewhere. He stayed in the country for five years, working with former political prisoners and ethnic activists. These were the transition years, and despite the optimism brought by the new period of openness, Igor saw red flags from the start. He tried to explain that it was only a superficial democratic façade, but the situation only deteriorated when the Rohingya crisis hit. And as the crisis worsened, things began to play out in a way that was eerily familiar to Igor from his experience with communal violence in Bosnia. Igor saw how military intelligence was infiltrating and radicalizing parts of the Saṅgha, using the highly respected clergy to advance its own fear tactics under the guise of Buddhism, spreading the poison of ethnocentrism and xenophobia. But he wasn’t heard, dismissed as a know-nothing foreigner. Even so, Igor was totally taken by surprise when the military coup was launched last year. However, he now found that diverse groups in Myanmar were united in facing a common enemy, and so he saw a chance for building solidarity that had not been possible before. To him the course is clear: recognize that the Tatmadaw is the common enemy, unite to destroy it, and then work together to build a better future after it is defeated.

The Pit and the Pendulum

Episode #129: Andrea Passeri and Hunter Marsten co-authored an article which looks at Myanmar’s quest for a non-aligned foreign policy, and that is the subject of this podcast discussion. From the military junta’s previous negative-neutral foreign policy, the new government began shifting to a positive and active policy of non-alignment.  There was a tangible feeling of openness and hope taking root. With Aung Sang Suu Kyi’s ascendence in the years that followed, this more outward-looking foreign policy continued; Passeri and Marsten consider this a high-water mark for Myanmar in terms of a policy of positive neutrality. However, things started to turn in 2016, when the Rohyinga crisis played out on a worldwide stage. As a result, sanctions once again began to be imposed on the country. Aung Sang Suu Kyi’s apologist stance towards the military turned off once-enthusiastic international supporters; foreign aid and investment dried up, and the country once again became more inward-looking.  So as Myanmar’s international legitimacy dissolved, the pendulum began swinging back towards negative neutralism. The authors emphasize the role that self-reliance plays in the ability to successfully enact both positive non-alignment and negative neutralist policies.  It is, in fact, quite a challenge for small countries like Myanmar either way, because they are most often not self-reliant enough to “go it alone.” So while Myanmar may never have fully realized a goal of positive non-alignment, it has never really been able to fully realize negative neutralism, either. Today, with few countries willing to countenance the Tatmadaw’s violent and repressive rule, Myanmar is a pariah nation internationally and has become increasingly aligned with the authoritarian Great Powers, China and Russia. However, Marsten remains optimistic about the future because he believes that the younger generation has learned the lessons it needs to have learned to ultimately gain power and realize those goals.

Chinland’s Forgotten War

Episode #128: “The greatest tragedy of Myanmar as a country is that it gets the headline for a week or two, and then it generally gets buried, because so many other things are happening,” Matt Davis explains. With this in mind, Matt decided to head to Chin State, one of the regions where the conflict has been among the worst, and report on the resistance movement. His work ultimately resulted in a feature on Australia Broadcasting Corporation’s popular current affairs program, Foreign Correspondent. Matt was struck by how many ordinary young people from all walks of life had chosen to stand up to the military’s aggressions, no matter the risk or personal sacrifice. He recalls meeting a mother whose son had been injured attempting to disarm a landmine. When asking about her concern for her son in returning to the front, the mother was resolute that everyone must be willing to sacrifice, no matter what the risks. Yet while Matt is inspired to see how normal civilians have managed to effectively resist their own military, he is disheartened by the continued lack of support from beyond Myanmar’s borders. “I think it's a question that we should ask of our governments, and to be prepared to demand that they do more.” Compared to the Ukraine, so much less support has been shown to the Burmese people, and they can’t understand why they haven’t received even a small part of such sympathy. They have begun to ask, “What about us?” What Matt observed in Chin State is perhaps a microcosm of the wider movement now taking place across the country, and even outside, to support the emerging democracy movement. “There is only one goal now: that is to remove the military and restore democracy to the country of Myanmar. So that’s… what gives me hope that things might change. But it may still take some time, particularly if they're not supported by the international community.”

Helping to Cushion the Blow

Episode #127: “I basically started meditating about eight years ago, and it's it changed my life completely,” Claire Thorp tells us. For years, Claire had been intrigued observing how her partner kept up a daily sitting and was curious to give it a try herself. Her initial course in the Burmese lineage of SN Goenka was very challenging for her.  However, she felt sort of a “magnetic pull” to the tradition and returned to start sitting and serving. Some time later, Claire traveled to India for further meditation. She ended up visiting Jaipur, where she took a course in natural dyeing. This would eventually lead to the creation of her company, Sati Designs, which produces meditation cushions. The Pāḷi word “sati” means “mindfulness,” and that began to guide the company’s vision. Claire fell in love with the artisan community in Jaipur. Many of these artisans come from families who have been using traditional techniques for generations, and work right out of their homes. Through her connections, she located sources for every part of the production. Following her second Vipassanā course, she had made a strong resolution to visit Myanmar. From the moment she arrived in 2016, she felt a sense of warmth and inclusion. She took a course at Dhamma Joti, and was immediately struck by how serious her fellow Burmese yogis were, and how long they could sit with only minimal cushions and support.  She made wonderful friendships in a short time, and was struck by the way supporting Dhamma is woven through the society. Claire has since been following the unfolding events in Myanmar with sadness, while trying to bring attention and support. Towards this end, she has generously offered a special two-week promotional period lasting from October 14th to the 28th, in which 20% from all sales at Sati Designs will be donated to Better Burma.

Fiction and Fun in Burma

Episode #126: When Rose Metro sat down to write Have Fun In Burma, a novel set during the Rohingya crisis, she was already well aware that the country has long been viewed through an exotified, Orientalist lens. Being quite conscious of this past narrative, she wanted to draw attention to cultural conflict, using multiple perspectives. The protagonist, Adela Frost, is a politically progressive young woman. She interacts with diverse characters who represent common archetypes from the transition period in Myanmar. While this diverse cast of characters may well not communicate skillfully across cultures even in the best of times, their misunderstandings take on far more serious consequences, in a story built around the developing Rohingya crisis. Adela applies her values and perspective to the unfolding violence, unable to understand how the Burmese characters see the situation differently. Because they cannot even agree on a shared set of facts, let alone find a resolution, the tension mirrors the wildly divergent ways that the Rohingya crisis was covered by the media. Rose also brings the subject of meditation into her narrative. Adela is taught a Mahasi style practice by the abbot of the monastery. For Rose, it was important that the meditation part of Adela’s journey, and its role in the wider Burma experience, did not happen in isolation, but was integrated into everything else taking place both at the monastery and in society at large. “I think that's just the central tension. We have to have that balance of compassion and equanimity. That's so hard. How can you keep being open to feeling empathy for people when their suffering is so great? But also, how can you not just be like Adela and be like, ‘Okay, I'll fix it….’ If it has any chance of reducing suffering, either mine or someone else's, it's worth doing. I think that kind of humility is something that can take a long time to get to.”

Keeping the Burmese Language Alive

Episode #125: Given the deteriorating and destabilizing situation in Myanmar, one might assume that experts in the fields of Burma Studies, along with Burmese language teachers, would be more important now than ever. Yet nonetheless, the University of London’s School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) has elected to terminate the post of Professor of Burmese. Burmese language instruction at SOAS dates back to 1917, when civil servants associated with Britain’s colonial administration studied Burmese. Yet the institution is now experiencing financial problems that can be traced back to Brexit, and Covid has only exacerbated the situation. As a result, Justin Watkins, who currently holds the position, was informed in the summer in 2020 that his position was at risk of being cut, and he was given two years to seek out funding to build an endowment. However, the military coup happened only months later, it became very difficult to ask for funding for his program that otherwise would probably go to supporting a country in such dire circumstances. Watkins has requested a two-year extension, but the post is set to expire this month. Watkins fears that at a time when it has been so difficult for the crisis in Myanmar to break into the international community’s consciousness, cutting his program would only serve to further relegate the country and its people to the background. Plus, SOAS is one of the few institutions in the world that still offers Burmese language study. Watkins points to the negative effect that decreased opportunities for Burmese language study will have on aid workers, diplomats, human rights activists, and others who can do far better work when they are able to speak in the local language. 

Power to the People

Episode #124: Today’s guest, Guillaume de Langre, worked for several years in Naypyidaw as an adviser to the Myanmar Ministry of Electricity and Energy (MOEE), and explains the history of electrification in Myanmar. From the post-independence period through the 2000s, he describes how much of the country was dark.  One reason is that Tatmadaw was never really interested in developing access to electricity to much of the country.  It may seem strange that the military regime did not seek a more prosperous economy, which would have required a more efficient and widespread electricity grid. But de Langre explains how the generals followed a Soviet style plan of state-owned industries where actual productivity was never the goal. Then in 2000, providing access to electricity suddenly became a priority, and brought about a rapid transformation that greatly benefited the Burmese people and economy. However, usage rates went way up, straining the system in a new way.  De Langre notes that the government ended up spending more on energy subsidies than even on education, which ultimately led to sharp price hikes in 2019.  This led to exploring plans for alternative energy sources, like solar or imported power plants, several of which were in place on the eve of the coup. However, everything fell apart after the coup, as investors balked at what had become high-risk projects overnight. Sadly, de Langre also believes that even if the military is defeated, “it would still take years to fix the damage done to the energy sector by the coup… It will take years for companies to trust again and to lower their perception of risk.”

A Failure of Diplomacy

Episode #123: Lucine has been the liaison officer between France and Myanmar for decades. With this rich experience, she offers an insightful perspective on the workings and machinations of the hidden world of diplomats across multiple crises in Myanmar. Burma (now Myanmar) used to be viewed as a kind of remote backwater that few knew much about.  But that all changed with the ’88 democratic uprising.  Working with the European countries and the US, Lucine advocated for an immediate travel ban and economic restrictions on high level military figures. Surprisingly, she was never arrested, a mystery that eludes her to this day. Back then, Western countries were very sympathetic to Burma’s plight. But since Aung San Suu Kyi’s fateful decision to personally defend the Rohingya genocide at the IJC, that all changed. Lucine explains that Aung San Suu Kyi hoped her hard stand would both help her election chances and placate the military, making a coup less likely. However, not only did Aung San Suu Kyi single-handedly lose worldwide sympathy and support for her country’s democratic transition, the military ultimately launched a coup anyway. Away from Myanmar, she describes the anxiety many Burmese exiles now have in not knowing if their respective ambassadors support the democracy movement, or are little more than spies for the junta. Even worse, the military has instructed its embassies not to issue new passports, leaving approximately 80,000 stateless Burmese in limbo. Lucine cannot understand how most of the international community has simply stood by and watched the suffering of the Myanmar people grow exponentially. “No sympathy, no empathy, I would say! They don't care how many people are killed in a day, even though we've been sharing news and we've been crying out in many ways around the world!”

A Conversation with Gil Fronsdal

Episode #122: Gil Fronsdal’s single visit to Myanmar came over three decades ago, but the impact of the trip on his spiritual life stays with him still. Initially practicing Zen, he went to Japan to deepen his practice, but he soon became disillusioned with the emphasis on ritual. He traveled on to Thailand, where he took a Mahasi course. Immediately impressed, he felt inspired go to the source of the teaching and seek further guidance under Sayadaw U Pandita, himself. When Gil did finally arrive in the country, he devoted himself to intensive meditation at the large Mahasi center in Yangon, including several months as an ordained bhikkhu. The experienced touched him “in some deep, emotional way.” However, studying under U Pandita was not easy. Gil knew a lot of the Westerners who burned out and developed psychological problems under U Pandita’s stern and exacting teaching about striving for attainment.  But Gil’s Zen background helped temper the effect of this, while at the same he was fascinated with the attention to detail the Mahasi practice afforded.  He began sitting in extended periods of bliss. In the context of Gil’s balanced and deeper practice space, Sayadaw U Pandita’s emphasis also resonated with him in a new, more concrete way, helping him realize how, in the “micro-moments” of his life, he was not so accepting as he believed himself to be.  This eventually impacted his own teaching career, as Gil became increasingly conscious of not only presenting meditation as an aid to leading a balanced life, but also reminding his students about the potential of full liberation. Overall, that brief stay in the Golden Land continues to be a special memory for Gil. “Of the eight months I was there in the Mahasi center, I really felt like I was a guest of the country, and the whole culture. The whole country was hosting me and caring for me.”

A Vipassanā Journey (Bonus Shorts)

Episode #121: While perhaps a strange choice for some, Steve Jarand and Kati Schweitzer elected to spend part of their honeymoon meditating in Myanmar. Both being practitioners in the vipassana tradition of S.N. Goenka—a Burmese citizen of Indian heritage who trained in a Burmese lineage—that 2016 trip was something of a spiritual homecoming for them. The visit broadened their horizons regarding their spiritual path. For example, Steve learned to appreciate Burmese Buddhist culture on its own terms through the realization that “it's much more rich and complex than just what I had known about the practice!” And from the start, Kati appreciated how interwoven the practice was in daily life throughout Myanmar. They also found much meaning while staying longer in monastic environments. Overall, there was much joy to remember from the trip, particularly the way they always found their Burmese friends quick to smile, and their amazing generosity. With the memory of that kindness in mind, Steve and Kati speak to the wider practitioner community about how important it is to support the people of Myanmar during these very dark days, since the military coup, and find a way to reciprocate.

Htein Lin: Pursuing Art and Liberation

Episode #120: On Thursday, August 25th, 2022, the accomplished artist and longtime activist, Htein Lin, was arrested along with his wife, Vicki Bowman. We had only just recently interviewed him, so hearing this news was doubly shocking. Htein Lin became was involved in the 1988 uprising in opposition to the military junta, and experienced guerilla warfare as a member of the revolutionary group, All Burma Students’ Democratic Front. While living in a reconnaissance camp along the Indian border, Htein Lin met an artist from Mandalay who became his mentor. Together they discussed art and painting techniques, and Htein Lin’s passion for art grew. Then in 1998, Htein Lin was arrested for nearly seven years when the letter of an old friend, a retired school teacher, was intercepted by the Tatmadaw. In prison, he continued to work as an artist, using objects found around the jail, such as pieces of glass, dismantled cigarette lighters, and syringes, etc. He even staged an art exhibition of this work for guards and prisoners. At one point, Htein Lin was transferred to Death Row. He and a poet friend were confined more than 23 hours per day with serious criminals, including at least two murderers. Yet his new neighbors offered up the one thing in their possession: their white, prison-issue sarongs as cloth upon which Htein Lin could continue to paint. Then just as suddenly, he was released.  After returning to civil society, Htein Lin became increasingly involved in artists’ discussion groups and experimental performance art. He met and married his wife, Vicki Bowman, the former British ambassador to Burma.  Together, they sought and found meaningful spiritual community in Dhamma Dipa, a vipassana meditation center in the tradition of SN Goenka. This led to further awakening and integration of his life and art: “If you are living in the present without reacting, without anger, and [if you] share in anything negative, sharing with loving-kindness and compassion in you, you become a very beautiful piece of art.” May his equanimity be of support to Htein Lin in his recent re-arrest.

Wading Through a Burmese Haze

Episode #119: Erin Murphy has been involved in Asia issues since 2001, and Myanmar, in particular, since 2008. She relates all this in her recently released book, Burmese Haze. She contrasts the somewhat distorted, emotionally charged view of Myanmar held by American policy-makers during the transition period with the harsh, even brutal military reality in Myanmar that was lurking just under the surface. Murphy recalls the sheer callousness of the military government’s refusal to accept humanitarian aid in the aftermath of the horrific and devastating Cyclone Nargis in 2008. Regarding sanctions, for some in the American government the push for sanctions against the Tatmadaw has become almost a moral crusade. However, Murphy explains that the effect of any sanctions imposed on the regime will not be that onerous if other countries do not follow suit. As for any role that China might play, Murphy states, “I think one word that summarizes [the relationship between Myanmar and China] is ‘complicated’.” When asked to speculate about the motivations of Aung San Suu Kyi, Murphy says that we may never know exactly what she was planning. She believes that The Lady has had to walk a fine line, balancing priorities, and no one really knows what her internal calculus was. As for the Rohingya, it is but one of many decades-long, ethnic wars waged by the Burmese junta.  Murphy says many in the international community should have seen it coming, but did nothing to stop it. Besides being an overall global failure, more recently it’s an instance of unfortunate timing, in which international attention got distracted by Myanmar’s nascent yet fragile democracy period. On a sobering but positive note, Murphy concludes by saying that none of the protests have been in vain. “These are lessons; I don't see them as failures. Did they succeed in getting a democracy? No. But did they succeed in getting their cause recognized by the world? People know about it. And that's important, laying the groundwork… What you do is you keep getting new generations of people interested and then they bring in their tools, and their thoughts and their experiences.”

Progressing Towards Victory

Episode #118: Kyar Phyu returns to the Insight Myanmar Podcast to update listeners on how eventful the past number of months have been, in particular regarding her association with the CDM. Her activities came to the notice of military intelligence, and Kyar Phyu was forced to flee, taking refuge in a safe house for eight months. During that entire time, she only ventured outside twice, both times out of necessity: first when she contracted COVID, and then when her safe house became compromised, and she had to move to another. Eventually, Kyar Phyu realized it would only be a matter of time until she was captured if she stayed put. Eventually, she went to Thailand, ultimately settling in Mae Sot. To maintain her mental balance amid all the stress and challenges, she took up ānāpāna meditation, following the instructions of pyit-pyet (ဖြစ်ပျက်), or the arising and passing away of breath from the nostrils. “It made me be more compassionate to myself,” she says. “It made me more peaceful, so I can accept anything that happens.” Though Kyar Phyu also admits that balancing Buddhist meditation with a concerted effort to defeat an evil enemy is no easy to task. While Kyar Phyu still sees CDM as essential to the cause, she recognizes that it could not be sustained, financially or otherwise; many had to leave hiding and return to the office due to financial hardships, while many other workers were either pressured to return to work or arrested and found themselves in jail. She asserts that the People’s Defense Forces are the most important component of the movement now, more than the NUG. She also calls attention to the emerging woman soldier divisions, and is in awe of the brave, young Burmese females who are putting their lives on the line. This is no small thing in traditional Burmese society, with its heavily circumscribed gender roles. Finally, she remains confident that the SAC is facing defeat. “We are winning, but still, we have to be more systematic and have stronger communication. But still I feel we are in very good situation now.”

Attack on a Meditation Center

Episode #117: “The army believed democratic fighters were hiding in my center, so they moved very aggressively. They entered my meditation center! They shouted, ‘Hey, I will kill you. I will kill you!’ Their soldiers knocked in the door of the female kūtis. Oh God, everyone is very scared. Very afraid. They are shooting; they are firing in the air. But when they came to the female Dhamma Hall, they saw the female yogis are practicing in the Dhamma Hall. So, they are very surprised and shocked, and they see that this is a meditation center, and see we are practicing. So, they calm down their anger.” The first portion of this interview contains a blow-by-blow narrative about the direct and personal experience of war, as experienced from the confines of a silent meditation retreat at Kyun Pin monastery, a meditation center in the tradition of Sayadaw U Pandita. Myanmar’s military bombarded two neighboring villages with mortars and rockets for two days, and at one point barged into the meditation center itself. Calmly and in great detail, Sayadaw U Jatila relates the screaming, the burning of houses for days on end, and the purposeful destruction of animals and basic necessities for daily life. He describes soldiers who have lost their minds due to alcohol and drugs, and ordered by higher military officials to engage in brutal acts against their own people. He then goes to discuss a wide range of matters. U Jatila feels strongly that people from all ethnic and religious backgrounds in Myanmar should enjoy basic human rights of freedom and safety. He calls out the military for using scare tactics to promote a nationalist Buddhist agenda that encourages anti-Islam sentiments. He also recounts his past meetings with Aung San Suu Kyi, and discusses what he learned about her meditation practice. Finally, he touches upon the very sensitive topic of armed resistance, discussing how Burmese democracy activists can resist the military.

Have Pity on the Working Man (Bonus Short)

Episode #116: On July 7th, the official account of the European Union in Myanmar posted a two-minute video urging factories in conflict-torn Myanmar to re-open, charging that the factory shutdowns had driven former employees to poverty and even prostitution. In response, many charged that the EU was trying to manipulate Burmese voices to advocate for a policy that would benefit themselves but goes against the aspirations of the democracy movement. Today’s guest, Maung Maung, currently president of the Confederation of Trade Unions in Myanmar (CTUM), addresses this video, as well as labor’s role in the current revolution and the overall conditions for Myanmar’s workers. While Maung Maung does not dispute an accusation in the video that the closed factories harm ordinary Burmese workers, he believes it is hurting the regime more, and that is the current priority. Maung Maung also found the video highly offensive because it is quite chauvinistic and insulting for Western powers to try and “educate” the Burmese people on the dangers of local young women turning to prostitution. To make matters worse, the junta has picked up on the video and has begun to promote it as a way to normalize their brutal regime, meaning that, in effect, the EU has managed to provide the Tatmadaw with a key piece of propaganda to boost their rule. Yet, as hard as things are now in the country, Maung Maung is hopeful for the future. “We are winning. We want people to not just think like well, ‘The military is going to win again.’ No, it is not!”

