Heritage and Hope
Coming Soon…
The 4th International Conference on Burma/Myanmar Studies (ICBMS) took place in August 2024, hosted by Chiang Mai University's Regional Center for Social Science and Sustainable Development (RCSD). This major academic event brought together scholars, activists, and experts from various fields to address the complex issues confronting Myanmar. The conference covered political, social, and economic dynamics, focusing on ongoing conflicts, peace efforts, human rights, and the impact of the 2021 coup, with the goal of fostering dialogue, research, and advocacy for sustainable solutions. An estimated 800 attendees participated over the three-day event, possibly making it one of the largest conferences of its kind.
Insight Myanmar Podcast was granted exclusive on-site access to conduct brief interviews with attendees. These short "grabs," averaging just ten minutes each, offered a departure from the typical long-form format of our interviews with single guests. The result is something truly unique: listeners are introduced to a wide array of topics and voices within a single episode, ranging from gender equality, ethnic identity, and digital security to mental health, art and architecture, food security, and much more. We spoke with a total of 18 guests, and their insights are presented across a four-part series. This is the fourth part.
Gar, representing the Myanmar Internet Project, focuses on digital rights and security issues. Since the military coup, her work has become even more critical due to the regime's attempts to control information flow and suppress dissent. Gar explains that the military has implemented widespread internet restrictions, shut down services, and installed surveillance technologies to monitor activists, political opponents, and civil society organizations. She emphasizes the importance of raising awareness and providing digital security support to those at risk. Her organization documents incidents of online propaganda, misinformation, and digital surveillance, aiming to equip individuals and organizations with the tools needed to protect themselves in an increasingly repressive digital environment. “There are a lot of groups on Telegram, and they will reveal your photos, address and workplace, and in their post, [suggest who] that the police should arrest this woman or this man, because they are against the military. So it can be really dangerous just only liking a post, or to comment share.”
Jaivet Eolom, affiliated with the Myanmar Policy and Action Knowledge Hub at the University of Toronto, reflects on the critical juncture Myanmar finds itself at. He describes this as a rare opportunity for the country to reshape its future, warning that there is little room for error. Jaivet stressed that this will involve unlearning decades of military propaganda and media manipulation, while also learning to navigate new social and political landscapes. He explains that the military regime has inculcated in the population some deeply entrenched, harmful narratives, such as the misconceptions surrounding the Rohingya, which extend far beyond the 1982 citizenship laws. He hopes that continued exposure to external ideas can help Burmese citizens unlearn the residues of this propaganda, allowing the revolution to avoid repeating the mistakes of the past. “I'm shocked how much of the brains of Myanmar has been pushed outside of the water. I would say it's beyond brain drain! I really hope all these people would find a way to go back when things settle down.”
Napas Thein is a research fellow with the University of British Columbia, as well as the Myanmar Policy and Action Knowledge Hub at the University of Toronto. He emphasizes the importance of connecting research and humanitarian efforts inside and outside Myanmar, and highlights the value of filmmaking as a powerful tool to share the stories of people affected by the conflict, specifically in ethnic regions. Napas also sees technology and accessible mediums as vital in bridging the gap between international research and on-the-ground realities. “One thing to remember is that a lot of the people who are outside of the country still do a lot of work inside the country. Many people in Thailand still go and do NGO related [work] in Myanmar. So it not necessarily that because they're out, they're not contributing.”
Sharon Bell, involved in Myanmar through agricultural development work, has been focusing on a resilient horticulture project funded by New Zealand’s International Development Cooperation since 2019. She emphasizes the importance of civil society organizations in Myanmar that have continued their work at the grassroots level, despite challenges posed by COVID-19 and the coup. Sharon also highlights the severe food insecurity in Myanmar and expresses hope in the resilience of its communities. She urges the international community, especially those from the Global North, to listen to and support local efforts in Myanmar, recognizing the critical role they play in sustaining progress during these challenging times. “The coup has forced the hand of the international community to re-look at these [ethnic armed] groups as legitimate development actors and legitimate political actors, and to look at the work that these organizations had already been doing, [like] developing their own education systems, their own healthcare systems, and to get alongside that work, instead of going back to that centralized model. So I think we can see that decentralized model is one that might provide some way forward now.”
Tin Maung Htwe is a research fellow at Chiang Mai University’s Regional Center for Social Science and Sustainable Development (RCSD), focusing on human rights, migration, and the Rohingya crisis. He has worked extensively in Rakhine State, facilitating peace building efforts between the Rakhine and Rohingya communities. Tin Maung Htwe emphasizes the complexity of the Rohingya issue, which has involved not only the Rohingya and Rakhine people but also the Burmese military and other authorities. He highlights the importance of fostering empathy between communities, promoting dialogue, and encouraging collaboration to address long-standing divisions. Since the 2021 coup, he relocated to Chiang Mai for safety and continues to research the intersections of Chinese investment, migration, and conflict resolution in Myanmar. “Most of the people look at this Rohingya crisis through Western ideologies, but [look at] the role that China is also indirectly [playing], because Rakhine is a gateway for the Yunnan province to get all the energy resources and even for trading.”
Kham Mai is a representative from the Shan Women's Action Network (SWAN), a community-based organization formed in 1999 to support the Shan people, particularly women, during times of conflict. She explains that SWAN was established by a group of women who recognized the urgent need for healthcare, education, and crisis support in Shan State and along the Thai border, especially for those who were displaced or are undocumented. Kham Mai highlights the organization's work in empowering women through education programs, leadership training, and providing essential healthcare, including reproductive health services and support for survivors of gender-based violence. She stresses the importance of women’s participation in political decision-making and emphasizes the challenges they face, particularly in conflict zones where access to healthcare and legal services is limited. “We do young women leadership training and emerging women leadership training. This training aims to promote womens’ capacity to be able to be involved in the politics and in the decision-making level.”