A Reign of Terror

Episode #115: Matthew Wells is a member of Amnesty International’s Crisis Response team specializing in human rights violations, and has spent years investigating the ongoing atrocities by the Tatmadaw.  One of the patterns that has come up repeatedly in their group’s study has been the Burmese military’s targeting of civilian communities rather than armed opponents. One particular Tatmadaw tactic that stands out to Wells is its reliance on airstrikes. Heavy bombardment is effectively traumatizing an entire population, and many Burmese are terrified whenever they hear a loud sound now, however distant. This is likely not unintentional, but rather part of a concerted effort to frighten the population into submission and create further instability. Recently, Wells’ group published a report documenting war crimes and displacement in eastern Myanmar. In some of these cases, villages were bombarded for days and nights without end, even though there were no lawful targets in the area. To make matters even worse, the military has launched assaults on IDP camps as well, so the people simply have nowhere to go now.  He describes soldiers having become little more than bands of marauders that rape, pillage, steal, and burn their way through the Burmese countryside. The military has been doing everything it can to limit news of its atrocities, shutting off electricity and internet access, and punishing journalists and others. In spite of these obstacles, Amnesty’s work in uncovering the true story has been nothing short of miraculous. Through their examination of satellite imagery and a confidential in-country network, they have managed to document the ongoing reign of terror. Still, Wells is not satisfied that their work is achieving its desired outcome because of a lack of international response. And he is even less hopeful about the damage being done to the country’s essential infrastructure: a collapsed economy, a decimated health care system, long-term food insecurity, and disrupted education. These structural problems are exacerbated by the real challenge of effectively getting humanitarian aid into the country. Wells calls on listeners to do what they can to continue to keep Myanmar in the news and hold their local representatives accountable. “It's on all of us to try to bring more attention to the situation here and to make sure that our governments wherever we are in the world are likewise putting priority on this.” He also encourages people to continue donating to nonprofits that are providing aid.

Supporting Myanmar through Engaged Buddhism

Episode #114: Growing up in the Bay Area, raised by parents who followed the Vietnamese meditation master Thich Nhat Hanh, Derek Pyle was no stranger to Buddhist theory and practice. While some Western practitioners separate their formal meditation practice from their experience of everyday life, Derek has always found value in integrating them, and has looked for inspiration from formal sitting practice to sutta study to undertaking projects as an Engaged Buddhist. One of his first projects was in 2017, when the Tatmadaw ramped up their aggression against the Rohingya. Derek reached out to Alan Senauke, and the they worked on a petition and fundraising campaign in support of the Rohingya. Beyond this, Derek has been looking for ways that local Saṅghas can engage in the world in accordance with their values. This is especially important regarding the present situation in Myanmar. “[Given] the incredible violence being perpetuated by the military in Myanmar, I think it would be really interesting for Buddhist communities… to be thinking about… ‘What are the different approaches we could take to really think about how we might be able to intervene in a way that actually reduces violence?‘” Citing Aric McBay’s Full Spectrum Resistance, Derek has come to believe that “resistance movements are more effective if there is an amount of armed resistance, but that can't be the main tactic used.” This exploration has led to even deeper soul-searching on his own part, in hopes of finding answers to difficult questions such as whether non-violence is actually a viable method of resisting oppression. Derek calls out not only Buddhist organizations in the West for not doing enough to support the Myanmar resistance, but more generally, liberal democracy. He asserts that while it may stake out principled positions in favor of progressive change in theory, it may be preventing meaningful change in practice. He takes particular issue with a stance of “neutrality” towards oppression and violence, noting that it often means—in reality—tacitly supporting the side that perpetuates injustice. Derek continues to support the Burmese people. “I find it heartbreaking and terrifying that this is a reality people have to live in, and also incredibly inspiring that people are so courageous, and creative and rambunctious in the midst of all of that. It's really powerful.”

Spring is Coming

Episode #113: “I often asked myself how people can really have the presence of mind to sit down and write amidst such extraordinarily difficult circumstances, to be able to reflect on the kinds of traumas that that they're experiencing.” So says Brian Haman, who, along with ko ko thett, is the co-editor of “Picking Off New Shoots Will Not Stop the Spring: Witness poems and essays from Burma/Myanmar (1988-2021),” the first published literary work to come out of Myanmar since the military coup. It is a stunning collection of poetry and prose, bringing profound and heart-wrenching perspectives from a variety of Burmese people impacted by the ongoing conflict. Many of their selections for the anthology unflinchingly present the harsh reality of that violence, fear, despair, loss, and grief.  What readers experience is a rawness of emotion and expression that overwhelms the many aspects of the coup and its aftermath that have been somewhat clinically reported on in the past year and a half in the mainstream media. Despite the extreme forms of violence being waged on innocent civilians, Brian was in awe of the power they displayed when they fought back with their voices. This was a force that the regime was equally aware of, and in fact anxious about, as they went to great lengths to go after those creative leaders whose art, music, poetry, or words were motivating the resistance movement. And even amid all the brutality and suffering, Brian still senses an underlying spirit that the Burmese people, that they believe they will eventually triumph. “For all the suffering and for all of the loss and trauma from the death and torture and things like that, nevertheless there is a spirit of optimism… [T]here is this kind of indomitable spring that that just doesn't seem to be able to be suppressed or repressed.”

Journey Into Chinland

Episode #112: Simon traces the arc of his Chin homeland’s history and politics from the mists of history to the present-day conflict. Chin State is the poorest part of Myanmar, which suffers from an lack of developed infrastructure. Due to the lack of available medical care, Simon decided the best way he could serve his community was by becoming a doctor. He explains how perhaps Chin State’s root problem now is poor access to education. There are just a small number of woefully supplied schools several days of walking away for many villagers.  And those fortunate enough to attend school often carry painful memories of the oppressive “Burmanization” of the curriculum, where Chin students were required to speak the Burmese language at school, and though largely Christian, were forced to memorize and recite Buddhist suttas.  Simon notes the enormous popular support for resisting the coup in Chin State after the military forcibly took power. Massive street protests erupted all over the province. Chin state also boasted the highest percentage of employees who joined CDM. The Tatmadaw responded with a swift and utter brutality that drove many Chin to ethnic camps to join the armed resistance. The Burmese military, in turn, responded with even more vicious ground attacks and airstrikes, which sent residents of entire towns fleeing on foot for their lives, many across the Indian border in Mizoram. “If we can wipe out, from the face of Myanmar, this military in the future, then all the Myanmar people will be joyful, peaceful and prosperous.”

Visual Rebellion

Episode #111: Emerging from under decades of harsh censorship, local journalism and investigative reporting made great strides in Myanmar during the democratic transition in the 2010s. But all that was wiped out in a single blow when the military grabbed power. They began revoking licenses, arresting journalists, and torturing and even killing some in prison, posing a real risk to anyone trying to document the current conflict, and forcing many to go underground. This is the backdrop to the formation of the media collective Visual Rebellion, a platform for Burmese photographers, filmmakers and artists to display their work as an act of resistance against the military government. Two of the collective’s members appear as guests on this episode. Laure, a French journalist based in Bangkok, had provided media trainings in Myanmar prior to the pandemic.  As the situation grew increasingly dire following the military coup, Laure reached out through her network to former participants from her trainings, and soon learned the difficulties they were operating under. This helped give rise to Visual Rebellion. Visual Rebellion team members currently reporting from Myanmar have all assumed code names for their safety, and attended cybersecurity training. Any material they are able to smuggle out of the country—often accomplished at enormous risk to their personal safety—is immediately posted and distributed by Laure and her colleagues. Next, Khant Pyae Kyaw discusses his role as a documentarian for the Visual Rebellion team. When the coup hit, Khant Pyae Kyaw was out on the streets covering the weeks of nonviolent demonstrations. But one day he witnessed the killing of his friend and other protesters, which shook him to his core. He has since faced other dangers in his reporting, including being accused of being a PDF soldier, and interrogated. Still, with the help of the resources that the Visual Rebellion team is providing, he persists in doing all he can to tell the story of what continues to happen in Myanmar.

Journey Into Renunciation

Episode #110: Ariya Baumann’s spiritual journey began far away from the tropical surroundings of the Golden Land. She grew in a small town in Switzerland, among the snowy Alps. Raised in a Christian home, she began to ask herself existential questions about God. As she began to investigate possible answers, she came across some writings on Buddhism, and was immediately intrigued by the promise of meditation. Ariya tried on her own for a while, but wanted to take a more formal retreat, so she took off on a trip around the world. In Thailand, she joined a course at Wat Suan Mokkh, and then several Tibetan retreats in India. Two years later, she fell in love with an Australian man, and ended up following him back to his country, where she learned about an upcoming visit from Chan Myay Yeiktha Sayadaw U Janaka, a teacher in the Mahasi tradition. U Janaka encouraged Ariya to slow down her movements, so as to be able to observe every moment of mental and physical action. She found the results “stunning.” She had found her way. It was 1992, and very hard for foreigners to get visas for extended periods in Myanmar, but U Janaka managed to get her a six-month visa. She decided to ordain temporarily as a nun. But as months stretched into years, Ariya stayed in robes. She was amazed by what she experienced. “With the meditation, mindfulness, and concentration, and looking carefully, just like becoming an electronic microscope, we see more and more deeply into the true nature of this body of physical processes.” Over time, she picked up the Burmese language, which eventually led to her role as translator for Chan Myay Myaing Sayadaw U Indaka. She moved from the Yangon branch to the Hmawbi monastery, where longer meditation retreats were held, and became the foreign manager, and eventually, a teacher there. Her teaching career only grew from here. Alongside Daw Viranani and Chan Myay Myaing Sayadaw, she began offering intensive mettā retreats in English. Before COVID, the course was so popular that yogis would fly from all over the world to attend, and it was usually filled just days after registration opened. Today, Ariya is heartbroken about the current coup. “My heart is bleeding, and I'm so sad about what is happening in Myanmar right now,” she says. But as the devastation from the conflict continue to wreak havoc in the country, Ariya comes back to how much gratitude she has for the priceless spiritual lessons she learned there. “The fact that in Burma, the practice of meditation is respected and understood as something very precious. This makes Burma so special!... I find many people who have come to Burma have felt the same.”

Working Class Hero

Episode #109: Stephen Campbell has spent the last twelve years studying labor movements in Myanmar and other Southeast Asian countries. Going back and forth across the history of the country’s labor movement, he describes something of a convoluted legacy of the role of labor in Myanmar, leading through the transition period and into the coup. 1988 was a watershed year for labor in Myanmar, according to Campbell. After being declared illegal in the 1962 coup, informal labor unions began to spring up, initiated by workers unhappy with the military regime. But when the new regime took over following the failure of the democratic revolution, many labor leaders soon found themselves behind bars. Small changes finally came under the Thein Sein administration in 2011, when workers were allowed to unionize legally. Then the following year, tripartite collective bargaining was permitted by workers. But those gains are diminished somewhat because Burmese laborers are more dependent than ever on their wages, due to large-scale military- and corporate-land grabs throughout much of the countryside, which stripped countless poor families of their homes—and for many, thus their livelihoods—without any legal recourse.  And overall, working conditions remained deplorable, with low pay, long hours, and unsafe conditions. Just six days after the military took power in 2021, 4,000 factory women, mostly young women, took to the streets in downtown Yangon. Campbell says that the organizing that took place in the initial days following the coup by labor was a template for the even larger, more general strikes that followed. Campbell sees much potential in the role of labor during the current revolution. He notes that if Burmese workers can develop greater solidarity, they would have the ability to shut the country down, a power that few other groups in the country can claim. And if they were able to do that, Campbell doesn’t see how the military would be able to fill their positions with replacement workers. Yet for that to happen, workers would need substantial outside support; many are living in dire economic conditions, and some compelled to return to their factory jobs to support their families.

Lives in the Balance

Episode #108: “You can you hear from how I speak that these days, I am very distracted and distressed by the development of the entire thing,” Han Htoo Khant Paing admits during this urgent and emotional interview. Han Htoo is the author of a recent The Diplomat article describing the four state executions that the Tatmadaw has ordered. In the context of the military’s terrible brutality and atrocities—abducting, raping, burning, and killing with impunity since the start of the coup in February, 2021—some may wonder about the significance of just four killings.  But Han Htoo believes they are very important and symbolic. Two of the condemned, Hla Myo Aung and Aung Thura Zaw, are accused of the murder of a schoolteacher they believed to be a military informer. The other two are very prominent names from the democracy movement over the past few decades. One, Ko Jimmy was a student leader back in 1988 as well as being one of the key organizers of the 2007 Saffron Revolution. The other is an important Burmese hip hop artist named Zayar Thaw, who was also an elected Member of Parliament. Moving to the wider international context, Han Htoo is unsure what larger bodies could—and would—do. He focuses his comments on ASEAN (The Association of Southeast Asian Nations), Han Htoo unfortunately doubts that ASEAN will exert its influence beyond pro forma actions. He explains, “What [ASEAN member states] are really concerned about is stability, and the regional security threat,” and the executions don't really fit into that calculus directly. However, Han Htoo believes that the executions will only instigate more resentment from the resistance, which could further escalate the conflict and generate increased instability. In closing, Han Htoo urges listeners to do whatever they can in sharing his article and this interview, and writing to one’s local elected officials. He reminds us that if enough pressure is put on the Tatmadaw, it may literally save lives. “Please do anything that you can to save the lives of four champions of democracy and human rights.”

The Power of Dialogue

Episode #107: Soeya Min first got his start in the travel industry, then switched to the entertainment field. When the pandemic struck, with a lot of free time on his hands, he started learning about psychology. All these endeavors led him to podcasts, and he started up his own, called Thoughts and Opinions, in which he talks with guests from a wide range of backgrounds. More than just looking to boost his own platform, Soeya Min is looking to helping elevate the entire local podcasting industry in Myanmar. The coup has helped him appreciate the value of psychology, which he now recognizes as critical to helping ameliorate the varying degrees of trauma that people have been going through. With a colleague, he opened his own mental health service platform, and now supports many who are in need. In Myanmar, however, this was no easy task because of the stigma carried by issues of “mental health.” Soeya Min feels that the entire country has been living through trauma since the coup, and has seen an acute rise in depression cases. Some of his recent clients have included defected soldiers, which provides a rare insight into the psychology of the Tatmadaw. Such work has required him to listen without judgment, hard as that may be, while realizing that what the soldiers really need is a type of re-parenting. Soeya Min’s understanding of psychology is influenced by his Buddhist meditation practice, and has been intrigued to realize how closely related the two actually are. While mainly self-taught as a practitioner, he has drawn on some techniques from the Mahasi tradition. These days, he has also found a focus on mettā particularly helpful, especially as a mental health professional dealing with clients who are going through terrible circumstances. As a mental health professional, Soeya Min is quite concerned with how long the Burmese people can keep going without any outside assistance. “All the Burmese people are asking for support,.. But when you have not received the same reaction or support [as Ukraine], people might turn cynical. That's what I'm afraid of, people get cynical and down. Then what to do?”

The Karenni Resistance

Episode #106: Like many of his Bamar colleagues, Khun Be Du and his Karenni community first attempted to resist the military coup through non-violent means as long as he could. When that could no longer be sustained, he banded together with friends to form a local defense force. Today, he is playing a leading role in the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF), while also serving as Deputy Minister for Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation for the National Unity Government (NUG). Tatmadaw incursions into Karenni state are not new. Khun Be Du recalls hearing about crackdowns following Ne Win’s 1962 coup, when they attempted to deprive ethnic forces of food, funding, intelligence, and recruits. Peace negotiations were finally achieved in the transition period, finally allowing much-needed development work to proceed. But the Tatmadaw has rekindled past horrors. They now station 3,500 soldiers in Karenni State and have strategically terrorized over 100 villages. “We have to fight it,” Khun Be Du says simply. He estimates that for every local fighter killed, the Burmese military loses 30 men. In the face of such untenable losses, the Tatmadaw has taken a different tack, using tanks, mortar and artillery fire against vulnerable populations, and targeting schools, hospitals, IDP camps and other civilian centers. Perhaps the Tatmadaw’s worst evil came on an otherwise holy date for the largely Christian Karenni: December 24th, 2021. Soldiers stopped vehicles and gathered passengers into a group, stole their valuables and then proceeded to torture and kill them, then burning the bodies. Given that the atrocities being perpetuated on a daily basis in Karenni state are equally as bad as the current Russian aggression in Ukraine, Khun Be Du is frustrated that the plight of his people isn’t gathering more international attention and support. He ponders, “I wonder how much we have to die so that the international community will take action.”

The Hope of R2P

Episode #105: The days turned dark in March 2020 when the Burmese military began attacking and killing nonviolent protesters. Soon after the crackdown, activists still courageous enough to take to the streets began holding signs that read: “We Need R2P.” R2P, or the Responsibility to Protect, is an international norm that the UN unanimously adopted in 2005, which purports to protect populations around the world from atrocity crimes, such as ethnic cleansing. However, R2P is not a legal doctrine, and so it can only be enforced when there is the political will to do so, and Scott feels it is most certainly needed now in Myanmar. But the international community has yet to act. This inaction has caused frustration among Burmese activists who have been calling for R2P for over a year now. Scott believes that criticism should not be directed at the R2P doctrine itself, but rather at those international bodies who refuse to respond. Scott thinks that the NUG has certainly “been specific in what particular tools of R2P they want the international community to employ, like with arms embargoes, with sanctions on oil and gas, and with depriving the military of the legitimacy that it craves on the international stage.” He also suggests taking a more nuanced view of R2P is more realistic as well as optimistic, where “boots on the ground intervention” is the only sign of effectiveness. He hopes that there can be a string of smaller successes that gradually develop into something larger. Still, Scott confesses he simply doesn’t know what more beyond the horrible things the Tatmadaw are already doing that would push international organizations to action. And he certainly wishes something would be done.  Scott points to the fact that the Burmese military has never been successfully prosecuted for any past crimes, and suggests this is one reason why they are acting now with such impunity. He admits that the wheels of justice move slowly… though perhaps far too slowly for those victims still being persecuted. “I completely recognize and empathize with the fact that so many of these questions are coming from a place of pure desperation and frustration with an international community that has done so little in response,” Scott concludes.  (Please note that this conversation was recorded in February, and events in Myanmar have changed since we spoke. Liam will be contributing an upcoming essay for the Insight Myanmar blog, and we will be scheduling another conversation later this year to further update the situation)

The Venerable Bhikkhu Bodhi Returns

Episode #104: The Myanmar military’s violent response to the democracy movement has caused angst among many devout Burmese Buddhists about how to defend themselves and their fundamental freedoms, while remaining true to their religion.  Many are faced with that line where the cold edge of sila (ethics) melts along the warm edge of lived experience.  Is sila black-and-white, or might there be more shades of grey? Bhikkhu Bodhi helps unpack this moral quandary in this follow-up discussion to our interview last year. Bhikkhu Bodhi acknowledges that the farther one’s own reality is from needing to make terrible, life-or-death choices, the easier it probably is to take an absolutist perspective on observing sila.  However, those situations now unfortunately symbolize the “real reality” that the people of Myanmar face on a daily basis.  What is compassionate guidance for those who do face such kinds of choices, who do have to act to save loved ones from the indiscriminate, murderous violence of the Tatmadaw, and restore basic safety and freedoms to their country? Bhikkhu Bodhi establishes two related frames of reference within which we can make reasonable choices.  The first is to know the intent of our mind.  It is not the action itself, but the intention that matters from a karmic perspective, and we should never kill out of hate.  The second is to be sure of the reasons behind our actions.  If we are not motivated by hatred of the enemy, but feel there is no other choice in order to save the lives of innocent people, it’s the very best we can do.  Bhikkhu Bodhi also reiterates that interestingly, in the suttas, the Buddha is never depicted as being faced with these kinds of moral dilemmas.  And he reminds us that this is the complex, modern, 21st century world we live in, not the 5th century BCE.  So he says that the appropriate teaching around these issues is perhaps not so “obvious.” 

A Delicate Balance

Episode #103: Kenton Clymer joins the podcast to speak about his book, A Delicate Relationship: The United States and Burma/Myanmar since 1945. In the waning days of World War II, Americans were primarily concerned with stopping the spread of Communism, especially after Mao’s revolution, which thrust neighboring Burma into an important geopolitical position. Initially, the US thought that U Nu, Burma’s first Prime Minister, was too Socialist-leaning, while Ne Win, the eventual dictator, was seen as an anti-Communist strongman. The 1950s were a challenging decade for the Burmese government. The country’s ethnic groups were suspicious of a powerful central government—with some like the Karen actively fighting against it—and the Chinese and Americans were engaged in geopolitical maneuvering in the north of the country. After Ne Win’s second coup in 1962, the primary concern on the American side was ensuring that Burma didn’t fall into the Soviet or Chinese camp as a result. For the next 26 years, the US looked on as civil liberties continued to erode, the economy collapsed, ethnic groups pushed for greater rights, scores of Indians were exiled, and the country became increasingly isolated and shut off from the rest of the world. Besides Communism, the only other real area of American government interest in Burma was the narcotics trade. As Ne Win was staunchly opposed to drugs, he accepted American support, including aircraft and intelligence sharing, to eradicate the poppy fields. However, it is uncertain how effective this collaboration was, and in fact human rights activists have even discovered that the Tatmadaw used the chemical sprays on human targets in the country’s ethnic regions. The perception of Burma, and the shape of US relations, changed irrevocably in 1988, with the violent crackdown on student protests and the nullification of the subsequent election. The anti-Communist prism through which the American government’s Burma policy had been viewed for decades changed to one of human rights; Aung San Suu Kyi was its figurehead.  Clymer addresses some important developments in recent Myanmar history up to the NLD’s electoral victory in 2015, when his book was published, and discusses what occurred since.  While he sees recurring cycles at play in the current situation, he also has reason for optimism. He feels that the current group of Gen-Z activists will not put up with oppressive military rule like in the past.

A Voice of Conscience

Episode #102: Ma Thida’s book, Prisoner of Conscience, details her remarkable and inspiring life journey! She was attending medical school when, in 1988, the military violently suppressed peaceful protesters. Soon, she found herself volunteering at local NLD offices that had formed in the wake of the unrest. In 1993 Ma Thida was arrested on a trumped up charge and given 20 years. Adjustment to prison life was not easy. She first found relief in the form of smuggled books, which she could only read secretly under a blanket. But over time, she turned to meditation. Transforming her prison cell into a meditation cell, she informed inmates and guards alike she would be practicing intensively for up to twenty hours per day. She worked with teachings from the Mahasi and Mogok traditions, and carried on a clandestine correspondence with Chan Myay Yeitha Sayadaw U Janaka. She mainly chose to practice Cittanupassana (contemplation of mind). And as might be expected in a prison, she focused in particular on the experience of dukkha (suffering). In the meantime and unbeknownst to her, Ma Thida’s arrest had turned into something of a cause célèbre abroad, attracting celebrity support, and even a visit from President Bill Clinton’s foreign emissary, Bill Richardson. Her case was also mentioned at the UN’s Fourth World Conference on Women held in 1995 in Beijing. Ma Thida was released in 1999, her prison sentence commuted. She did not involve herself further in politics, but has continued to followed the country’s momentous events, including the rise and fall of Aung San Suu Kyi. But as someone who was by Aung San Suu Kyi’s side during her initial rise to prominence, she expresses a concern that her status as an icon may have gone to her head, and also that she never truly understood the Tatmadaw. Today, many young Burmese activists have turned to her book to better understand their own path forward. For her part, Ma Thida, is impressed by how much this current generation seems to know, and how much and how fast they are able to learn. For this current generation of democracy activists, Ma Thida advises them to “focus on principle, not on person… [keep] an eye on the will of the majority of people, not just one person or yourself.”

Rick Hanson on Becoming An Ally

Episode #101: While our recent episodes have focused on the reality in Myanmar, this show explores the condition of allies outside the country who support the democracy movement. Although free from physical harm and living in basic safety, many find that they shoulder a heavy emotional burden by immersing themselves so deeply in the struggles and trauma experienced every day by the people of Myanmar, even if from afar. Rick Hanson is a mindfulness practitioner “interested in bringing a kind of Mahayana spirit of foregrounding and appreciation of notions of emptiness and sort of the unconditioned ground of all, combined with the rigor and the clarity, and the precision and the moral foundations that we find in Theravada Buddhism and in early Buddhism altogether.” He is a Senior Fellow at UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center and founding the Wellspring Institute for Neuroscience and Contemplative Wisdom, as well as a best-selling author, penning Buddha’s Brain among other important works. Rick suggests several good practices to become more grounded even in the most difficult of situations. First, there is mindfulness, which he describes as the “capacity to witness your experiences, rather than being completely consumed by them, completely swept along and hijacked by them.” He notes that the Buddha taught about the importance of balancing compassion with equanimity, and how strengthening the latter is able to build up the former. The second is a “feeling of heart,” which Rick characterizes as a sense of connection with other people, or perhaps any living being, or even nature. Third is in developing a more expansive physical perspective, such as gazing at the horizon or sky, which helps bring us into the present neurologically, and dissolves self-preoccupation. And, Rick advises us to be on guard against negative concepts that can easily become embedded in heart and mind.  For example, we can avoid becoming engulfed in the agony of the moment by recognizing the good that still exists in the world. Rick recommends as well that activists seek comradery among themselves, creating a community of mutual support, as well as to consciously imbue a sense of meaning and purpose into one’s efforts. He strongly urges activists to engage self-care, such as finding time to rest. “You can't do this stuff 24 hours a day. You need a break!”

Mratt Kyaw Thu

Episode #100: The past ten years of Myanmar’s history have certainly not been boring, and journalist Mratt Kyaw Thu has been there to chronicle a lot of it. Hailing from Rakhine state, Mratt made his way to Yangon in 2005, graduating from Dagon University and going into journalism soon after. He worked for Mizzima, where he ended up on the crime beat, and also began covering stories about the military’s snatching up bits of prime real estate throughout the country. Mratt then began filing a series of reports about the drug trade, tracing the routes that traffickers used to smuggle in methamphetamines from the Golden Triangle region.  He was based in Maungdaw where, on October 9, 2016, Muslim residents of the city staged an attack on the police. Mratt instantly realized the significance of the moment, and the events he personally witnessed would resonate around the world. Later, Mratt was informed by several sources that a second attack would be coming. He urgently warned authorities at every level, but his words went unheeded. Not long after, about thirty police stations were attacked. This violence in turn became the impetus for the displacement of over 90,000 Rohingyas. Mratt returned to Maungdaw with some journalist colleagues, but they were identified as outsiders by someone who gathered a mob to harass them.  The situation got dangerously tense, but eventually they managed to escape in a hired car. On the way out, Mratt saw entire Muslim villages burned to the ground. Mratt also discussed how his home region of Rakhine has been faring since the military coup. “Everyone's talking about Rakhine and the Arakan Army [AA], and why they don’t fight against the military.” Mratt notes. He explains that before the coup, many Bamar openly supported the Tatmadaw in their offensives against the AA. There are many complex negotiations taking place now.At present, Mratt is focused on telling the story of the ongoing conflict as best as he can—doing so from Spain, as being a journalist has become too personally dangerous in Myanmar since the coup. These days, Mratt has difficulty even seeing those Facebook memories that pop up automatically from previous years—they now seem filled with false optimism and fake news. “People learned a lot,” he says. “So I think those kinds of lessons learned will be something different in the future for my country and for my own people.”

Contrasting Ukraine & Myanmar

Episode #99: On February 1st, 2021, General Min Aung Hlaing orchestrated a military coup in Myanmar. On February 24th, 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin authorized missiles and airstrikes as the first blow in his invasion of Ukraine.  On today’s show, two very experienced and highly credentialed international relations experts compare and contrast these two crises: Hunter Marston, who speaks to the situation in Myanmar, and Emily Channell-Justice, who addresses the Russian invasion of Ukraine. As neither Ukraine nor Russia are signatories to the International Criminal Court, Emily notes that it is up to the ICC to pursue its own charges. In Myanmar, Hunter explains that it is unlikely that the junta will own up to its genocide charge; he adds that the NUG might possibly cooperate with any investigation. The guests note that neither Russia, Ukraine, nor Myanmar have signed on to the Rome Statue of the International Criminal Court, which defines genocide and other crimes against humanity. In terms of international organizations, Ukraine is neither a member of the European Union nor NATO, although both were immediately supportive following the Russian invasion. As for the situation in Myanmar, Hunter references the European dependence on Russian gas, saying, “I don't think any country is dependent on Myanmar's exports or its resources. But that hasn't stopped [ASEAN] from in part protecting the Myanmar military.” Another parallel between the two conflicts is the question of negotiations. Hunter feels the military does not intend to engage in any real, constructive dialog that brings with it the possibility of losing any of their power in future elections. For her part, Emily similarly sees little reason to trust any promises made by Putin. In terms of the international response to the respective conflicts, Emily points to the outpouring of support that has come in the way of popular support, funds, weapons, medical supplies, and more. This is, perhaps, the most jarring point of difference when contrasting the situations in the two countries. Hunter explains, “The international community, for better or worse, has not taken sides to support either the Myanmar military or the PDFs or the ethnic armed groups across the country.”

Liberation At All Costs

Episode #98: Linn Thant never expected to see another military coup in Myanmar. In 1988, he tried to put an end to military rule for good. But he failed; he was arrested, locked away, tortured for years and eventually sentenced to death. So Linn Thant did not expect to live much longer.  Linn Thant spent a total of twenty years in prison, eight of those on Death Row. He was beaten so badly that both his leg and collarbone were broken, and every tooth was knocked out. His meditation practice saved him, though, being the one thing that they could never take away.  He would awake early and meditate for hours in his cell, following the instructions he had learned in the Mahasi and Taungpulu traditions. Still, they tried; his prison guards beat him until he couldn’t stand if they saw him sitting cross-legged. And even when his body was too broken to endure more punishment, he would just pay close attention to his sense doors. There certainly was nothing good coming in, but he took everything as objects of contemplation, whether the sounds of a nearby inmate being tortured, or the taste of food so rotten and vile that even dogs wouldn’t touch it. But amazingly, through all the torture and abuse, Linn Thant says he has never harbored a single thought of ill will towards any of his tormenters. He even found gratitude for his death sentence, as it gave him a clear sense of impending death, which only sharpened his meditation. Linn Thant was released as part of a general amnesty in 2008. However, her soon realized that he still could not remain safely in his native country. He settled in the Czech Republic in 2011, and he has been there ever since. The National Unity Government has officially named him their European representative. As devoted as he is to his meditation practice, Linn Thant is not afraid to call out Buddhist monks who continue to emphasize the virtues of patience and pacifism to their followers, which carries an underlying message of accepting the brutal dictatorship.

Beth Upton

Episode #97: From deep meditative absorption with Pa Auk Sayadaw, to sitting in caves in southern Spain in the company of drug addicts and criminals, Beth Upton has led a most amazing spiritual life!  In 2008, Beth went to Pa Auk Monastery in Myanmar to take a deeper plunge into the spiritual life, and she remained there for five years.  She cultivated deep states of jhāna under his tutelage, and enhanced powers of perception.  Beth describes the peace and happiness of jhānic states in compelling terms.  She contrasts the fleeting happiness born of satisfying sense desire, with the deep blissfulness of jhānic states that develop with a mind of non-clinging.  In the Pa Auk system, one turns the deeply concentrated mind towards seeing beyond concepts, into the moment-by-moment change of materiality and mentality, which leads to some quite unusual experiences. After leaving Myanmar, Beth—still in robes—ended up living in a series of caves in southern Spain.  These caves “were inhabited by addicts and criminals. It's like the Gypsy suburb!”  But no one gave her any problems, and eventually some even approached her asking to be taught meditation.  After she disrobed in 2018, the transition to lay life was not completely smooth.  Around this time, she became involved in a non-sexual, but abusive relationship, which Beth opens up about in a vulnerable and honest way.  It was the most suffering she ever experienced, and at the time did not see how any of the skills she had learned on the cushion could help her.  She had spent so long practicing to dissolve concepts of self, that her “self” did not know how to respond when the abuser crossed the line. Eventually, she worked her way out of that challenging relationship, and in retrospect learned a lot. Now, both as a meditator and as a teacher, she is trying to integrate meditative skills with life skills, balancing a “soft inner, trusting core” with a “harder, protective, outer layer.” Pa Auk Sayadaw has encouraged her inclination to teach in the West, and told her to go with the flow and teach from her heart, which provides more flexibility.  In that spirit, she bases her teaching on the Pa Auk method, but tailors her instruction to individual meditators. 

Resistance and Transformation

Episode #96: Some listeners may recall Chit Tun’s first interview with Insight Myanmar, just weeks after the coup was launched. At that time, he was leading nonviolent protests throughout Yangon. He was hiding out at a monastery, his voice hoarse from the speeches he’d been giving, and the internet being cut in the middle of the talk. Shortly after that interview, Chit Tun escaped a manhunt by going on the run, ultimately finding refuge in Karen state. He spent the better part of the next year there in combat training, eventually being asked to take a leadership position.  It was a challenging year, too, both personally and for the movement. Looking back, Chit Tun realized that in the early days of the protests, his vision was narrow and local, focused mainly on the loss of freedom within his own community. But over time, he realized that he was not fighting merely for the rights of his own group, but for everyone living in the country… even those different to him. In particular, he thought about how the military manipulated Buddhism to divide the country. Chit Tun found he was resisting the coup to support democracy on one hand, yet concerned with Buddhism’s continuing ability to flourish in Myanmar on the other. Did he want Myanmar as a Buddhist state that provided overt support to monasteries and pagodas, or a federalist country founded on principles of equality and democracy? This concern generated a deeper scrutiny into his own faith, exposing previously unquestioned assumptions that he harbored about his religion’s superiority. His internal conflict was not over what the historical Buddha taught, but in how people in powerful positions in Burmese society were interpreting and manipulating those teachings. Where his own interest in Buddhism stemmed from being a better person in the world, he found that it was being used by a select group of generals, crony businessmen, and monks as a means of increasing their own power, wealth and prestige, while creating divisions amongst other groups. Ultimately, he came to realize that Buddhism can survive in any free society without state support, as it only needs the pure hearts of the practitioner in order to thrive.

Education: The Passport to the Future

Episode #95: Nelson Mandela famously said, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” Conversely, one of the best ways to prevent change within a society is to limit access, censure what is taught and stifle creative thought. And the military leadership in Myanmar have been doing just this for generations. Saw Tar fills in as guest host in this episode about the role of education in Burmese society. The educational system of a country is charged with instilling knowledge and values in its younger generation, so it is a helpful lens to use when trying to understand the present shape of a society. Saw Tar examines how the failures of the school system have contributed to many of the ongoing problems we see today in Myanmar. He first speaks to Terence Htoo. Terrence spent half his schooling in Myanmar and the other half in the United States, so is able to contrast the two systems of education. Moreover, Terence is ethnic Karen, so his perspective on the Burmanization policies of the government is especially valuable. Anne, an 18-year old, currently attends an international school in Yangon. Very few Burmese are able to attend these more privileged institutions, but she fortunately was able to get a scholarship. Anne gives some insight into the curriculum and culture at these schools, and how they differ from the country’s public schools.

Pride and Prejudice

Episode #94: Pyae Phyo Kyaw, a gay doctor, is simultaneously helping his countrymen while taking a sledgehammer to the barriers that have long defined Burmese society. Pyae Phyo Kyaw was aware of his sexual orientation from a young age, and the lack of acceptance grew heavy. He attempted suicide several times, until he finally found a way to let go of his inner shame. He was determined to come out, which he did after he had obtained his medical degree. After the military coup was launched in February 2021, Pyae Phyo Kyaw was touched to see members of the LGBT community marching alongside everyone else in the streets in the nonviolent protests. He also began to detect a kind of sea change in attitudes taking place before his eyes among the online community in Myanmar, particularly on Facebook, and was further amazed when the NUG appointed an openly gay minister. Pyae Phyo Kyaw and his partner chose to leave their employment at a Mandalay hospital to help those in the thick of the conflict zone, settling on an area in Karenni state, where they established a mobile medical tent. Since then, they have treated villagers who have lost limbs to landmines, and seen others die from treatable diseases because they simply couldn’t get the proper medicine. Combined with what that population has had to so long endure, it strengthens Pyae Phyo Kyaw’s commitment to help build a more equitable society in Myanmar. Beyond acting as a bridge between two different cultures, the couple is also making a profound impact on Burmese society as well, having become something of online celebrities. Pyae Phyo Kyaw is quite aware of how their service and sacrifice are breaking down social and cultural barriers for perhaps the first time in that country’s history.

Alan Senauke, Engaged Buddhist

Episode #93: In the aftermath of student strikes in 1968, Alan left Columbia University and moved to Berkeley, California. There, he found himself amid a whirlwind of social unrest: the counter-culture movement, anti-war protests, experimentation with mind-altering chemicals, and increasingly violent crackdowns by the police. Eventually Alan came across Philip Kapleau’s book, The Three Pillars of Zen, and was immediately intrigued. Zen was not completely unfamiliar to Alan. Coming from New York, he was personally familiar with several Beat writers and their flirtations with Zen. But in Kapleau, found something much more substantial. This led to Alan’s first engagement with Buddhist practice, and he eventually took up the meditation of Sōtō Zen, “a practice that is quite receptive and fluid.” As Alan was refining his life as a practitioner, he also started reflecting on the connection between spirituality and broader social and political issues.  This led to Alan’s evolving into an “Engaged Buddhist,” through which he viewed the eradication of suffering as applying both to individuals as well as communities. Alan also became increasingly interested in Myanmar. Observing the constrictions that had been placed on the monkhood under a military dictatorship for so many years does not leave him feeling optimistic about the future of Buddhism there.  Neither has the lack of involvement by the Sangha in the democratic movement gone unnoticed by Generation Z protesters, who are now sacrificing everything for their country’s freedom.  One of the unintended consequences of the coup is that, however it ultimately sorts out, the future of Buddhism in Myanmar is uncertain.  Alan’s perspective on the Burmese resistance is quite relevant, given his own involvement as a Buddhist practitioner in “street politics” during the turbulent 1970s in the US. While he came to the conclusion that personally supporting violence would ultimately not be effective, he acknowledges that 2022 Myanmar is not 1968 California, and doubts that a strict adherence to nonviolence alone would be effective in Myanmar’s case. Engaged Buddhist action stands in stark contrast to the widespread spiritual bypass that seems to characterize a large segment of the Western meditator community. Alan has also observed this, commenting that it occurs “often in an individual context where people allow their practice to just cover for the work that they need to be doing on themselves… The spiritual bypass is putting on blinders so that you really can't see what's in front of you.”

The Language of Freedom

Episode #92: Most people would not regard a violent military coup as the best time to start an organization, but that's exactly what Katie Craig and her partners did! Katie has worked with minority language communities around Myanmar for years, which gives her unique insight into the historical, cultural, and political challenges that such communities face. Given the Burmanization policies of the government, this has been no easy task. One of the biggest battlegrounds has been the mandated use of Burmese in all public schools, which often goes hand-in-hand with the prohibition of ethnic language use in the classroom. Katie emphasizes that language is more than simply a way of speaking, it’s also a way of being in the world, and a major factor in identity. She views language diversity as an opportunity for learning, and stresses that her organization is not trying to challenge the supremacy of the Burmese language within the country, but to try to ensure that its instruction does not wipe out indigenous languages. Katie speaks passionately of the trauma that befalls a community when it loses its language, or when it is subject to oppression at the hands of the language majority community. Katie describes another layer of complexity regarding the language situation in Myanmar. Each of the standard, generalized ethnic language categories, such as “Kachin” or “Chin,” actually contains a variety of dialects. Identity is often rooted in temporary political or survival needs. And to make things more complicated still, some language minority communities still do not have their own formalized script, and might alternately use either Burmese or Roman characters depending on the context, and based on preferences in identity and alignment. To help address these complex issues, Katie co-founded Myanmar Indigenous Community Partners (MICP). Part of their work involves assisting peoples within Myanmar who have no written form of language to create one. The work of MICP helps language minority groups not only preserve their language, but also their culture and identity along with it.  

This Woman’s Work

Episode #91: “I think Tatmadaw is a place where soldiers and their families have lost their human rights,” Su Thit asserts. Her bold criticism of Myanmar's military is somewhat unusual because her husband was one of the several hundred thousand soldiers employed by the Tatmadaw.  The couple had enjoyed beginning their adult lives in a transitioning democracy. In a free society, the military would have its rightful place in society, and so at first, they did not need to choose sides between the Tatmadaw and the country’s evolving democratic reforms. But that all changed the moment the coup was launched. Su Thit and Htet Myat committed early on to joining the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM). They had to endure great risk and discomfort to get to safety. Their life now is a challenge:  without any belongings, having lost many friends, and unable to see family, they live under challenging conditions; on some days, she doesn't even have enough water. And yet, they are not just focused on trying to get by, but doing everything they can to encourage more soldiers and their families to leave their posts. Su Thit set up an organization called “Spouses of People’s Soldiers,” which supports military wives in encouraging their husbands to defect, and help them establish a life outside the Tatmadaw. The second is to provide opportunities for those who have decided to defect, as they begin to build a new life. Su Thit has been able to receive enough donations support 50 families! Su Thit’s organization is run and supported almost entirely by Burmese in-country, and she admits to being slightly perplexed—and feeling isolated—by the lack of support she has received from foreigners, especially those who have long lived and worked in Myanmar, many of whom she had counted as friends. This is another important reason that our platform is so committed to bringing her story to listeners around the world. “Our revolution is close to victory,” Su Thit assures us. With increased defections, “the military can have all the guns in the world, but if there are no soldiers left to use them, we win.”

Looking Within A Burmese Nunnery

Episode #90: Like so many other spiritual seekers from the West, Kim Shelton and her husband were attracted to Myanmar by the opportunities that the country presents for developing a deeper Buddhist practice. Kim’s experience there inspired her to create a feature-length documentary, One Thousand Mothers, which examined life in a Buddhist nunnery in the Sagaing Hills. Kim learned that many girls became nuns due to poverty, conflict, or difficult family circumstances, and so the decision to ordain is not necessarily because of spiritual yearning. The young nuns in the film honestly and insightfully discuss both the value of the renunciate’s life, and the alluring attractions of the mundane world. One scene depicts a girl who has left the nunnery, and returns for a dialog with her nun friends, wearing make-up, earrings, etc. The camera captures the fascinating conversation that ensues about the relative merits of lay versus worldly life.  The film does not shy away from the more challenging life that Myanmar’s nuns have in contrast to monks. One scene about alms round depicts monks receiving hot spoons-full of cooked rice and nuns getting only small pinches of dry rice. Kim was delighted when the Abbess herself accepted the invitation to be interviewed. She had never been on camera before, and the experience was memorable for everyone involved.  In one of the movie’s more memorable scenes, the Abbess admitted that the presence of the film crew was a disruption to the discipline and education they try to instill in the nuns, yet affirmed that it would all be worthwhile in the end if the film enabled foreigners to learn more about the Buddha’s teachings. One Thousand Mothers provides viewers with a unique opportunity to see the inner workings of a living Buddhist nunnery. The end result is that the nun’s life in Myanmar is authentically portrayed, without falling into the trap of Western exotification, and the nuns interviewed on screen are extremely forthcoming, providing a glimpse into the very minds of these renunciates.

Depicting a Golden Kingdom

Episode #89: When films examine a subject in detail, it’s sometimes described as a “meditation on…” that particular theme. Golden Kingdom, a 2015 film by Brian Perkins, fits this expression in more ways than one. Brian himself is a dedicated meditator, which affected the artistic choices he made as director.  For example, Brian and his crew slept in the monastery for the duration of the shoot, and he spent every morning meditating before he started filming. This meditative approach also gave him the space to linger on certain shots, encouraging a patience on the part of the viewer. Golden Kingdom tells the story of four Buddhist novices in Shan State, whose Sayadaw is called away on urgent business, leaving them alone in a remote monastery. The plot then takes a dark turn when conflict breaks out, and survival becomes the central issue. But the story arc is not the typical, linear/logical structure of Western narratives; the workings of karma are acknowledged, and Burmese folk elements begin to blend into reality, along with a childlike perspective that creeps in as a way to shape the audience’s understanding of what is taking place. The genesis of the film is a story in itself. Brian had visited Myanmar some years previously as a backpacker, and stumbled on that monastery. The setting inspired a movie full-blown in his head.  However, turning his dream into a reality was anything but easy. In making his preparations to return, Brian found himself on a government blacklist.  But he eventually found a way in, with just a one-week visa, and his crew had to disassemble and smuggle in much of the operating equipment.  It was a long hike from the nearest town, and everything had to be hauled in on bamboo poles, including generators because the remote monastery didn’t have electricity. Once the film was completed, the digital files were copied on hard disks, and smuggled out by  friends unaffiliated with the movie. Meanwhile, one of his translators tried to extort him, and Brian had overstayed his visa, so had to pay a “fixer” to be able to exit the country. Still, he feels it was all easily worth it in the end.

From Burma With Love

Episode #88: Kenneth Wong, a Burmese language instructor at UC Berkeley, has spent a lifetime studying the history of Burmese films, and is one of the organizers of the Burma Spring Benefit Film Festival.  He grew up in Yangon half a century ago and remembers the formulaic, romantic comedies that the Burmese movie industry churned out each year, escapist films that rarely touched on relevant social issues.  There were also Bollywood movies and American blockbusters that attracted massively audiences.  “I have a feeling that there were a lot of people who, if they had been given the chance to make films, they could have made really great films that were on par with foreign films, but they just weren't able to,” he remarks sadly. Everything changed with the democratic transition of the last decade, when films no longer had to pass the scrutiny of the all-powerful Censor Board. It was like a finger removed from the dike, an artistic explosion where artists could now express themselves without fear of punishment. While independent films started to take off in that more open artistic climate, Kenneth was especially impressed by the growth of locally made documentaries, which began to take on issues of social justice, ethnic minority rights, and LBGTQ issues. “Those are the sort of things that previously you couldn't even talk about openly in teashops,” he notes. And what about the stars who contributed their talents to that period of artistic blooming? While a handful have openly sided with the military and others have only attended a few rallies briefly in order to take selfies that promote their brands, others have made incredible sacrifices. Examples include Hta Hta Thet, a former beauty queen who has since joined a People’s Defense Force team, or Paing Takhon, a movie star and model who was recently sentenced to three years for his activism.

Revisiting the Burma Spring

Episode #87: For her first post-coup documentary, Padauk: Myanmar Spring, Jeanne Hallacy’s team employed a technique called “in-depth personal storytelling,” and the results were simply stunning.  It allows the viewer a much more intimate look into how the movement—and the ensuing crackdown—developed. Padauk is one of many films featured in the Burma Spring Benefit Film Festival, a virtual streaming event with all proceeds going to humanitarian projects across Myanmar. Jeanne describes her work as rooted in the ethos of non-violence, but she also admits she is in no position to judge the move to armed resistance, noting the past 70 years of internal conflict and civil war in the country, along with the more recent outright theft of the government on the part of the military. She also heaps much praise on local journalists who are risking everything to continue to share the truth of the military’s aggressions to the world, especially those operating in ethnic regions. She describes one such local media outfit which had its offices raided by soldiers, who had to run away to avoid arrest and are now continuing their reporting from deep underground. Jeanne sees a cause for optimism in spite of everything, noting a unity she had not witnessed in all her years visiting the country. In one of the film’s more powerful scenes, an ethnic Bamar woman expresses her guilt and regret at not doing more to understand the suffering of the country’s ethnic minority communities before the coup. Her confession is symbolic of a much broader reckoning taking place within the Bamar majority. One of Jeanne’s quotes sums up the silver lining inside the country’s present, very dark cloud. “For the first time ever, I see a much-heightened awareness among the urban sectors of young people, And not just young people, but middle-aged people, civil servants…  [T]hey are now willing to take the hands of their ethnic sisters and brothers, Rohingya sisters and brothers, and say, ‘We are one. We are united we are together, and we will end this military rule together.’ That's what's different.”

Portrait of an Activist

Episode #86: Little T’s ongoing nightmare started, as it did for so many Burmese people, with the violent coup launched last year by the military. Soon, the first peaceful mass protests hit the streets. Besides organizing some of the protests, the cadre of protesters Little T was involved with also helped in other important ways, such as releasing statements in both Burmese and English for various media outlets, encouraging people to join the protests through social media, and establishing safe houses. The peaceful mass protests continued for several weeks, and were gradually gaining steam when the military chose to crack down, violently. Little T was shocked that the soldiers responded with live ammunition, not rubber bullets; protesters went scattering in all directions, running for their lives, taking cover or shelter wherever it could be found. With the streets becoming so dangerous, and homes providing little safety, Little T’s group has had to continue to adjust as the conflict has escalated. Many of her team having fled or gone into hiding, and the support work they can do has branched out in several ways: supporting undercover journalists, taking care of the families of “fallen heroes,” helping at IDP (Internally Displaced Persons) camps, and aiding government workers who have joined the Civil Disobedience Movement. These tense situation, constant danger and frequent moves have been very challenging for Little T’s physical and mental health. At one point, soldiers raided an apartment right above the one she was staying in. It hit her that every phone conversation she had with her parents could turn out to be the last. “But then I asked myself the question,” she recalls, “‘Who asked you to join this movement?’” And she realized she had because it was the right thing to do. So she is willing to try and persevere.

The Fabric of Change: Feminism, Art, and Revolution

Episode #85: When Chuu Wai Nyein was just eighteen years old, she was with her sister at a Mandalay teashop. As they were leaving, a man sexually assaulted her sister. The event deeply traumatized them, and Chuu was horrified to learn this was not an uncommon occurrence for women in Myanmar, and the typical response was equally troubling: basically, if something happens, just stay quiet about it.  Chuu decided she would work to address the relative powerlessness of women in Burmese culture. She eventually found her voice through painting. When the coup first happened, it was still relatively safe for people to assemble in non-violent gatherings outside. Chuu’s artistic skills were put to good use at demonstrations making signs that became very popular, even catching the eye of foreign journalists and observers. Long lines would form as protestors waited for her to make their personal signs. She transformed her studio apartment into a kind of warehouse, and began selling artwork on her Facebook page, with all funds going to support the Civil Disobedience Movement. But one day, the military chose to respond to a peaceful protest with force, and their crackdown sent Chuu and all her friends literally running for their lives. Moreover, it was clear that she urgently needed to empty her apartment of all protest-related material. This was tense and very dangerous work, with soldiers camped out on nearly every corner. Fortunately, she and her friends managed to clear out all the artwork just in time, as only a few days later, a dozen soldiers appeared at her door.  Following this close call, Chuu realized that she could do more for the democracy movement by relocating to a place of safety, where she could speak freely. So she decided to go to France. The transition there was not easy, but Chuu adapted. She connected with some galleries, and also developed her own kind of performance art to highlight the coup, giving performances in front of the Louvre and Montmatre. Her work has been featured both in Time and on BBC. But her heart remains with the Burmese people. From afar, she appreciates her home country as never before. She is already looking beyond what she regards as an eventual victory, towards the new Myanmar she hopes to see, one which will bring female empowerment into the Burmese cultural mainstream. 

Sitagu Sayadaw, The Coup, and Burmese Buddhism

Episode #84: “My own feelings would be that it would be good for Sitagu Sayadaw to leave the country and then speak out [against the military]. If he speaks out now, he would probably be arrested immediately.” Thus says Bhikkhu Cintita to preface his take on the controversies now swirling around Myanmar’s most famous living monk, whose words and deeds since the coup have caused so much angst among the Burmese people.  A long-time American scholar monk, he comes across as honest, open, nuanced, empathetic and even-keeled, and to a degree that is quite remarkable. Bhikkhu Cintita describes Sitagu Sayadaw as a kind of “Renaissance Man,” known in Myanmar as the “monk who gets things done.”  There is no denying the enormous number of good works Sitagu has accomplished over the years, and his dedication to continuing to support both Dhamma projects and humanitarian missions across the country. Still, this record is mixed with a series of confounding incidents over the past few years, and coupled with his more controversial actions since the coup, many Burmese have interpreted his behavior as tacit support of the military. This has given rise to the extremely unusual situation of the laity publicly calling out this senior monk who was once so revered.  Bhikkhu Cintita picks his way through this minefield with honesty, openness, and skillful discernment. Having spent several years working on a biography of Sitagu, Bhikkhu Cintita provides context where he finds it lacking in the public discourse, and traces the arc of Sitagu’s political entanglement with the generals. In some cases, he frankly expresses astonishment at, and outright disappointment in, his preceptor.  In other cases, he talks about how Sitagu’s actions might have been misconstrued by those who haven’t followed him as closely.  In yet others, he describes a mix of the two.  Even in those cases where he feels Sitagu’s actions or words might have been misunderstood, or their context not sufficiently taken into account, Bhikkhu Cintita empathetically acknowledges how and why the Burmese people have become so disappointed and angry, and how people might not be so interested in these nuances explain why this or that particular thing was said or done.

The Revolution’s Roving Eye

Episode #83: Moe, a photojournalist, has long chronicled the inhumane injustices that the Tatmadaw had committed in his country. From the jade mines of Kachin to the Rohingya camps in Rakhine, he had seen first-hand how ruthless and evil the regime could be. His first fame came in the form of pictures he took of Aung San Suu Kyi after she had been released from house arrest, and was starting to campaign in 2012. He later exposed the horrible conditions at the lucrative jade mines region of Kachin state. After that, Moe began reporting on the unfolding Rohyinga situation.  In his reporting, Moe managed something that very few journalists had been able to do for the Bamar people, in that challenging and complex situation: humanize the Rohingya. When the February coup hit, Moe was faced with a somewhat unique decision: whether to document events as an objective reporter, or join in the resistance as an activist. He chose to be a journalist, and started taking pictures that very afternoon. He tried to trained himself to “just focus in my viewfinder and try to capture what's happening in the best way possible of the atrocities. But there were times where I couldn't make it. It was too intense and I couldn’t keep shooting.” Moe’s archive of work was recently recognized by the prestigious Bayeux War Correspondents in Paris, who awarded him first prize for his photojournalism. Ironically, he had to accept the award anonymously for security reasons, preventing him from receiving well-deserved, widespread recognition (at least for now) for his high achievements in the field he has devoted his life to. And while he could have decided to remain in the safety and security of France, he chose to return to Myanmar to continue his work to document the country’s continuing revolution so that the world may see. He believes that the Burmese people will soon be triumphant, and he wants to be there to take their pictures when they are! 

Artists Against Tyranny (Part 2)

Episode #82: The situation in Myanmar continues to be intolerable. Day by day innocent civilians are being killed, maimed, starved, and forced from their homes, and the military continues their campaign of terror. The need for financial support is a dire one, in so many ways. The Artists Against Tyranny auction was held to support the Burmese people in this time of great need.  Using art to combat tyranny might feel somewhat dissonant. But art in whatever form is essentially communication that expresses the human condition. It is through art that Burmese rappers, painters, poets, graffiti artists, video editors, and others have expressed their opposition to the junta, and inspired their compatriots to continue their march to ultimate victory. It is through art that the true horror and carnage of the military's reign of terror can be conveyed to people all over the world. A New York City art gallery graciously donated its space for free to showcase revolutionary art from Myanmar artists, in order to highlight the plight of the Myanmar people. And virtually, artists from around the world have united through their art to fight against dictatorship, oppression, terror, and tyranny. Some pieces on display today are biting, while others are hauntingly beautiful…but all of it is inspiring. Please take time to see what on display, listen to artists speak of their work, and maybe buy an exquisite piece for a good cause. The more money raised, the more lives saved, and the sooner the military's campaign of death and destruction will end.

Artists Against Tyranny (Part 1)

Episode #81: As many already know, the situation in Myanmar continues to be intolerable. Day by day innocent civilians are being killed, maimed, starved, and forced from their homes, and the military continues their campaign of terror. The need for financial support is a dire one, in so many ways.  And towards this end, the Art Against Tyranny auction is being held.  This supportive and hopefully inspiring event will be held over two days: the 11th and 12th of this month (Eastern US time), or 12th and 13th for those in Asia. Using art to combat tyranny might feel somewhat dissonant. But art in whatever form is essentially communication that expresses the human condition. It is through art that Burmese rappers, painters, poets, graffiti artists, video editors, and others have expressed their opposition to the junta, and inspired their compatriots to continue their march to ultimate victory. It is through art that the true horror and carnage of the military's reign of terror can be conveyed to people all over the world. A New York City art gallery has graciously donated its space for free to showcase revolutionary art from Myanmar artists, in order to highlight the plight of the Myanmar people. And virtually, artists from around the world have united through their art to fight against dictatorship, oppression, terror, and tyranny. Some pieces on display today are biting, while others are hauntingly beautiful…but all of it is inspiring. Please take time to see what on display, listen to artists speak of their work, and maybe buy an exquisite piece for a good cause. The more money raised, the more lives saved, and the sooner the military's campaign of death and destruction will end.

The Story of Magway

Episode #80: “It's really sad that our young people had dreams, but after the military coup, every dream of theirs has been destroyed.” So starts the interview with May, who tells us why she became a revolutionary, and updates us on how the Magway Division has fare since the coup. May had been studying in New Zealand, and had only just returned to Myanmar when the coup hit. Like many, she was unsure how to respond at first, but faced with a real-life struggle against evil, she committed herself to activism, delving into fundraising work. Because her father was so concerned for her safety, May had to keep her activities secret and stay in safe locations away from home in order to carry out her work.  Her level of involvement has carried with it a serious mental and emotional burden, and May turned to a combination Buddhist meditation and a practice of “positive psychology.” She observes the mental content in her mind, and tries to give less food to those negative emotions and thoughts, which has the result of making her “relaxed and focused on the the right things.” May then waxes poetic about her home region, the Magway Division, which is famous for its ancient pagodas, and a common pilgrimage destination for devout Buddhists. But sadly, the military has instigated repeated, targeted assaults in and around Magway, which have resulted in thousands of newly Internally Displaced Peoples (IDPs). May has added this issue to her mission portfolio, and is desperately trying to locate funds to support them. Compounding this even further is that the conflict has prevented farmers from tending to their crops, increasing dangers of a looming starvation. May clearly more than has her hands full! In closing, she has just one message for listeners. “To end the military regime, we have to stand together and fight back…If not, we will never, ever decrease their evil. So please become involved in this revolution.”

Bart Was Not Here

Episode #79: Imagine a conversation that ranges from The Life of Brian to the modern Burmese Sangha, from The Godfather to trashy Burmese style romance movies, from the Beatles to Ashin Wirathu… and lots more in between. That was our discussion with that artist, Bart Was Not Here.  Bart employs an unpredictable blend of classical influences with modern, often Western pop influences in support of his main underlying theme: social commentary on contemporary Burmese society. Bart’s primary artistic inspirations specialized in “worldbuilding”—the creation of a unique world, with all the elements of that world, believable—and that is his own creative motivation. As one might imagine, the present situation has deeply affected Bart, both as a Burmese citizen, and an artist, and he has used his artistic talent to support the movement. His works this year are strong, artistic statements on his feelings about the current situation. Perhaps surprisingly, though, Bart did not intend any of these pieces as “political statements,” per se. He views this artwork as a kind of diary about the protest movement. One of his most well-received recent works is a rendition of a photograph of a military truck being attacked and bursting into flames. For Bart, like for so many Burmese, this moment was the first time that the bully who had been terrorizing them had finally been finally punched in the nose. Staying true to his artistic inspirations, Bart continues to temper his driving home of powerful messages with a sideswipe of parody or satire. Hs explains that humor exposes the generals not as karmically-endowed divine leaders, but rather poorly-educated, deteriorating old men.

Dave Leduc: A champion stands with the people

Episode #78: Dave LeDuc loves all things Myanmar. But maybe more than anything, Dave loves stepping into a fighting pit without gloves or shoes, and giving well-placed head butts that knock an opponent cold! Dave is Myanmar’s first— and only— foreign champion of Lethwei, a traditional martial arts boxing practice that dates back centuries. Dave became interested in mixed martial arts and trained in a variety of forms. He eventually went to Thailand, and began looking for fighting opportunities. He landed a controversial bout through the Department of Corrections, who invited Dave into a Thai maximum security prison to spar with a convicted felon. The stakes were high: if the criminal beat Dave, he would be released from prison. But Dave won, and is currently in talks about a movie being made about that encounter. That bout was also the springboard for him to enter Myanmar and learn Lethwei.  From the moment he arrived in Myanmar in 2016, he knew he had found a home. His first opponent was the then-undefeated Lethwei champion, Too Too, and after beating him became a cultural phenomenon in Myanmar. He even got the very painful Lethwei tattoos, a rite of passage in the sport. Now living in Turkey, Dave was, like so many, horrified when the coup broke in February. He knew that refusing to stay silent would close off any potential business he hopes to build in Myanmar, along with ensuring that he won’t personally be able to visit for the foreseeable future. And yet he has chosen to speak out, highlighting the struggles of the democracy movement in light of the naked aggression faced by the Burmese military. He closes with, “Keep fighting, stay strong! You're not alone. There's a lot of love from around the world.”

Revolution as Art

Episode #77: This is the fifth show in the “Love Letters to Myanmar” series, focusing on the role of artists in the democracy movement. It is part of an ongoing conversation about the role of art in the democracy movement, with several past and future shows continuing this exploration. At the present moment, the Burmese people are in the middle of a life-or-death struggle against an organized military that is attacking, shooting, bombing, raping, abducting, torturing, and killing their friends and family every day for the past year, and with no end in sight. Artists are now in the forefront of that movement, which insists upon basic human rights, dignity, and freedom. Far from just being a luxury to pursue when times are safe, artistic inspiration is essential in this struggle! The first guest is music producer, Aye Win. He recently assembled a dozen hip hop artists from across the country for an album, Rap Against Junta’s “Dickcouncil,” to call out the military while helping the people keep their spirits up during these difficult times. Next up is May, a poet and writer. She has also been drawing dozens of portraits of people around the world, with proceeds going entirely to her organization’s fundraising mission to help people within the Civil Disobedience Movement. The final guest is Alex. He is an Australian living in Montreal who, with a friend, designed a mural depicting the country and showing his support for the democracy movement, with a central tribute to Angel, a young woman who was tragically killed early on in Mandalay. It is our hope that this episode educates listeners about more of the great art being produced in resistance to the Tatmadaw and their cruelty.

The Side Effect of a Revolution

Episode #76: Burmese artists are rightly gaining global recognition for their courage and bravery, standing up for freedom of expression against a murderous regime. While this is somewhat of a new phenomenon for the younger generation of Burmese artists, Darko has been at the intersection of protest and music for some time, as the lead singer of the Indie band "Side Effect." Darko grew up under the prior military regime, when one could be arrested for simply expressing oneself, and so has been well-trained in the art of hiding meaning and keeping a low profile. He feels disappointed that younger musicians don’t appreciate how hard he and his generation of artists had to struggle against the limits of censorship. Yet in spite of that, Darko continues to support their creative expression not only by his 20 years of ground-breaking artistic work, but also through creating platforms and opportunities for younger artists to get their voices out. Aside from music, Darko’s other passion in life has been spirituality and meditation, but he’s not a traditional Burmese Buddhist, especially after he looked into growing anti-Rohingya activity. He visited the camps, and was stunned at what he saw. He was overcome by guilt, and heartbroken to see how the Rohingya were being treated. This experience led to his song “Meiktila”, named after the city where terrible anti-Muslim violence had recently occurred. Because Burmese Buddhists started referencing the Buddha in order to justify violence against Muslims, he began to question everything about how organized religion was manipulating— and perhaps even perverting— the Buddha’s teachings. Ironically, moving away from traditional Buddhism is what allowed Darko’s nascent meditation practice to really take off. He became fascinated with “brainwave entrainment,” which explores how brain waves can be synced with auditory or visual stimuli. He doesn’t have a proper meditation teacher, but finds inspiration in Alan Watts, as well as the Satguru philosophy. Essentially, his practice can be boiled down to simply observing the mind without judgment. However, the military’s brutal behavior has challenged his non-judgmental observation of unfolding reality, to put it lightly. 

David Eubank, A Man of Faith and Action Fights for Burma

Episode #75: David Eubank didn't know that a single moment on a jungle path in 1997 would prove to be so eventful for not only his own life, but an entire nation as well. Living in Thailand at the time, David was growing distressed hearing about a Burmese military operation that was displacing over half a million people. So loading up four backpacks with medicine, he decided to travel the border to see if he could find anyone who needed help. One thing led to another, and that trip ultimately give birth to the Free Burma Rangers (FBR). In this episode’s wide-ranging interview, David goes into his background of 25 years living and supporting those many ethnic communities, sharing what he’s learned from the different groups, the various hardships they’ve faced, and even the strange and exotic foods he’s sampled.  As a Christian, David’s faith in a higher power has been a major factor in his work. To this day, his faith animates all of his humanitarian work. “That's the heart of why I do it,” he says. Even in these most difficult of times, he draws on the reservoir of his faith; in spite of his first-hand knowledge of 25 years of Tatmadaw cruelty, he still tries to love his enemy. Still, this does not mean allowing entire populations to be victimized without recourse, and David acknowledges that self-defense, whether on an individual or communal level, is a basic human right everywhere in the world Compounding the Myanmar military’s brutal tactics used has been the almost total lack of response or engagement by any international actor, a fact which has surprised and greatly distressed David, especially given the extent of the unfolding humanitarian disaster and Myanmar’s geopolitical importance. He believes there is so much good that other nations and foreign entities could still do now, if only they chose to. 

Courage Under Fire

Episode #74: Just a short window of five minutes might have saved the life of Dr. Troy…but he doesn’t feel good about it. In a country where just practicing medicine can now be cause for arrest, Troy is a part of a network of underground doctors who tend to patients in secret, often using rudimentary equipment in undisclosed locations. Earlier this year, he was on his way to relieve another doctor, but was delayed in traffic. During those few moments, soldiers stormed in and arrested his colleague. That doctor is still in prison, a fact which weighs heavily on Dr. Troy to this day. In order to increase capacity, doctors have begun to train Burmese civilians in secret to perform some basic medical interventions if a doctor is not able to come quickly. This arose out of the tragedy that occurred during the siege of Hlaing Thaya. Even though doctors had prepared for the violence, military roadblocks prevented the injured from getting out—or doctors from getting in—and so many the wounded succumbed to otherwise treatable injuries. Compounding matters today is the Third Wave of the COVID pandemic. Because the military is preventing the importation of oxygen concentrators, and the black market cost of oxygen canisters have skyrocketed, the situation is dire. To deal with the enormous stress and mental trauma, Troy has tried to fall back on his Mogok meditation practice, but he has been unable to string together even a few moments of mindfulness. But his practice has helped him to understand his mind more, even during these challenging moments. As a Buddhist practitioner, he tries to send metta to his aggressors, acknowledging how they must still be suffering through this. No matter what they are doing on the outside, he feels that internally they must be haunted by their evil actions. For Troy, his own path is clear as he continues on in his work. “We are not going to give up now, or ever, until we we achieve or we achieve the true democracy of our country.”

How to Stop an Innovative Start-Up

Episode #73: One night in March, Hla Hla and her husband, Yan Min Aung, were on the rooftop of their condo as part of a neighborhood watch group, where ordinary citizens banded together to protect themselves—not from common criminals, but from those supposedly charged with protecting them. That evening, the police arrived to take down some barricades, and she took out her cell phone to film them.  They saw the light of her camera, and started shooting. That experience and others caused Hla Hla and her family to flee the country. Choosing to leave Myanmar represented not only the end of a life and community in their home country, but also the realization that the innovative company they had started there, a fun, augmented-reality learning app known as 360ED, would be severely impacted as well. Hla Hla had combined her professional backgrounds in tech and education to create a service that could bring learning opportunities to those marginalized groups often left on the sidelines. And as they knew that many of those who would need the service most wouldn’t necessarily have reliable or inexpensive internet, much of the app can function even when offline. After nine years of product development, they launched in Silicon Valley in 2016, but moved operations to Myanmar as part of the “re-pat” movement, in which exiled Burmese settled back in the country during the stable and optimistic 2010s transition period.  And, it was remarkable that they chose to establish their company, essentially bringing one of the world’s most innovative and cutting-edge technological learning tools to a country that had only recently gotten on-line at all. In other words, when the coup broke, 360ED was well on its way to becoming Myanmar’s first true tech start-up success story! Of course, all this came to a crashing halt in February. Their team members began to go into hiding, and with the educational system in complete disarray, it became apparent that collaborating with school administrators would not be possible. While many outside observers have been following the daily terror and pervasive human rights violations that are now sadly commonplace in Myanmar, stories like these often slip through the cracks, and thus, the extent of the damage and disruption being unleashed by the Tatmadaw is not fully known. In the case of Hla Hla and Yan Min, this meant not only trauma in their personal life, but at least the temporary end of their technological and educational dream in Myanmar as well. 

Resiliency in the Face of Terror

Episode #72: “Myanmar people are very resilient,” Meredith Bunn says at the start of the conversation.“They have the older generation who lived through so much already. And very luckily, in a way, those people have explained to them, ‘Well, this is what we used to have to do. Let's do this again.’” As much as Meredith has witnessed countless examples of the Burmese people’s courage, she still encounters scenes evoking a horror that is hard to describe. From children so hungry they are literally eating dirt, to young girls mysteriously disappearing, to the military deliberating sending COVID-infected patients into high population areas to intentionally spread the pandemic, to depriving oxygen for infected patients literally suffocating with the illness. It doesn’t end. As someone so deeply connected to a country and a people enduring this suffering, she is clear on who she holds responsible. “I don't hate the Tatmadaw. I don't hate everyone in it. I hate Min Aung Hlaing…I hate the puppets that he has inside.” And while she understands that not every soldier is courageous enough to defect or refuse commands, many are engaging in acts of deliberate cruelty for which there is simply no excuse. While Meredith appreciates any foreigner who has decided to stand with the Burmese people, she has also found herself uncomfortable when those living in safety have arrogantly opined on what Burmese activists should or should not be doing to respond to the carnage there, made even worse if they have not researched the situation and show little interest in listening empathetically to better understand the context. She is equally concerned by what she characterizes as “voyeurism,” beyond just opinionated judgments. With all this, Meredith certainly has her hands full, but her mind and her heart are clear, and the Burmese people are fortunate to have such a person on their side.

Keeping the Faith

Episode #71: The minute that the military took over on February 1st, Hassan was under no illusions as to what was in store. “I never believed we could win without non-violence, because I know [the military],” he said.  Hassan’s answer was interrupted by a cough.  He recently contracted COVID, and was only beginning to recover at the time of this interview. But while much of the population had no way to escape the oppression and terror that awaited them, Hassan did.  He had grown up wealthy, and at the time of the coup was operating a string of successful businesses. “If you have money, you can build a good relationship between you and military.” This was certainly true for his family, who developed close ties with senior military leaders. It might come as a surprise that Hassan’s family, being Muslim, could be on good terms with the Burmese military, by now globally famous for its Islamophobia and Rohingya atrocities. However, Hassan, says, “The military, they have no religion! Trust me, they have only money and power.” Hassan has been helping people throughout the country, venturing into the deepest slums as well as the remote countryside. He has used his own personal funds to support thousands of CDM workers as well as PDF fighters, and begun to fundraise from foreign friends abroad to expand his work. For safety, he works alone, which often makes even the travel to those remote areas challenging enough, besides the dangers inherent in his work. Hassan believes the only way the Burmese people can ultimately win is by an influx of foreign support, including arms and military training. But he acknowledges the likelihood of this is low. And without it, the Burmese people have only their determination and endurance, and as long as they can maintain it, a sense of unity. In a country that has long been divided by ethnicity, region, and religion, Hassan now feels “there is no separation.” Download here.

Towards a More Just Society

Episode #70: Marlar has spent years researching gender studies, women’s rights, and violence against women in Burmese society. She notes that besides Myanmar being a patriarchal culture, there is the Burmese Buddhist belief of “pon,”which refers to the good karma inherently bestowed upon men. Due to pon, Marlar is prevented from meditating in certain places in Shwedagon Pagoda, which led her as a girl to wonder if even the lowest male thief has more merit than she or any other woman does in Burma. Marlar acknowledges that her critique of the ways in which Burmese women are marginalized flies in the face over a century of writings that in fact claim the opposite. Colonial British literature highlighted the greater freedoms they observed among Burmese women than in societies in other colonial lands. And more recently, several notable Burmese female writers, such as Ma Thanegi and Mi Mi Khaing, have made similar claims, pushing a theory of agency and independence for Burmese women. But Marlar claims they are writing from a place of privilege that is more indicative of their own circumstances, and at the expense of understanding the lived reality of the vast majority of other women across the country. Marlar notes that more recently, technology and the Internet have connected the Burmese people to the rest of the world, allowing the #MeToo movement to take off in Myanmar. In her view, any potential solution needs to be holistic, bringing together family, community, and culture to end this destructive cycle. She has worked with both community organizations and legislators prior to the coup on a watershed law punishing violence against women, but it was not passed, and she feels that part of the reason was that the Rohingya crisis monopolized the NLD’s attention. She also places blame squarely on Aung San Suu Kyi for not being a real feminist leader. On the sensitive topic of rape, Marlar explains that one of the main reasons it goes underreported is out of shame. However in Myanmar, there not only is shame for the woman, but also the male relatives, who feel emasculated for failing to properly protect them. This is why rape is a favored tactic of the Tatmadaw, as it undermines the pride and morale of the men they are fighting. As challenging as Marlar’s struggle for gender rights have been, nothing compares to the current state since the coup was launched, which she calls a total “nightmare in which basic human rights have disappeared. 

The Third Wave

Episode #69: In Myanmar, of course the coup has been an on-going nightmare since February, and more recently there has been a sharp, Delta-driven Covid spike that the military leadership not only can’t control, but seems driven to exacerbate. People there have started referring to the double crises as “Coupvid”, a term which accurately reflects the obstacles the Burmese people face in just being able to survive day-to-day in these challenging times. In this episode, our three guests discuss what daily life has been like during Coupvid, the possible long-term impacts of this trauma on the population, and what we can do from our own places of safety to show solidarity and support. Alyson and Sandra are medical students living in the US. They are Chinese-Burmese members of the Myanmar diaspora, experiencing Coupvid from two directions: worried about family still in Myanmar and as workers in the medical community. Both young women have been advocating on behalf of striking healthcare workers in Myanmar since February, supporting fundraisers to get critical supplies, and expressing solidarity when the Tatmadaw started targeting and arresting healthcare workers. “Michaela”, using an alias for extra security, is currently living in Yangon. She and her roommate contracted COVID-19 in July, shortly after friends notified them that they had tested positive. Michaela shares her personal story of surviving COVID-19 and nursing her roommate back to health at the same time, as well as the fear and uncertainty that she and many others face when making decisions with limited information, and no access to healthcare. Download here.

You Can’t Go Home Again

Episode #68: The ending line of Jessica Mudditt’s book, Our Home In Myanmar, puts a startling cap on her account of her life in Yangon in the 2010s. She writes, “Myanmar’s sudden returned to a dictatorship means that I have inadvertently written a history book.” This is the subject of the current episode, which charts Jessica’s hard-won attempts to live in Myanmar during the last decade. Jessica was primarily motivated to come to Myanmar to witness and report on the 2015 election, arriving a full three years in advance in order to be better positioned to understand that historic event. The Burmese people’s jubilation over those election results of course ended with a crash in 2021.  Jessica has struggled to understand the extremes of humanity that are found in Myanmar. “I've never understood how you can have these two types of people in one geographic area,” she says. “You have these uncouth brutes who have no humanity. And then you have some of the most gentle people in the world....” Of all the ongoing tragedies now facing Myanmar, the one that particularly grabs at her heart is the wholesale destruction of the journalism field. She bore witness to the tentative growth of an entire field as state censorship eased. It was exciting to see young Burmese reporters and photographers exploring what was becoming possible… and yet now this has all been crushed, with so many journalists on the run, imprisoned, or killed. Still, Jessica reflects on the situation with optimism. “I believe that the people will get there in the end, because they are so determined… The alternative is to live a life of total darkness…I've heard people say, ‘Let's clear the decks of the NLD as well. Let's start again, build from the bottom, and a society that's inclusive, and we can avoid some of the mistakes of the past.’”

Fight the Power

Episode #67: There are several images that will forever be searedd into the mind of the Burmese hip hop artist known as 882021; pictures and videos that he will never be able to unsee, like soldiers charging at protesters, or thugs dressed in monks’ robes cracking car windows with crowbars. 882021 references these grim scenes not only in his music, but also in the artwork in his music videos. He is one of many artists using their creative gifts to resist the military coup in Myanmar. By choosing to be so bold in his lyrics, his life is at risk, and so he quite literally made a new name for himself—actually, a number. The six digits he now identifies himself as represent both the dates of the 1988 revolution and the current resistance movement, and the digits that make up the hexadecimal number for the web color of dried blood—a color he has unfortunately become all-too-familiar with in real life since the February coup. 882021 learned Mahasi meditation during his days as a monk. But as valuable as he finds the Buddha’s teachings, he prioritizes freedom of expression in a traditional, conservative society where religious mores often guide artistic output. “I feel everything should be able to be criticized,” he says. “And that includes a religion as well. Personally, I'm a Buddhist myself, but I don't believe in taking extreme measures censoring art.” He is firmly in the tradition of political rap and hip hop that speaks truth to power. In his opinion, rap is the perfect medium for expressing resistance at this current moment. As he says, “Hip hop has always had a political history. And in my opinion, it is the best type of music to express these struggles that we're having with oppression.”

Dr. Sasa on the COVID crisis in Myanmar

Episode #66: From the moment you begin looking into the spread of the Delta variant of the coronavirus pandemic in Myanmar, the numbers are simply staggering. Some projections suggest half of the population might be infected within two weeks, and there is now the risk that the country will become a super-spreader Covid state that fuels outbreaks across the region, with a full one-third of the world’s population live in nations bordering Myanmar. This approaching, apocalyptic nightmare is the subject of today’s episode, which features Dr. Sasa. The former Special Envoy to United Nations, Dr. Sasa currently serves as the Union Minister of International Cooperation and Spokesperson of the National Unity Government of Myanmar. Dr. Sasa is pleading with the United Nations Security Council to issue what he calls a “COVID ceasefire.” He believes that the only hope at this point is for the international community to finally step up. While the Burmese have been left largely to fend for themselves with almost no outside support for half a year, Dr. Sasa notes that two things no person can manufacture on their own are essential to combatting this virus: oxygen and vaccinations. “The international community is the only answer.” Meanwhile, the military is not stopping its assault on their own people even as the pandemic reaches epic proportions. Doctors have been in hiding since February, and soldiers have been singling them out for arrest, torture, and even assassination. Somehow, in spite of all this needless death and destruction, Dr. Sasa still sees some hope in the form of the vast majority of Burmese valiantly still resisting this military coup. He references the famous slogan used to describe the ultimate sacrifice given by Allied soldiers in World War II, “We gave our todays for your tomorrow.” He notes, “The people of Myanmar are sacrificing their life for the future of tomorrow. So that is the reason why we have hope… And our unity is our strength.” Download here.

The Taste of Dhamma

Episode #65: This is the fourth episode in our ongoing series, “Love Letters to Myanmar.” Today’s show welcomes three foreigners who share how Myanmar has influenced and supported their spiritual path, and the depth of gratitude they have for the country and people. The first guest is Venerable Canda, a Buddhist nun from England. When she was 19 years old, she visited India, where she attended a ten-day vipassana meditation course in the tradition of S.N. Goenka. The experience was so profound that she “knew that the path would be my whole life.” Indeed, ten years later she ordained as a nun north of Yangon under The Phyu Taw Ya Sayadaw, renowned for his deep samādhi prowess and strong sila. Reflecting now on everything she received in her spiritual life from Burmese teachers and the wider monastic and lay community, Venerable Canda feels that now is very much the time to give back. The next guest is Bhikkhu Rahula, a Mexican monk whose first vipassana course was in Japan, also in the tradition of S. N. Goenka, and it was similarly a life-changing experience. Traveling on to Myanmar, he practiced in a variety of traditions, often while ordaining temporarily as a monk. Besides his meditative practice, he devoted himself to studying pariyatti under some of the most renowned academic monks, which brought an even further benefit to his practice. Bhante Rahula brings a Buddhist perspective to his understanding of the current crisis, commenting, “The first thing we must do is become responsible of our own greed, aversion and ignorance. That's the first thing we should do because it's still alive in our hearts.” Finally, we hear a talk recorded with Breno Liberato in January 2020. Breno also got his first taste of dhamma through a Goenka course, and was moved to travel to Myanmar to further his spiritual development.  He speaks joyously about his plans to visit various monasteries and meditation centers. He felt particularly called to try the mettā course of Chan Myay Myaing, and then learn cittanupassana from Sayadaw U Tejaniya. One hears the deep appreciation of a visitor who has benefited from his association, however brief, with the Burmese people and country.

From Academic to Activist On the Run

Episode #64: Han was pursuing degrees at the University of Economics in Yangon and Oxford University in England, he never imagined that one day he would be fleeing for his life to the jungles of Karen State. While many of his friends were enjoying the benefits of the liberalization and reforms of the 2010s, Han was growing increasingly worried that the transition was not going far enough. When the coup happened, Han responded immediately by co-founding the Burma Spring Front for Federal Democracy, an activist group dedicated to reestablishing democracy in Myanmar. He played an important role in organizing some of the country’s largest protests in February and March. As expected, Han and his fellow activists soon became targeted by the military. Han was one of the lucky ones who managed to escape, relocating to a safe house on the very day that soldiers searched his street. He eventually fled to Karen state, where he lived for two months under the protection of the Karen National Union (KNU) with other protesters who had escaped for their lives. Eventually however, the Tatmadaw began running air raids over the camp and nearby villages, prompting Han to flee once again and look for safety. In addition to this harrowing story, our discussion covers a wide range of topics, many concerning the events that took place in the 2010s. Han was deeply disappointed not only by the Rohingya crisis, but also by the indifferent and even defensive response to what was unfolding from his Bamar friends. He feels that so many were enjoying their new-found opportunities for greater material rewards, that they ceased to cherish the value of hard-won, basic freedoms, leading to a misuse of freedom of speech and religious intolerance.

A Lifetime of Advocacy

Episode #63: Michael Haack’s lifelong advocacy for Myanmar had a fortuitous start. With a growing interest in the divestment movement, he took advantage of an opportunity to take alternative winter break during his university years on the Thai-Myanmar border.  While there, local people told him that they wanted foreign companies to stop doing business with the governing junta. Back at school, he aligned himself with a Free Burma coalition, and with a few other students managed to develop a successful campaign to stop multi-national companies from operating in the country. Since then, the Burmese country and people would have a special place in his heart. Michael’s several-decade career supporting various causes and campaigns, and current position as Campaign Manager at The Campaign for a New Myanmar, are the fodder for this episode’s wide-ranging discussion. The conversation starts by examining the role of the garment factory workers in the present resistance movement, and then spoke about railway workers staying home as part of the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM), and the importance of rail lines running at less than full capacity. Finally, Michael mentions a recent interview he conducted with Dr. Sasa, the present government leader-in-exile, and in profiling him, found his story so incredible that he thought it could be “sold to Hollywood.” Michael names two other factors that inform a more complete understanding of Myanmar’s current crisis. First is the complicating nature of the Rohingya crisis. And second, in contrast to previous protests of 1988 and 2007, people are no longer fighting for something they never had, but rather fighting for something they don’t want to lose. On this latter point, Michael uses it to push back at criticisms by more liberal colleagues in the West that the coup basically proves that “there never was a transition” to a free society in the 2010s. While it may be true that the liberalization did not go as far as some might have hoped, but “to say that there was no transition is to literally just rob huge swaths of Myanmar society…of their lived experience, their agency, and their understanding of what had happened over the last 10 years.” Download here.

A History of Violence

Episode #62: Lynn wants to know if anyone can suggest something that hasn’t already been tried. In contrast to many other protesters whose political consciousness was raised only after the coup, Lynn’s own professional and personal background in seeking peaceful solutions to his country’s problems goes back much further than the current moment. Before the coup, he worked directly on the peace process for years, attempting to bring different stakeholders to the table. But following the military coup and the military’s aggressive crackdown, everything changed for him. As Lynn says, “A lot of us decided that the same manner of language must be used to make [the military] understand, because the only language that they were using was violence.” Reaching this sad conclusion, he decided to join a training camp hosted by one of the armed ethnic groups, where for the first time in his life he learned such skills as handling firearms and explosives.  Lynn estimates that hundreds of thousands of Burmese have secretly received such training. Armed with their new skills, many returned back to the cities and tried to join up with the People’s Defense Force (PDF) or Special Task Force (STF). However, they were unable to do so, partly due to a general sense of distrust within the opposition movement, and continuing disagreement about what role, if any, violence should play in the movement. This left those newly-trained citizens with basically just one option to use their new skills: forming their own regional groups to begin operations. Abandoning his lifelong pacifist values was not easy, and Lynn still struggles with his new role and the use of violence even as a last resort, which he hopes will be a temporary tool to use in coordination with other activities, and to be abandoned once freedom is attained. Download here.

Bhikkhu Bodhi on the Crisis in Myanmar

Episode #61: How can a dedicated meditator maintain the five precepts when encountering armed soldiers with orders to abduct, rape, torture, or even kill? How should devoted lay supporters of the Saṅgha respond when much of their own monkhood remains silent even as their country is burning around them? What is the best way that practitioners outside of Myanmar can support the protest movement at this time? These are just a few of the moral quandaries put to the Venerable Bhikkhu Bodhi, in an interview which he later admitted was “one of the toughest I’ve ever had.” Many of the questions were sent in by Burmese Buddhist listeners, and concern real-life—and sometimes life-and-death—challenges, in the context of the military’s on-going terror campaign.  They are questions from people desperately seeking spiritual answers that in many cases their own monkhood has unfortunately not been providing. Towards this end, Bhikkhu Bodhi emphasizes that his words “should be viewed as my personal opinions, and not authoritative dicta coming down from the high seat of authority, but my opinions, the way to resolve these very difficult ethical dilemmas.”  He advocates adapting the spirit rather than the letter of the teachings to help us navigate our way through these serious challenges now facing Myanmar. The discussion is wide-ranging. Other topics range from the way Buddhist monks can engage with this crisis skillfully and in accordance with the Vinaya, to how Buddhist communities can best protect themselves against the terror state while understanding the immutable laws of karma, to the Rohingya crisis and issues surrounding the integration of Burmese Muslims into society.  None of these have easy answers. This makes Venerable Bhikkhu Bodhi’s willingness to wade into this morass all the more remarkable, at a time when many Buddhist leaders, especially those whose lineages trace back to Burma, carry on their teaching schedules while carefully avoiding these difficult questions. We thank Bhikkhu Bodhi for his moral courage in engaging on these difficult matters, and for the sensitivity and value of his words of wisdom.

The View From France

Episode #60: In more normal times, Thiri Nandar would look for a way to balance her love of music with a spiritual practice.  But the challenges of this current crisis make it impossible to either enjoy her music, or pursue her meditation practice.  Instead, she is an active member of La Communauté Birmane (CBF), where she works tirelessly to fundraise to support the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM), as well as providing food and medicine to impoverished communities. In France, her home away from home, she unsuccessfully tries to raise people’s awareness of the terrible situation in Myanmar, but most do not see the relevance of events taking place so far away to their own lives.  And even then, it is hard enough discerning what the actual “news” really is. Independent journalism in Myanmar has been outlawed, with many reporters arrested or in hiding, so she is left to sift through military-sponsored fake news on one side, and the false hopes regularly shared by protesters on the other. Thiri Nandar also has grave concerns with how the military is coopting Buddhism to keep themselves in power at all costs. This has had an especially disastrous impact on the younger generation, many of whom are now rejecting the Buddha’s teachings entirely, unable to separate them from the junta’s perversions. She is grateful that she was not raised to be a “traditional” Buddhist who faithfully participated in ceremonies and practices but with little understanding, instead benefitting from a personal monastic tutor who encouraged her to question every part of the teachings, while teaching her an ānāpāna meditation practice.

Courage in Chinland

Episode #59: Today we are joined by Mark, a Chin from the Zomi tribe. For Mark and his fellow Chin Christians, the military coup represents not only a loss of basic political freedoms, but also a loss of religious freedom. Before the recent democratic reforms, freedom of worship was by no means guaranteed; the Burmese military would routinely visit Chin communities to destroy crosses and churches. For the Chins, a return to military rule represents a return to days when their faith could not be practiced openly. Perhaps this is one of the reasons why the first known act of armed resistance since the February 1st coup was launched by Chins in Kalay. Mark describes the Chins’ independent spirit: they fought with the Allies against the Japanese in World War II, and against the British before that during the Colonial period.  As a result, they enjoyed an usual degree of autonomy during that period. Even today, every Chin household has home-made flintlock “Tumee” rifle. That weapon was used to ward off the British and is also a mainstay for hunting. That same hunter spirit has motivated many Chin to resist the Burmese military, although Mark has his concerns: the tumee is only able to fire off a single bullet once every few minutes, rendering it ineffective against a Burmese force with military-grade automatic weapons. The Tatmadaw has exerted particularly brutal pressure on the Chin people, most notably in Mindat, where their city-wide assault resulted in 90% of the residents fleeing into the jungle. Mark shares a call he received from a contact there who said, “I don't know who these soldiers are! They are like crazy, or high with something. They are not like humans, they are very cruel.”

Whatever It Takes

Episode #58: Thaw Htet is juggling a lot these days: a donation platform, running two free medical clinics, and supplying defense teams. On top of this, he’s also created two anti-military Facebook pages that have gone viral in the Burmese online community. What is all the more remarkable is that Thaw Htet was once barely able to even take care of himself, as he survived two suicide attempts and a later fear that he had contracted HIV. The latter led him to begin a serious meditation practice, which provided real insight. He notes: “I was holding too much onto myself, like onto my body, and on the privileges and happiness that I gained from doing something. Because all those are temporary.” Thaw Htet draws equal inspiration from both the Buddha as he does Stephen R. Covey, author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Combining this no-nonsense American business advice with the Buddha’s teachings on mindfulness and ethics have certainly given him a broad palate to draw on when deciding on his plan of action since the coup. And yet, Thaw Htet does not see himself as belonging to an organized religion. “I prefer to identify or define myself as a person, who will take any kind of good ways of teaching from any kind of religions.” Interestingly, Thaw Htet did not always hold such a progressive attitude, and vulnerably recalls the superiority with which he once held Buddhism—a view that was encouraged and reinforced by the military regime. For him, now is very much the time to strike out towards a new future. “For the first time in Myanmar history, all of us are united. Like Kayin, Kachin, like all the ethnic groups! We are talking to each other right now,” he comments. Like many other Burmese, Thaw Htet is particularly troubled by military spies infiltrating local communities. He notes that the presence of spies in Thilon village brought about a full-blown siege of the small community, causing the 3,000 inhabitants to flee into the forest. This news was especially distressing to meditators, as this is the home of Thilon monastery, the site where the 19th century meditation master, Thilon Sayadaw, became one of the forerunners of the mindfulness movement, creating the lineage that was eventually handed down to Mahasi Sayadaw.

Act with Courage, Pray with Faith

Episode #57: Doh Say’s life work has been leading to this moment.  He became involved with the Free Burma Rangers through his longtime friendship with David Eubank, the founder of the group. The Rangers are a humanitarian service group dedicated to supporting the country’ ethnic minorities in their long-running struggle against the depredations and brutality of the military.  Doh Say has spent over 20 years training leaders of the country’s various ethnic groups in this work.  Today, however, his training camps are filling up not with representatives from the neighboring tribes, as is usual, but with Bamar youths arriving from the cities, who have decided to willingly face danger and discomfort in order to learn the skills necessary to support the undoing of the military terror organization. Doh Say has grown spiritually through his relationship with the Free Burma Rangers, noting that previously, “I didn’t really know God and Jesus.”  Developing a deeper faith in God eventually challenged him to move beyond his comfort zone. He admits that certain missions terrified him from the outset, given the danger and hardship he would endure, but his faith and prayer carried him through.  Forgiving an enemy that has inflicted decades of terror on local communities is no easy thing. And yet, despite all this, the Free Burma Rangers still encourage defections and welcome soldiers who abandon their post. Towards the end of the interview, David Eubank joins us, and offers up a range of stories. He first shares what Doh Say’s modesty precludes him from mentioning, noting the “many times” his own children’s lives were saved by his friend. He then talks about accepting a soldier who defected into their community, and was welcomed and forgiven despite admitting to the most heinous of crimes: murdering a pregnant woman. David closes by recalling an incident where he accidentally ran into General Aung Min, and how he invited his adversary, a Buddhist, to join him in a Christian prayer. As for Doh Say, he wants to “send a message” to all communities to embrace forgiveness. This is not an easy task, and he knows it: “It’s difficult [to forgive], especially those whose relatives or sisters, brothers, or mother got killed. But this is one of the ways to have a long-lasting solution for our country.”

Gratitude and Growth

Episode #56: This is the third episode in our ongoing series “Love Letters to Myanmar.” Our recent run of longform interviews has tried to realistically portray the terror and suffering that so many Burmese people have been facing during this four-month long siege, since the military initiated their coup on February 1.  As critical as it is to tell these stories, we feel it is important that this platform not reflect a one-dimensional view, just airing stories of pain and carnage. So this current series is meant to remind us of just how much the Golden Land has offered those who were fortunate enough to have visited or lived there, and to help us remember the country during its better days, to appreciate and celebrate Burmese culture and community. Today’s first guest is Johanna, a young German college student who went to Myanmar as part of her college internship, and so fell in love with the country that she ended up going back, staying on during the pandemic and even after the coup, while virtually attending university back in Germany. Next up is Sue, who arrived in Myanmar in 2008 in the wake of Cyclone Nargis, and decided to stay on to support the country’s nascent democratic reforms. And lastly, we check in with Keshav Mohta, an Indian currently living in Peru who traveled to Myanmar in 2010, and speaks fondly of the strong sense of spirituality he felt while interacting with different communities there. In addition to the guests, there are other special sound features on this episode, including: samples from the protest anthem “Doh Ayay,” (meaning “Our Cause”); the reading of a poem penned by Khet Thi, a Monywa-based poet was recently arrested and tortured to death in prison; several tracks of defection messages produced by Operation Hannoi Hannah, which makes audio files that Burmese protesters download and broadcast to soldiers through hidden speakers; and finally, scattered throughout this current episode, ambient sounds from some of the protests in Myanmar, courageously recorded at ground level by Thar Nge.

Beaten but not Broken

Episode #55:  When Jonathan fell to the ground, the only thing he could think to do was to somehow shield his head from the blows and kicks coming from all directions, his reflexes automatically kicking in as he tried to protect himself from a murderous regime, whose soldiers are not above beating people to death in the streets in broad daylight.  Jonathan’s “crime” was peacefully protesting against the military coup.  He was eventually taken to notorious Insein Prison—a name infamous for the decades of torture and death that have occurred within its walls. He was placed in a large, windowless cell with a capacity for about 100 people. And yet, he was one of the more fortunate ones, by far. After he had been arrested, soldiers began to employ more extreme forms of violence against protestors, and in prison he saw some fellow prisoners emerge from interrogation sessions bloodied and beaten to a pulp. Fortunately, this type of punishment was never meted out to him personally, and his eventual 3-year sentence ended up being commuted to less than a month. Reflecting on his experience, one of Jonathan’s insights centered on the power of unity. He notes that the Tatmadaw has always ruled by creating division and distrust among the different ethnic and religious groups, but like in prison where he developed deep friendships with people of different backgrounds, he realized that if the Burmese population became more unified, it would help defeat the “divide and conquer” tactics of the military. Jonathan also reflected on his own Buddhist background. Today he is trying to get back to the roots of the practice, recalling the value of his time as a monk, and returning to the basic teachings of mindfulness which he finds refreshes him while stabilizing his mind. Download here.

Up In Flames

Episode #54: Nothing had ever prepared Bhikkhu Mokkhita for this--his monastery set afire, his name appearing on a blacklist and becoming the focus on a manhunt. Somehow, he made it through the numerous police checkpoints on the road to Yangon, and found a way to pass undetected through the enhanced airport security blocking entry into a waiting MAI flight. Back home now in Germany, Bhikkhu Mokkhita is left sorting out the trauma of his harrowing escape, and dealing with the fear of so many friends left there and now at risk. Bhikkhu Mokkhita has deep roots with the Golden Land. After taking many vipassana courses in the S.N. Goenka tradition, he decided to go to Burma to look for monastic teachers; eventually he left his marriage and medical career to ordain at Pa Auk monastery. Some years later, to repay the generosity of Burmese teachers and supporters, he collected donations from friends back home to build water wells, toilets, and school buildings at monasteries. This led to the establishment of his Muditā Foundation, which found its apex in Nyaungshwe under the growing reforms of the democratically elected government: a holistic living and education center which taught Buddhist meditation, yoga, computer and other skills, and provided free enrollment to anyone who wished to attend. But his dream was literally set on fire. Bhikkhu Mokkhita suspects the blaze was started by someone connected to the military, as this gave them free reign to then accuse and arrest anyone they wanted for the arson. To make matters worse, Bhikkhu Mokkhita suspects the Sayadaw of the monastery as being complicit in the attack, perhaps covetous of all that those donations had come to acquire. The fact that a monk may well have been involved in the partial destruction and eventual takeover of the monastic school was devastating for Bhikkhu Mokkhita to process. He feels that the monastic response to the military coup needs to be held under greater scrutiny. From his own perspective as an ordained Buddhist monk, he believes there should be “a sense of responsibility of sharing these democratic values of freedom…” However in his opinion, this ethical stand is not being taken as strongly as he would like to see on behalf of the Saṅgha. Download here.

No Magical Thinking

Episode #53: Ni Ni has been planning for a revolution for as long as she can remember… just not this one.  She had expected her fight to be about gender equality. But she says, “Now, I am fighting back about basic human rights and justice! I feel angry just thinking about this. It is unfair, I actually cannot believe that I have to fight this in 2021.” Although Ni Ni (not her real name) had grown up hearing her parents’ stories about the “bad old days,” for her that was all ancient history, not something that could ever rear its ugly head again to affect the lives of she and her friends. It really hit home for her on February 28th. Three engineering friends joined her in the morning for a day of protests when the military opened fire. One friend grabbed her hand and pulled her away, although Ni Ni couldn’t run fast enough due to a heart condition. Eventually, along with other protesters, they found shelter in a stranger’s home. while soldiers taunted them from outside for several more hours of torment. 18 were shot dead that day, and over 100 abducted and taken to prison. The terror of facing such violence shook Ni Ni to her core. She began staying at home, learning as much as she could about revolution, gradually becoming fixated on the concept of the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM), which could shut down the economy and prevent the military from effectively running a state. Ni Ni began pouring all her energy into this, collecting donations and channeling them to those civil servants refusing to work. Ni Ni recognizes that they are now in the fight for their lives, and being led by the younger generation. As the military is arresting hundreds of teenagers—even children—and torturing and sexually assaulting those they have thrown in prison, she knows the days are dark and likely to get darker still. Download here.

Revolutionary Punk

Episode #52: Kyaw Kyaw has been a revolutionary about as long as he can remember. His political awakening came through an unlikely influence: punk culture. “Punk is being yourself. It’s a rebellion against injustice,” he tells us. He was especially enamored with the punks’ freedom of expression, which does not seek out society’s approval. In response to the violence of the 2007 Saffron Revolution, he formed his punk band, Rebel Riot, where he is the lead singer, to express his rage at the Burmese military. Kyaw Kyaw’s fearlessness eventually found another target in the nationalist monks of the anti-Muslim Ma Ba Tha sect, who he called out on his famous track titled, “Fuck Religious Rules.” He makes clear that he has great respect for the Buddha and those teachers and practitioners who try to follow his teachings, but cannot abide those using Buddhist rhetoric to justify brutality. His outspokenness on this and other issues, including the Rohingya crisis, have resulted in several death threats. Kyaw Kyaw takes his own meditation practice seriously. As one would expect from a rebel, he has devised his own form of mindfulness, rejecting the idea of attending retreats because he has rarely seen positive effects in friends who have joined such courses. Kyaw Kyaw’s commitment to service led to his establishing a regional chapter of Food Not Bombs, and collects donations to fund his outreach. Download here.

Home is Where the Heart Is

Episode #51: This is second episode in our series “Love Letters to Myanmar,” and it is a mirror image of the inaugural program, which showcased the stories of three non-Burmese who were deeply impacted by their time in the country. In this one, we hear from three Burmese who left their homes at a young age in order to settle in foreign countries with their families. Our guests include Yi Mon, whose family went to Japan; Paing, whose family went to Norway; and Lily, whose family went to the United States. They describe the challenges of adjusting to new countries and cultures while holding onto the values of their homeland, and how the Buddha’s teachings have guided their lives even after settling into new lands where few around them follow Buddhist principles or have a daily meditation practice. They close by sharing their thoughts and feelings in following along with the protest movement from afar.

Operation: Defection

Episode #50: For his contribution to the resistance, Ven Detta is seeking inspiration from Vladmir Lenin, spending the last several months studying the history of how soldiers are coaxed to defect during insurrections. He notes that during the 1917 Russian Revolution, “The military just stopped following orders.” Being intimately familiar with Burmese military culture, Ven is far from naïve concerning the challenges of this work. He understands the Tatmadaw’s insular culture, and how brutality and cruelty are celebrated as virtues. He also acknowledges that military families live in military compounds, effectively making them hostages should any soldiers desert. The work is dangerous, as anyone caught with anti-military literature or is found to even be in the possession of a printer faces extreme consequences. The military can shoot first, and doesn’t even need to ask questions later. And yet for Ven, this threat of excessive response on the military’s part only points out just how vulnerable they believe they are. Ven feels that a key part of this campaign is to get defections happening in large numbers.  The more soldiers defect or desert, the less the military can respond to individuals.  This is of course easier said than done.  Ven also believes that having some organization soldiers could defect to would be a critical component to a successful strategy, and towards this end he is eagerly awaiting the formation of the planned Federal Army. Finally, Ven minces no words in explaining the role the monkhood should play. “Many people…will no doubt listen to what a monk will have to say. And there are several dozen monks who have immense sway over public opinion. And I think they need to stand up [and] speak from a religious perspective.” Will the popular movement’s humanistic ethics that value each individual life and guarantees inherent freedoms overcome the Tatmadaw’s emphasis on discipline, along with distrust of critical, independent thinking?  Ven believes in the righteousness of his side, but also knows this is a story still being written. Download here.

Literally a Nightmare Scenario

Episode #49: Thiri is no stranger to the trauma brought on by the military coup. She spent five years with Human Rights Watch listening to people with cruel and brutal stories of their families killed or harmed by the military. Yet now she’s in the middle of it herself. She knows that there is no real safety anywhere anymore, as even residents staying indoors are getting beaten, arrested, and even killed for no reason. She grimly accepts this reality as best she can. She can’t even pause to enjoy a sunset anymore, because should she pull out a phone to get a picture of it, security forces could arrest her on the spot and confiscate her phone, thus exposing her many contacts. Despite the nightmarish situation, Thiri has chosen to remain in Myanmar, even though she holds active visas for both Thailand and the US. She once seriously considered getting to safety, but in the end, she decided she couldn’t face the guilt of escaping when so many others couldn’t, and felt a strong sense of unity that she must carry on until the end. And Thiri plays no small role in the resistance. She is being called upon daily now to provide safe houses, transfer money, acquire materials, and a million other tasks that few others know how to do as well. Thiri is doing all she can to communicate a true understanding of what is happening in her country to the world, and notes the continued presence of outside media give the Burmese people hope. But she confesses that she has not been completely pleased with some of the foreign journalism work so far. Ultimately, Thiri is confident that they will win, if not for the simple fact that, in her words, “We deserve better.” She adds, “They cannot kill us all. So if any one of us survives, whether inside the country or outside, this is our victory.” Download here.

Touches with the Golden Land

Episode #48: Our team has decided to present a new series that focuses on our love and appreciation for the Golden Land. We hope that upcoming episodes in this series can help to provide some kind of counterbalance to the emotionally draining content about the fraught situation we hear about daily. Titled “Love Letters to Myanmar,” it will feature a wide range of speakers who reflect back on what the country and people have meant to them. We hope this series can help remind us as to why we care so much about this country, and keep our hearts firmly rooted in the Golden Land in spite of the present situation. Today’s inaugural show has three guests. Lee, an American vipassana meditator in the tradition of S.N. Goenka, talks about visits to pilgrimage sites in her tradition as well as sitting and serving on courses at centers there. Brey Sloan served as the Defense Attaché at the U.S. Embassy In Myanmar. She describes how the country transformed during the years of her service, and her personal encounters with figures ranging from Aung San Suu Kyi to General Min Aung Hlaing. Evie, an Austrian yogi, has been practicing meditation in the country since 1994 under such teachers as Sayadaw U Pandita, Shwe Oo Min Sayadaw, and Sayadaw U Tejaniya. She discusses how these spiritual teachings, along with the generosity she experienced in Burmese society, have transformed and enriched her life. Download here.

A Risk-Taker at Risk

Episode #47: “Thurain” (not his real name) had planned to spend the start of 2021 building on his already impressive worldly achievements.  Though a “country boy” from birth, he had made his mark in Yangon, establishing not one, but three successful businesses. But on February 1st, this all came to a crashing halt. He began attending the nonviolent protests, but eventually decided to lend his skills to the resistance in a different way, in planning. He worked with a small group of people in the interest of safety, so that knowledge of the wider movement wouldn’t rest in any one individual. Unfortunately, one group member was captured, and after being tortured, shared details about the others. The group quickly dispersed, and Thurain remains hiding to this day. Thurain remains active in the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM), cold-calling civil servants still going to the office and encouraging them to take leave, a high-stakes decision-making process that could literally mean life and death for either party. He also tries to encourage police and soldiers to join the CDM, and works to prevent the military from installing ward officers at the local level, which he feels is the most critical part of the entire struggle. He admits that he is often terrified, but that he works to calm himself whenever possible. He practices vipassana meditation, which he does even when in the middle of important discussions. If he has the time, he also composes poetry and paints, as those supplies are some of the few luxuries he allows himself while on the run. Download here.

Going Rogue: A Doctor on the Front Lines

Episode #46: Coco’s career path in medicine wasn’t supposed to end up this way. But on February 1st, for Coco and so many others, “all of the dreams just got wasted away.” He was initially hesitant to join the street protest, out of fear. Finally, he was coaxed out to attend a protest. But when the first shots rang out, Coco found himself frozen with terror. However, he was inspired by some teenagers showing courage in the face of such mortal risk. After it was over, he spent time with them processing the experience, acknowledging the fear as being natural. But they noted that in their mission to win back democracy, they have to overcome it. Coco uses his medical skills to support the protests. Initially, while doctors were ready to administer service to protester and soldier alike in line with their medical vows, the military decided to specifically target medical volunteers, as they have been at the forefront of the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM). As a consequence, medical teams now have to work surreptitiously and furtively. Although Coco and his fellow doctors had seen their share of gruesome injuries before the protests, nothing could prepare them for what they now encounter: missing limbs, headshots that had literally blown the face entirely off, triage battle conditions, and administering aid while taking live fire.  Coco is unsure how long the movement’s adherence to nonviolence can be sustained, as the Tatmadaw continues to show greater depths of cruelty, while the international community has shown no further willingness to engage. Download here.

The End Justifies the Memes

Episode #45: What is the deeper, symbolic meaning of an overturned alms bowl? What reasoning goes into the decision as to whether a protest sign is written in English or Burmese, or as pictograms, or emojis? And how and why has General Min Aung Hlaing’s height become a focus of the protest messaging? These are just some of the concepts that “Brad” and “May” (not their real names) have begun to explore on their new Facebook page, “Burmese Protest Memes and Signs Translated and Explained: Translating and explaining Burmese memes and protest signs for an English audience.” Unlike in other countries, where internet connectivity has been available for a much longer time, in Myanmar, “online culture” is relatively new. As May succinctly explains, “We're the generation that has grown up with internet and social media. And memes are a way to communicate with each other, to share not just jokes, but also feelings… So yeah, memes are perhaps a symbol of what our generation is.” Brad and May felt that much of the outside world was missing the subtle messaging that protesters were trying to communicate by their signs, and hoped that their new page would help in this regard.  It has developed to explaining the deeper, underlying meaning of the many Burmese memes that are now proliferating, both online and in real life today. In doing so, they reveal the many themes that protesters are connecting to their movement, including British colonialism, Burmese Buddhism, ethnic identity, numerology and astrology, and specific events both in the protests as well as recent political incidents connected to the coup. Download here.

A Screeching Halt: The Military Coup Shoots Down Reforms (Coming Soon)

Episode #44: Maw Htin Aung, a Kachin Christian by birth, appeared to be a leader right for his time, the kind of progressive champion needed in Myanmar who could help move the country towards a promising future. Instead of this dream, however, a nightmare has unfolded instead. He studied public administration in the US, and when he returned to Myanmar in 2015, he delved into public policy reform, focusing on natural resources. He felt this was a key aspect of his country’s future.  As most of Myanmar’s precious minerals and natural resources are found in ethnic territories, the military has historically endeavored to control those areas, which resulted in forced displacement and organized assaults on various ethnic communities. But he had real hopes that a more equitable system could potentially help end what is the longest running civil war in the world. In 2020, he felt he might be more influential as a legislative member and ran under the ticket of the Shan National League for Democracy. Although he felt the campaign went well, he ended up losing the election, but personally witnessed numerous accounts of voter fraud. He was in the process of taking legal steps to challenge the results when the February coup upended everything. Every day now is a nightmare. Still, he sees some optimism.  He is moved by the unity and selflessness felt throughout the movement, as well as by the courage demonstrated under the most dangerous and violent of circumstances. But he acknowledges the tremendous mental and emotional struggles, and PTSD, that weigh on the Burmese people now. Download here.

Understanding the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM)

Episode #43: While those outside of Myanmar following news of the Burmese protests have often heard updates about the importance of the “CDM” (Civil Disobedience Movement), some may still not be clear about its inception and role in the wider protest movement. This episode’s guest, a trainer in public sector reform, educates us accordingly. Initially optimistic about the direction of the democratically elected government, her hopes came to a crashing halt on February 1st when the military illegally seized power. Right away, hundreds of civil servants stopped going to work, which ultimately led to the wider protest movement known as “CDM.” Our guest soon found herself thrust into an advisory role, with many of her former trainees asking for advice on what to do. She sought the help of several international lawyers, and passed that information on so those workers could make a more informed decision. At the same time, she also began getting a fund together from friends and supporters that could be used to support any civil servants who decided to join the movement. The movement’s success has put our guest in danger because of her involvement. After her home was broken into and searched, she went into hiding. To deal with the enormous her level of stress has been overwhelming, and her refuge in part has been a daily meditation practice according to the teachings of Ledi Sayadaw and Mogok Sayadaw. Although she didn’t have a meditation practice before the pandemic, she now finds that this provides much-needed stability to the mind. For those who are inspired to hear about the work our guest is leading, please make a donation on our site, and indicate you would like these funds to go towards her CDM effort. Download here.

Taking a Moral Stand

Episode #42: Ashin Sarana is speaking out, and he’s prepared for the consequences. “I'm basically ready for everything,” the Czech monk tells us. “I'm ready that they will come and they will destroy property, I'm ready that they will arrest me, I'm ready that they will expel me. My donors are ready…By your very existence, you happen to be involved, whether you like it or not.” It was certainly not a light decision for a monk whose primary concern is teaching the Dhamma to followers and pursuing his own intensive meditation practice. In fact, he so rarely keeps up with worldly events that he references several years ago seeing pictures of Donald Trump and not knowing he was the U.S. president, and did not himself even know that a coup had occurred until a week into the event.  But he realized he needed to better understand the daily news to make more informed decisions to protect those closest to him. For someone who was sometimes years behind current events, U Sarana now found himself reading the news for 7-8 hours a day, and the dark reality he was confronting left him feeling “suffocated.” U Sarana is also horrified to learn that some foreign practitioners buy into the argument that Buddhism can thrive no matter which rulers happen to be in power. He does not hold back his disgust on hearing that such a view is actually not that uncommon within the international meditator community. To him, that opinion “is a very clear display of lack of knowledge about history in Myanmar.” This is why he also has taken it upon himself to stay so informed at this moment, so that he doesn’t offer Dhamma advice that is so disconnected to the actual circumstances that he is no longer helping his followers. Download here.

Drawing a Line Between Hope and Fear

Episode #40: Kyawt Thiri Nyunt’s journey from Myanmar to the United States at age 19 was not just a physical one, but a cultural and psychological one as well. She had traveled to enroll in a small liberal arts college in California, having won a full merit scholarship. But then came the pressure of integrating into a new environment, on top of the anxiety to achieve, and so she did something she had never done before: she began therapy to explore the stress that was building up inside her. The therapy also uncovered deep-rooted trauma that she had been holding her entire life growing up under a military dictatorship. Unprocessed memories flooded out, including the associated emotions of anger and fear. Properly understanding—even honoring—the pervasiveness of this trauma is especially important at this moment, because without doing so, the Burmese protest movement simply cannot be properly appreciated. Once one truly understands how dark the days had been under past military rule, one realizes that no matter how aggressively the military chooses to respond in the days that come, the protesters have no choice but to keep on, as they will never accept a return to the past system. Kyawt explains how the mettā meditation that defines the practice of many Burmese Buddhists has so far contributed to the protests’ nonviolent nature, but that they are getting close to the breaking point. This is a time of real social change and upheaval in Myanmar, and it is impossible to know where this will ultimately go. Beyond worldly culture, these changes could also ultimately impact the shape of Burmese Buddhism as well, as with the people’s embrace of their newfound sense of agency, the Burmese people themselves are determining which members of the Saṅgha truly speak for them, and which do not have their interests in heart. Download here.

Navigating Rough Waters

Episode #39: At a time when corporations, countries, and individuals are speaking out, taking a moral stand, and considering action to support the Burmese people as state-sponsored terror grips their nation, what is the ethical responsibility of the vipassana organization of S.N. Goenka, who always reminded students of their “debt of gratitude” to the geographical region where their lineage hails from? To answer this question and many more, we turn to Daniel Mayer, the Coordinating Area Teacher (CAT) “to serve the Rest of Africa.” Daniel advises meditators to not stray towards one extreme or another. For those caught up in the heavy emotions of the current moment, he advises them to be patient with themselves and remember the wider context, saying, “I think in some cases, it can take a whole lifetime. But don't think that you are an exception. And don't think that what is happening now in a certain part of the world, is any different to what's happening, and happened in other parts of the world.” But he also warns against spiritual bypass. “I do feel that mettā should not be an excuse...[T]o say, it doesn't affect me just because I am not there, or I'm not part of it, or I don't agree… that is not really understanding what is our role as meditators.” Daniel describes how inspired he feels by how the Dhammic ideals of sīla, mettā, dāna, an appreciation of karma, and nonviolence are characteristic of the current protest movement.  Download here.

Feeding Freedom, Not Fear

Episode #38: A world-renowned expert on Burmese cuisine and author of the best-selling book Mandalay: Recipes and Tales from a Burmese Kitchen, MiMi Aye never imagined that one day she might become an activist. But as she has become increasingly invested in Myanmar’s current crisis, that is the role she has begun to take on. Having deep connections to the full range of Burma’s cuisine, MiMi Aye was concerned when the pandemic broke a year ago, noting that the restaurant industry especially has been suffering. And although she feared that a sudden military takeover would only place a greater strain on this already reeling industry, Burmese cooks have not been idle. Many of them, along with food delivery workers, have been at the forefront of cooking and delivering food in mass quantities to the large numbers protesters taking to the streets each day, as well as to “Civil Disobedience Movement” employees who are refusing to return to their jobs as civil servants. MiMi Aye also reflects on the fear many Burmese—especially the older generation—have harbored because of Burma’s history of coups and political repression. She says, “Something I don’t really talk about is to be Burmese, especially if you’re of a certain age, is to be afraid, from bitter experience. It’s a low-level, visceral feeling most of the time, but sometimes, like now, it can be overwhelming. Because all the worst things you can imagine that could happen to you or your loved ones can happen and has happened, to you or to people you know, because of the Burmese military. Right now, I don’t even want to eat, let alone cook anything. There’s a reason Aung San Suu Kyi’s most famous book is called Freedom From Fear.” She notes how many younger Burmese followers have thanked her for these words, noting that their parents had always told them something similar, but growing up with greater personal freedoms, they never had quite understood their parents’ fears. Download here.

Active Days, Restless Nights

Episode #37: Exhausted from the daily protests and sleeping at a different monastery roof with fellow protesters every night for safety, his face darkened from being out under the hot sun all day, his voice hoarse from giving daily speeches, and his words crackling with emotion as he struggles to describe his horror at the loss of freedom and the innocents who have died… Chit Tun takes listeners to the front lines of the protest movement.  Struggling at times to find the right word, his mind so harried that he sometimes loses his train of thought, and at various points not even able to pronounce sounds properly, this is a very personal portrait of the human toll the on-going military coup is taking. Chit Tun describes a day in the life of the protest movement. He notes that there is no one single leader, or even any group of leaders, and that his generation— Generation Z— realizes that each individual needs to take responsibility and be a leader in their own right. He also highlights the importance of non-violence, describing its roots in his Buddhist training at the monastery. This has certainly been put to the test during these protests, and at points in our talk emotion overtakes him. Chit Tun has been so enraged by the loss of innocent life that he described wanting to “burn down police stations,” yet his commitment to Buddhist principles reaffirmed his commitment to nonviolence, evoking Michelle Obama’s famous refrain, “When they go low, we go high.” Download here.

The Power of Mettā in Action

Episode #36: In looking back at the turbulent recent history of her country, Sayalay Chandadhika, a Burmese Buddhist nun based in Germany, sees a never-ending spiral of destructive patterns that continue to produce the same disastrous results. How to disrupt this disturbing trend? In her words, the response is clear: “We need another method, and I cannot see another method rather than mettā.” Speaking to us from Germany, Sayalay Chandadhika affirms that mettā, or the practice of loving kindness, is not merely some optimistic or naïve way to engage with a difficult situation like Myanmar’s present circumstances, it is actually the very spirit we are seeing right now on display during the country’s daily protests. As an example, she describes a particularly tense standoff between protesters and police, which was defused by civilians offering the officers cool water on a hot day. She notes that this wasn’t merely a clever tactic to trick the police towards gaining some tactical advantage, rather it was a simple and generous action borne out of a mind trained in mettā. Through examples like these, Sayalay Chandadhika describes something truly stunning: a people whose lifelong spiritual practice of cultivating wholesome tendencies now finds itself facing the aggression of a professionally trained military with just those positive qualities of mind, like mettā, as their “weapon” of choice for self-defense. In her description, we can see how the non-violent struggle of the Burmese people today —in large part grounded in their Buddhist practice and identity—has firm connections with the Civil Rights Movement in America and Gandhi’s crusade in India. Download here.

Facing Darkness with Light

Episode #35: “We are already in the danger. So we don’t care anymore. The dawn won’t be that much darker than the midnight. And we are already in the midnight, so the darkness can’t be much worse. We are at the peak of the darkness.” These were the words of Inda Aung Soe as military tanks were rolling past at the start of our free-flowing and open interview, when asked if he felt safe talking to us from the chaotic streets of Yangon.  Inda’s brave response echoes a resilience exemplified by the Burmese people during the shocking events of this month, and kicked off his description of the growing protest movement taking shape across the country. Having been a Buddhist monk himself for many years, Inda is able to reflect not just on the mood of lay protesters, but also at monasteries and among his monastic friends. Despite these harrowing experiences, Inda affirms a strong set of values that protesters have committed themselves to, in particular non-violence, refusing to cause harm to other beings even in the face of the military’s and their proxies’ aggressions. Inda notes that the military’s attempts to sow dissention among the Burmese people is failing in part because of this value. And according to Inda, commitment to non-violence is not the only thing the military has not understood about the current moment. He shares there is no single leader organizing the movement, so the military can’t stop it by hunting down specific activists, as they have done in the past. Instead, Inda describes an entire population that has stepped up as one to claim its basic freedoms and human rights. He and Zach share a laugh that the usually chaotic and disorganized Burmese society has somehow, overnight, formed itself into a plastic, integrated structure capable of quickly responding as a whole to the most sophisticated attacks—physical as well as psychological—from a professionally trained military.

Finding Inner Stability in Troubling Times

Episode #34: “The Dhamma is so central to this culture, and [yet] not understood by the people who write about this place in the media from overseas. So all those sorts of things get reported from a vacuum of understanding about how incredibly important it is, for this whole culture.” So says Daw Viranani, an American Buddhist nun based in Chan Myay Myaing Monastery in northern Yangon. We were able to talk with her just before a nationwide Internet black-out hit the country. Since the military coup on February 1st, Myanmar has been one of the trending topics and major stories across news networks and social media platforms. And yet, as Daw Viranani points out, the core Buddhist practice animating much of the country’s spiritual life is barely mentioned in foreign reporting, let alone understood. In this interview, we address the current situation, but avoid the usual angles of analyzing politics, history, or biographies of the major players. Instead, Daw Viranani brings a Buddhist perspective to bear on the current events. She shares the teachings that resonate with her in this difficult moment, and talks of the power of practicing mettā-bhavana, or loving-kindness meditation, and radiating these good wishes to all beings—even those we have difficult feelings towards. Or, download here.

Expats in the Golden Land: Dhamma in the Big City

Episode #33: To what extent does the life of an expat in Myanmar intersect with Burmese Buddhist practice and meditation? We explore the answer in this episode, a wide-ranging discussion between Christina Peterson, Jose Molina, and Joah McGee. Where Christina’s experiences took place within the calmer yet more authoritarian Yangon prior to the 2012 reforms, Jose has lived in a freer and increasingly cosmopolitan though more chaotic city, following the country’s opening. And yet despite these disparate overall experiences, our interlocutors have much in common to share and discuss. Few expats living in Myanmar have taken up a spiritual practice.  And most of the small number of foreign practitioners in the country choose to spend the majority of their time at monasteries and meditation centers or on pilgrimage, and so end up learning little about daily life and society outside the monastery walls. Through this discussion with Christina and José discuss, we learn that there is much of value for the foreign yogi in engaging with all the various layers of the culture. Using their own lives in the country as a touchstone, they examine the intersection of spiritual practice at a monastery or center and the householder life on the outside.  They share their deep appreciation about being able to further their professional career in a country that offers such a plethora of unique opportunities for inner development. Of course, no place is totally perfect, and that certainly is true of Myanmar, and so the discussion also includes some of the challenges of living there full-time.

This episode will be released soon.

The Mystery of U Lokanatha

Episode #32: Antonio Costanzo and his team may never solve all the mysteries of the life of the great Italian monk U Lokanatha, but they are certainly trying! Even the little we know of U Lokanatha’s spiritual resume puts him in rarefied air. A forerunner of the Buddhist modernist movement, he took up a meditation practice before it was commonplace and was one of the first to talk extensively about the connection between scientific thought and the Buddha’s teachings. His life intersected with many of the great figures of his day, and just to name a few: General Aung San considered abandoning the nationalist struggle to ordain under him; the President of Sri Lanka considered him a close friend; Ambedkar relied on his advice before ordaining several million Indians into Buddhism; U Lokanatha attempted to convert both the Pope and Mussolini to Buddhism; he was close to such Buddhist luminaries as the Pāḷi scholar de Lorenzo and Sun Lun Sayadaw and Webu Sayadaw; and his teachings and meditation practice may have influenced Sayagyi U Ba Khin and S.N. Goenka. And yet despite all this, somehow U Lokanatha managed to practically disappear from the historical record within a half century (during a time of mass media to boot), his name almost lost to contemporary generations of Buddhist and mindfulness practitioners and scholars alike. But Antonio and his team have something to say about this, and in this episode, he explains how he came on to take on this research project, and why contemporary meditators need to learn about this inspiring figure. Or, download here.

From the River Bank of Consciousness

Episode #31: “And then there was a particular moment in the meditation where it was almost as if awareness separated out from the rest of the objects of consciousness.” So begins David Sudar on sharing about one of his most powerful meditation experiences, which occurred during one sitting at Shwe Oo Min Monastery in Yangon. David describes how in this transformational moment, he was able to maintain a clear awareness even as the process of thinking continued, and that this was the first moment he was able to observe his thoughts and feelings without becoming entangled in them. As he goes on to say, “I was just like, oh my goodness, this is what I get fooled by, these tingling sensations throughout the body, these piercing sensations, these impulses. And now, it was so obvious that all of that was optional, that wasn't a ‘given’ in my experience, that I would have to get entangled, or identified, or grasp on to things.” The talk unfolds with David describing this experience in further detail, as well as what conditions led it to arise and how his meditation practice and spiritual awakening unfolded after that moment of insight. We then go on to discuss a wide range of topics, including the personality and methodology of Sayadaw U Tejaniya, the evolution of mindfulness training across traditions, the role of thinking in formal practice, and the prevalence of the Mahasi technique in Myanmar. Or, download here.

Luissa Burton

Episode #30: This episode explores a journey from the fashion runway to the meditation hall. An actress, model, and beauty queen, Luissa Burton discusses the circuitous route that ultimately brought her to meditation practice in Myanmar. Luissa’s career trajectory did not follow the conventional narrative of the fashion industry. From childhood, she was stricken with two serious skin conditions, eczema and psoriasis, and struggled with eating disorders throughout her modeling career. Luissa certainly has a unique perspective from which to reflect on her struggles and celebrity. Today she is helping reinvent what it means to be a social influencer in the 21st century, advocating for young people to focus more on self-love and inner acceptance instead of distorting their personality and body image in a quest to become popular or conform to society’s messaging. An inner focus on healthy living and non-harm to all beings ultimately led Luissa to meditation, which was further motivated after passing through a “dark night of the soul.” Following an inner voice compelling her to come to Myanmar, she enrolled in a ten-day course in the tradition of S. N. Goenka at Dhamma Joti, and then followed up the retreat with an eco-tour around the country. The talk covers a number of key topics, including the contrast between being a dedicated meditator and a famous international fashion model, the definition of “beauty” in contemporary Western society, and how meditation practice disrupts a dualistic understanding. Or, download here.

Intersection of Dhamma & Race: Racial Equity Training in the Vipassana organization of S.N. Goenka

Episode #29: What place does engagement in social justice issues have, if any, within vipassana meditation centers in the tradition of S.N. Goenka? That is question Clyde Ford is asking, and is at the heart of a training session he led for students and teachers at Dhamma Kunja, a vipassana center in Washington state. In addition to being a corporate trainer on racial justice, Clyde is a dedicated vipassana meditator in the Goenka tradition. He is also a software engineer, a chiropractor, a psychotherapist, an environmentalist, a 12-time, award-winning author, and currently a National Endowment for the Arts Fellow. He has appeared on Oprah and NPR, among other shows, to share his expertise. In this episode, Clyde shares what led to his ground-breaking training at Dhamma Kunja, and what topics he covered in the session. We talk about spiritual bypass, past attempts at targeting courses for African American communities being blocked by the US leadership, proactive outreach opportunities to communities of color, ensuring that vipassana centers are more inclusive, the appointment of Black teachers, and finding a balance between spiritual practice and worldly affairs. This fascinating discussion provides an unprecedented, behind-the-scenes look at how one North American vipassana center in the tradition of S.N. Goenka is exploring ways to transition into greater sensitivity in the second decade of the 21st century. Or, download here.

Voices: Burmese Theravada in a Catholic Land, Part 2

Episode #28: This is the second episode in our series exploring Filipino meditators affected by the Dhamma of the Golden Land. Here, we tell the story of just one Filipino meditator: Raymond Rivera, or Mon for short. Mon was attracted to martial arts, but being raised Catholic, he was initially skeptical of Asian forms of religious practice. His first formal practice came in the form of Christian meditation, and he was then intrigued by the secular framing of the vipassana organization in the tradition of S.N. Goenka. Mon took a course, and was hooked, going on to sit so many subsequent courses that he speculates he might have been the most experienced Filipino meditator in this tradition at the time. His growing interest led him to visit other monasteries, however, which through a misunderstanding earned him a ban from attending any other courses in the Goenka tradition. Disappointed, Mon looked for a silver lining, and found it in the form of constructing his own personal pilgrimage to Myanmar. There, he visited six different monasteries and meditation centers: Mogok, Thabarwa, Sun Lun, Chan Myay Myaing, Shwe Oo Min, and the International Meditation Center. Sharing insight and personal experience, Mon traces his journey into these different spiritual traditions, highlighting the strengths of each teaching. Or, download here.

Sebastien Le Normand

Episode #27: Myanmar is the dream destination for so many meditators and spiritual seekers, and this was certainly the case for Sebastien Le Normand. A published author and French yogi in the tradition of S.N. Goenka living in Canada, Sebastien long wished to visit sites related to this lineage of teachers, and he made his dream a reality by planning a personal pilgrimage in 2016. He was so moved by the experience that he returned twice more, once ordaining temporarily as a monk in the Sagaing Hills. In our discussion, he talks about his experiences and reflections of being a meditator in Buddhist Burma, and staying for extended periods at monasteries. After the talk, Melissa Coats joins Zach Hessler to reflect upon Sebastien’s interview. They discuss their own itinerant lifestyle as meditators and temporary monastics, and reflect upon the opportunities that Myanmar has provided to so many Western spiritual seekers following their own Hero’s Journeys. Download here!

Coronavirus Pandemic: Dealing with Disruption

Episode #26: The Buddha’s teachings of liberation were not meant only for prosperous and stable times, but also when things are uncertain, or even perilous. Perhaps no moment in recent years has tested the mission of contemporary meditation centers and monasteries as much as this ongoing coronavirus pandemic, when just the basic act of gathering together poses a serious health risk. In this episode, we check in with three American-based monasteries and meditation centers with some connection to Burmese traditions, to hear how they have responded to these unprecedented times. Each speaker has years under their belt as a spiritual teacher, and they discuss how they worked to ensure that the Buddha’s timeless teachings of liberation remain practical and relevant. They explain how their respective centers each found their own unique way to adapt to the pandemic and continue to serve its meditator community. We first check in with Sean Feit Oakes, an Editor and Community Dharma Leader at Spirit Rock Insight Meditation Center in Woodacre, California. Next up is Ayya Soma, an Italian monastic and co-founder of Empty Cloud Monastery in West Orange, New Jersey. Finally we speak with to Dick Delanoy, an Assistant Teacher at Dhamma Patapa, a vipassana center in Jesup, Georgia, in the tradition of SN Goenka. Or, download here!

Voices: Burmese Theravada in a Catholic Land, Part 1

Episode #25: If you reference the Philippines, vipassana meditation practice and Buddhist study are not the first things that come to mind! That is because this heavily Catholic island nation is pretty much the only region in all of Southeast Asia that has had hardly any connection to the Dhamma over the course of the last 2,500 years. So then, why would a podcast based on Buddhist practice, with a specific focus on Myanmar, dedicate a series of episodes to the Philippines vis-a-vis the Golden Land? The answer: although the Philippines has had little connection to Buddhism and Buddhist monasticism, this is now slowly changing, and many Filipinos are becoming more open and receptive to the liberating teachings of the Buddha. We first hear from Tony Fernando, a cellist and psychiatrist at the University of Auckland. He ordained as a monk several times at Chan Myay Myaing Monastery in Yangon, practicing mettā intensively. He’s now introducing compassion into the field of sleep study, and has also begun a mindfulness training at the Mount Eden Correctional Facility. The second guest is Imee Contreras, the founder of Mindfulness Asia and the co-founder of the Philippine Insight Meditation Community. She has also been a mindfulness teacher at Spirit Rock and UCLA. Download here!

Media Corner: The Power of Ethical Spiritual Intelligence

Episode #24: Alan Clements’ new book, Burma: Voices of Freedom is a monumental achievement, a work more than three decades in the making. Alan interviewed hundreds of people in order to examine the intersecting lines between Burmese Buddhist practice and the turbulent history of the country, thus bringing together the worldly and the spiritual in profound ways.  He decided to sit for just one full-length interview on his recent publication: here on Insight Myanmar Podcast!  In Alan’s own words, the pages of Burma: Voices of Freedom “cover the historic national election of the National League of Democracy (NLD) to Parliament, the Rohingya crisis, the nature of totalitarianism and the efficacy of nonviolence, the radicalization of militant Buddhist monks and the role of Islamic terrorism, interspersed within the jagged landscape of a nation's ongoing struggle for freedom, rule of law, and national reconciliation.” His book explores not only what has taken place in the country, but where things stand now as well as his hopes for where things might go. In our interview, we examine the role of the liberating teachings of the Buddha within the country’s transformation, balanced with the sensitive need to ensure a separation between Church and State, and to welcome the role of non-Buddhist communities in a pluralistic society. Download here!

Media Corner: The Discovery of Mindfulness

Episode #23: “Having already witnessed first-hand the transformation of mindfulness from mysterious curiosity to commercialized buzzword, going back to read about a time when so much was still so unexplored generated a kind of nostalgia in me. Perhaps this is like when Americans pine for the ‘simplicity’ of the 1950s or the ‘freedom’ of the Old West—it says more about the psychology of the one doing the pining or the state of current society than about those actual time periods.”  

So writes Carl Stimson after reviewing three books: Journey of Insight Meditation (1978) by Eric Lerner, One Night’s Shelter (1985) by Bhikkhu Yogavacara Rahula aka Scott DuPrez, and The Quiet Mind (1971) by John Coleman. Bringing himself into the study as a fourth character, Carl goes on to tackle wider questions as to what we can learn about the growth and expansion of the vipassana movement from Asia to the West. He covers such themes as an early lack of diversity among Western meditators, the benefits as well as consequences of greater access to mindfulness teachings, meeting challenges along the spiritual path, and the maturation process of a meditator. Download here!

Zaw Win Htet, Part 2

Episode #22: The second in a two-part interview, educator and amateur historian Zaw Win Htet continues his stories that weave together his own life, his local region, and some of the most revered Dhamma teachers of 20th century Burma. In this segment, he covers the life and monastery of Mohnyin Sayadaw, the most important monastic disciple of Ledi Sayadaw. He also relays the ancient history of the monkey-run Hpo Win Daung Caves, where ascetics have long come to practice alchemy and where Saya Thet Gyi first applied the vipassana instructions given by Ledi Sayadaw. Finally, Zaw closes the talk on a personal note, discussing his family’s involvement in the Ledi Mu organization, which preserves Ledi Sayadaw’s teachings across the country. He goes on to describe his own work in establishing the Nat Taing Monastic School, which provides a free education to the village’s youth, and his family’s long history of caring for foreigners in a country that until only recently had been closed to them. Or, download here!

Zaw Win Htet, Part 1

Episode #21: “My grandmother is the main character of this story,” Zaw Win Htet informs us as he begins the interview. An educator and amateur historian, Zaw shares how the bedtime stories she told him every night animated his life’s journey of discovery. Combining academic study with oral history, lived experience and a family lore steeped in deep Buddhist faith, Zaw weaves together his own life, his local region, and some of the most revered Dhamma teachers of 20th century Burma. The first of a two-part interview, this one covers such topics as the ancient origins of the Chaung Oo and A Myint villages, the intimate relationship between his family and the revered Maha Bodhi Ta Htaung Sayadaw, and his grandmother’s personal encounters with Ledi Sayadaw, who were both from that region. Or, download here!

Intersection of Dhamma & Race: “Insights in an Unjust World”

Episode #20: This is the third in our ongoing “Intersections of Dhamma and Race” podcast series. At this time of increased tensions, there is a sore need for personal reflection and introspection, deep and active listening of “the other”, and communication across all boundaries and communities. And when we do this based firmly on the bedrock of the Buddha’s timeliness teachings of liberation, the possibility of living through these difficult days together, while advancing on the Path, converge.

 On this episode, we are treated to a reflective and introspective look at how Black practitioners have applied Dhamma wisdom through the pain of racism and prejudice. Also welcome to download here!

The guests include:

·      Bhante Panna on the experience of being a Black monk in Cambodia and Thailand.

·      Tricea Dawkins on starting up a meditation practice while being a medical worker on the front lines of the pandemic.

·      Esly Caldwell on the wisdom of karma and the power of mettā at a time of racial strife and ongoing protests.

·      AB Johanne on how vipassana meditation helped her develop compassion and awareness.

·      Keven Porter on how a daily meditation practice has changed his life, and the intersection between economics and race.

Melissa Coats

Episode #19: The story of Melissa Coats is a tale of finding balances.  It relates to navigating her identity, being half-white and half-Korean, and her practice, going back and forth between being a lay practitioner and Buddhist nun, in both secular and religious communities. It speaks to her life, alternating between progressive enclaves in California and a more conservative Burmese Buddhist life in Myanmar, between a fusion of traditional Chinese Medicine and Buddhist meditation integrated into Western life in the United States, and seeking out their respective origins in China and Myanmar. She talks of beginning her meditation by taking vipassana courses in the S.N. Goenka tradition, and then learning under Ruth Denison and at Spirit Rock before ultimately traveling to Burma, where she has stayed at Panditarama, Pa Auk, Brahma Vihara, and Shwe Oo Min. Melissa’s story also addresses the balance she actively seeks between having male and female teachers. In a world where meditation centers and entire countries are shut down due to the pandemic, this talk gives the listener a virtual tour into the meditative and Buddhist world of Myanmar. Melissa’s journey has already been a long one for someone so young, and it is still unfolding. 

Or, download here!

COVID-19 in Myanmar: Thabarwa Edition

Episode #18: The sixth episode in our “COVID-19 in Myanmar” series, this is the first show in this series in which all the voices are from a single place—in this case, Thabarwa Monastery. As some of the interviews were collected right as the world began to shut down because of COVID-19, we realized that while not that long ago in time, they seem eons ago in other ways, as so much has happened since then. So besides their original talk, you’ll hear some updates from guests on how and what they’re doing now. This “before-and-after” approach allows the listener to follow their journey across time and see how their practice and mind have adjusted as the ground continues to shift under their feet, and to learn what Dhamma wisdom has been gain along the way.  Download here!

The guests include:

• Thabawa Sayadaw, from an April talk given to foreign meditators on how to overcome accusations and misunderstandings through continuously doing good deeds.

• Awbur Nyan, a musician and lay supporter of Thabarwa Monastery, on how Yangon has fared through the coronavirus and how Sayadaw’s teachings have helped her.

• Bhikkhu Varrapanyo on his decision to remain at the monastery throughout the pandemic, and how he is applying meditation instructions from his teacher.

• Khema Cari, currently residing at the Thabarwa center in Italy, on how centers around the world have managed.

Myanmar Dhamma Diaries: An Assault on Faith

Episode #17: Sometimes a single moment can be so profound… or so complex… that it takes hours, or even days, following the encounter to get a handle on it. In the story that follows, that “moment” has been taking years to process. In this case, the actual moment in question is simple enough: Yonie, an African-American vipassana meditator in the tradition of S.N. Goenka, travels to Myanmar to pay homage to the lineage of his teacher and consider monastic ordination. Several days into his stay at a Yangon monastery, he is in the dining hall awaiting lunch, when a long-standing Burmese monk aggressively motions for him to leave, and when he doesn’t, the monastic hauls off and kicks him.  This disturbing incident—which in terms of time, lasted no more than a minute—is astounding in its complexity, and poses many swirling questions to untangle and process. Our conversation unfolds with Yonie and I doing our best to explore its many threads, and includes such topics as global anti-racism, how Dhamma practice can inform one’s response to prejudice, the collective trauma of Burmese given their recent history, the indirect nature of Burmese communication, and much more.

Or, download here!

Intersection of Dhamma & Race, “The Rocky Road of Dhamma”

Episode #16: In this series, we are widening the scope of our usual programming to examine the overlapping lines of Dhamma practice, racism and social justice. The United States has been witnessing an explosion of multiracial bravery inspired and led by Black individuals speaking truth to power, standing up against racism and for social justice, and within many different social and economic institutions, from well-known sports franchises to giant corporations. While these acts may at times be confrontational, they highlight uncomfortable and too-long-ignored truths that societies must finally face, both people as individuals, and collectively. Download here!

In this same spirit, we hope that the following episode can be a platform for bringing a similar sort of conversation about entrenched biases, practices and attitudes within the vipassana and mindfulness communities. The guests include:

·      Victoria Robertson is the first Black American appointed Senior Assistant Teacher under S. N. Goenka. She speaks about her time attending and conducting vipassana courses in this tradition; how she learned to develop empathy for others; her observation that the White vipassana teachers were equipped to teach meditation, but weren’t able to apply those meditation practices to address racism; her leadership role in creating the one and only Global African Heritage course to date in this tradition, and the organization’s unwillingness to support her attempts to bring Dhamma to Black communities in inner cities. She is no longer a teacher in this tradition.

·      Joshua Bee Alafia is a Taoist and Insight Meditation Teacher, as well as an author and film director. He notes how the mindfulness community naturally mirrors the issues and complexes, including racism, that American society at large struggles with. He believes we will look back at this current time as the “Great Awakening” in American society, and that compassion and inner reflection are now sorely needed, because it takes courage to heal as individuals and by extension a society.

·      Wayne Smith is a professional cellist and a long-course vipassana student in the tradition of S.N. Goenka. Determined not to become bitter as a result of racism, his early meditation experiences brought him in touch with the ill will building up inside nonetheless—and taught him how it could be observed and let go of. He feels it is critical for White people to look clearly at their own white privilege and identify their involvement in perpetuating a racist system even by just passively participating in it. He finds meditation a valuable tool for this effort, as well as engaging in conversation and interaction across communities.

Aishah Shahidah Simmons, a long-term Black American vipassana meditator formerly in the S.N. Goenka tradition and an award-winning cultural worker, joins our volunteer team as co-producer of this series.

COVID-19 in Myanmar: Sheltering at Home

Episode #15: While the previous episode in this series told the stories of four expats who left just before the world closed down, the current show relates the stories of four more expats who were in Myanmar at the time that the pandemic hit, and made the decision to remain in the country and ride out the storm in the Golden Land. You can also download here. The guests include:

·      Hampus Haraldsson, a Swedish yogi who had planned a series of courses, self-retreats, travel and Buddhist study in Myanmar this year. He was taking a mettā course at Chan Myay Myaing Monastery in Pyin Oo Lwin when the pandemic hit.

·      Marc Shortt, the founder of Sa Ba Street Food Tours, who partnered with Food Not Bombs Myanmar. Together, they led a fundraising effort to buy food from local vendors and offer it to under-served communities in downtown Yangon and in Hledan.

·      Jochen Meissner is an Austrian meditator in the Sayagyi U Ba Khin tradition and the founder of Uncharted Horizons, which runs trekking and biking expeditions in Dalla and Chin State. He talks about life in Yangon under shutdown.

·      Matthew Schojan is an American meditator who is the founder of Wandering Meditators and leads regular group sittings at the Alliance Francaise in Yangon. An expert in the field of mental health, he talks about the impact he is seeing now seeing due to the pandemic.

COVID-19 in Myanmar: Exiled Expats Edition

Episode #14: How has the coronavirus pandemic impacted foreign meditators in Myanmar? This is precisely the question we set out to answer in this “Expats in Exile Edition” of our COVID-19 in Myanmar series. You can also download here. The guests include:

·      Jose Molina, an agricultural economist based in Yangon, who observed that life stayed pretty much as usual in the city, even as the rest of the world shut down. Initially resisting the inclination to leave, he ultimately packed up his apartment and had an emotional farewell at Chan Myay Yeiktha Monastery, his primary place of practice. Now back in Massachusetts, he has had to adjust back to a more materialistic culture and reflects on the Dhamma lessons that can be learned during a pandemic.

·      Emily Rothenberg, a Fulbright Fellow in Mandalay who had hoped to use the pandemic as a time to settle into practice, but could not find a Burmese monastery that would accept foreign meditators. Moving into the home of a US diplomat and hoping to hunker down there, as the situation grew more serious she ended up catching one of the last flights out of the country. Back home in Chicago, she tried to plan her own self-retreat, and struggled to find a sense of stability after such a tumultuous period.  

·      David Sudar is a former monk at Shwe Oo Min Monastery under Sayadaw U Tejaniya. He had returned to Myanmar earlier his year as a lay meditator, to spend the winter in retreat. He managed to travel back to the US in spite of a debilitating illness, and self-quarantined at home in Portland, Oregon. In addition to continuing his own practice through extended self-retreats, he is also guiding meditators around the world through Zoom sessions, and discusses how yogis have found their practice impacted by the pandemic.

·      Gary Leung, an Australian meditator who came to Myanmar for eight months of Dhamma practice, and ordained temporarily as a monk at the annual Kyaswa Monastery meditation retreat in the Sagaing Hills. His first indication that the pandemic was becoming more serious was during a pilgrimage in Upper Myanmar,  when he learned that Burmese monasteries would no longer accept foreigners, and he changed his return flight earlier to be able to leave before the country shut down. Once back in Sydney, he self-quarantined in his family home, and is continuing to practice and work remotely.

Myanmar Dhamma Diaries: Empathy for the Executioners

Episode #13: In 2017, Zach Hessler, then known as U Obhasa, was a forest monk in upper Myanmar. Following in the tradition of monks during the Buddha's time, one day he set out from his forest monastery on foot to wander among the mountains and villages in the vicinity. He did so with the intention of following a set of ascetic practices known as dhutaṅga. But he could not have imagined what would happen next. Unknowingly entering a forbidden area, he and his monastic companion suddenly found themselves surrounded by several dozen men wielding weapons, suspecting that the two bhikkhus were spies. Where some would spin what ensued as an adventure tale of escaping a near-death experience in an exotic locale, Zach instead goes into the Dhamma wisdom derived from that terrifying encounter. His fascinating story explores a range of topics: the conditioning of the mind, modern and traditional forms of monkhood, living in nature, the purpose of the Vinaya, the value of practice, and what happens within the mind when the concept of death becomes an imminent reality. 

Or, download here!

COVID-19 in Myanmar: Monastic Edition

Episode #12: How is the coronavirus pandemic impacting monastics in Myanmar? This is precisely the question we set out to answer in this very special “Monastic Edition” of our COVID-19 in Myanmar series. The guests include:

·      U Viveka, a Canadian monk studying under Sayadaw U Tejaniya, who is using the pandemic as an opportunity to examine his fear of death.

·      Ashin Sarana, a Czech monk who was teaching in the US when the pandemic hit, and returned to undergo a mandatory (and then self-imposed) period of quarantine at a Burmese monastery.

·      Pabhassaro Bhikkhu, a Polish monk who found his ideal monastery just north of Yangon—only to be told he had to leave the country for visa reasons, but realizing this instability and unreliability is a core teaching of the Buddha.

·      Ashin Dhammosadha, a German monk who finished his studies at Yangon’s Buddhist University before staying at Mahasi monastery, and who eventually found his way to a small monastery north of Yangon to begin an extended self-meditation retreat.

·      Bhante Mokkhita, a German monk who runs the Muditā Foundation, supporting poor local families impacted by a loss of income due to the pandemic, and who reflects on the different ways that Westerners and Burmese approach the inevitability of death.

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COVID-19 in Myanmar: Women’s Edition

Episode #11: In the second installment of our ongoing COVID-19 in Myanmar series, we present the Women’s Edition. So often at times of crisis and at key moments in world events, it is the voices of men who make the news. This is certainly no less true in Myanmar, where speeches from revered Sayadaws and male meditation teachers dominate the Dhamma discourse. For this reason, this episode will highlight those voices and experiences of female practitioners, who discuss how they have responded to the current pandemic. The guests include:

·      Katie L’Estrange, a British teacher, fundraiser, and meditator who left her Mandalay home with her young son, just as the pandemic was exploding to return to their home in Wales.

·      Sayalay Piyadassii, a Lithuanian nun hunkering down at the Shan State Buddhist University in Taunggyi.

·      Dominica Bastrzyc, a Polish backpacker-turned-meditator who found shelter at a monastery outside of Yangon when the pandemic hit.

·      Inga Bergman, a vipassana meditator from the S.N. Goenka tradition who organized a donation drive from her home in Chicago to feed Yangon monasteries.

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COVID-19 in Myanmar: Burmese Edition

Episode #10: In this inaugural episode of our ongoing COVID-19 in Myanmar series, we present the Burmese Edition, where we hear from the four local voices who present their perspectives on the ongoing pandemic in Myanmar. They reflect on how their Buddhist faith and practice has played a role in helping to them to understand and respond to the crisis. Similar themes run through these discussions: personal karma in contrast to world events, Myanmar’s close proximately to China, praise for the Burmese government’s handling of the crisis, and affirming the power of mettā, or living kindness. The guests include:

·      Zaw Win Htet, a local historian and monastic school supporter in Chaung Oo.

·      Dr. Jenny Ko Gyi, a Buddhist professor and translator.

·      Inda Aung Soe, a former monk and founder of an organic composing organization.

·      Nay Zaw Tun, a safety and security manager at a Yangon corporation.

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Myanmar Dhamma Diaries: Sobering Up in Ingyinbin

Episode #9: In this inaugural edition of the “Myanmar Dhamma Diaries,” Joah tells the story of an alcoholic Airbnb guest from Europe who disrupts his Yangon home. Learning that the guest had chosen to stay there as a cry for help in battling his addiction problems, Joah arranges for him to meet two foreign monks to begin to learn about Dhamma, and eventually helps him to stay for several weeks under the care of Ashin Mandala at Webu Sayadaw Monastery in Ingyinbin village, in northern Myanmar. There the guest is given sensitive, personal guidance in meditation and the Dhamma, and his mind starts to quiet down for perhaps the first time in his life. Joah and Zach close by discussing what this anecdote tells us about the possibilities for spiritual practice in Myanmar today, and contrasts this experience with opportunities found in the West. Or, download here.

Swe Win

Episode #8: Swe Win’s journey has taken him from a love of British literature to the pits of solitary confinement in Insein Prison, where he escaped harsh conditions and toxic anger by taking up a meditation practice. Since leaving prison, he has become a serious vipassana meditation student in the tradition of S.N. Goenka, and has continued his activism by becoming one of Myanmar’s leading investigative journalists. In this episode we explore the remarkable life of one compelling figure. Or, download here.

Sayalay Khanticari

Episode #7: The provincial upbringing that characterized Maria Alejandra Amaya V’s childhood in the Colombian countryside outside of Bogotá could scarcely have predicted her later interest in Vipassanā meditation in the tradition of S.N. Goenka, nor her eventual life in robes of a Buddhist nun at Pa Auk Monastery. “Sometimes I think [my story] is like a very good romantic story in Theravada Buddhism,” notes Sayalay Khanticari, as she is now known by her Pāḷi nun name. “[Yet], at that time I didn’t see what was happening.” She tells how a backpacking trip around South America with her husband led to a growing interest in meditation, landing them at Dhamma Giri in Mumbai, India before an eventual stay in Myanmar. There they enjoyed extended stays at Panditarama and the International Theravada Buddhist Missionary University (ITMBU), before her eventual ordination. Sayalay Khanticari’s journey through continent and spirituality is a fascinating one, and inspiring for any meditator on the path. Or, download here.

Ashin Sarana

Episode #6: Ashin Sarana may be one of the most well-known foreign monks in Myanmar today. He conducts his own meditation courses here and routinely gives Dhamma talks in fluent Burmese. But did you know that his earliest monastic influences was a kung-fu movie and a book on magic? In this talk, U Sarana traces his spiritual journey from his native town of Pilsen in the Czech Republic to the Buddhist and Pāḷi University in Sri Lanka, to full bhikkhu ordination in Myanmar in 2012. He talks about falling in love and yet choosing monkhood over marriage, and discusses the recent controversy he stirred up in Myanmar when he suggested that lay supporters not donate to monks who touch money. Or, download here.

Daniel Mayer

Episode #5: Daniel Mayer is senior vipassana teacher (Acharya) in the S.N. Goenka tradition, in addition to being a licensed acupuncturist. He was appointed a Center Teacher (CT) originally for Dhamma Santi in Brazil, and then a Coordinating Area Teacher (CAT) “to serve the Rest of Africa.” A native Argentinian, he described going into self-exile after Juan Perón’s return to power, which led him first to Paris and then to India, where he took up meditation under Goenka-ji’s guidance. After being appointed a teacher, he undertook Spanish translation of all discourses and instructions, and conducted courses across Latin and South America, in many cases for the first time. This interview coincided with his return to Burma for the first time in exactly 40 years, when he had first visited in order to ordain as a monk at the International Meditation Center. Daniel also shares his memories about the early days of Goenka-ji’s vipassana courses in India and how they have since spread around the world. Or, download here.

Alan Clements

Episode #4: At a time when foreigners were only given seven-day visas to Burma, then one of the most closed countries in the world, Alan Clements arrived in 1977 and managed to stay nearly five years, training directly under Mahasi Sayadaw and then Sayadaw U Pandita, despite enduring repeated forced disrobings, deportations and eventual blacklistings. Despite this, Alan has returned to the Golden Land whenever and however possible, including a 1995 trip in which he was permitted to interview Aung San Suu Kyi, then temporarily released from house arrest. In this discussion, he reflects on his personal experience comprising over four decades of Dhamma practice and activism in the country that he so loves. Or, download here.

Sayalay Piyadassii

Episode #3: We caught up with Sayalay Piyadassii in Yangon, between time in her native Lithuania and as a student at Shan State Buddhist University in Taunggyi. She shares how her initial enthusiasm taking silent vipassana retreats in the tradition of S.N. Goenka led to nunhood in Myanmar in 2013, and she has remained in robes ever since. A number of themes are brought up in her spiritual biography, such as finding an appropriate balance of study and practice, the somewhat discriminatory treatment of nuns in Myanmar as compared with monks, and the benefit that Burmese culture has had on her spiritual life. Or, download here.

Thabarwa Sayadaw

Episode #2: Thabarwa Sayadaw has had a meteoric rise in Myanmar. After weathering a series of crises that threatened the very existence of his monastery, the Burmese monastic’s mission is now expanding at an unprecedented rate across not only the country but the entire world. And then there is his monastery itself, which is redefining the role of monasticism and the shape of Burmese Buddhism in the 21st century. In this inaugural interview, Thabarwa Sayadaw shares his biography from layman to monastic, as well as the early start of his monastery. Or, download here.

Introduction Episode

Welcome to the Insight Myanmar podcast! We start you off with a brief introduction of what you have to look forward to, and include previews of six upcoming feature-length episodes. Or, download here.