Episode #278: Silent No More
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 important academic gathering brought together scholars, activists, and experts from various fields to discuss Myanmar's complex challenges. The conference covered a broad range of issues, including political, social, and economic dynamics, ongoing conflicts, peace processes, human rights, and the lasting effects of the 2021 coup. The aim was to encourage dialogue, research, and advocacy for sustainable solutions. With an estimated attendance of over 800 people, it’s believed to be one of the largest events of its kind.
Insight Myanmar Podcast was granted exclusive on-site access to record brief interviews with various attendees. These short “grabs,” averaging just ten minutes each, offer a fresh format compared to our usual longform interviews. The result is something unique: listeners are treated to a broad array of topics and voices, spanning discussions on gender equality, ethnic identity, digital security, mental health, art and architecture, food security, and much more. Altogether, we spoke with 18 guests, and this four-part series brings their insights to you. This episode is the second in the series.
Saijai Liangpunsakul is from Thailand but lived in Myanmar for six years, and is now a key figure in documenting human rights abuses through open-source technology. After the 2021 coup, she returned to Thailand and helped start Myanmar Witness, which focuses on monitoring online harassment and abuse, particularly against women activists and journalists. She emphasizes that women often suffer in silence due to a lack of support, especially in cases of online harassment. Saijai's work seeks to provide an "online ambulance" that offers technical assistance, mental health support, and documentation of such cases. She notes that online bullying is prevalent on both sides—by the military and the resistance—but that attacks on women tend to focus on their gender, appearance, and personal lives rather than their ideas… which differs from harassment against men. “A lot of women we talked to decided to close all their social media! [They said,] ‘I don't want to speak up, because when I speak up, there is this harassment.’ So why this is important? It reduces the participation of women in democratic process!”
“Arabella” (a pseudonym used for safety), emphasizes the importance of digital safety for individuals and organizations in Myanmar. She highlights the increasing risks posed by the military regime, particularly their use of sophisticated tools supported by external actors like China to monitor and jeopardize online security. Arabella advises against using free Virtual Private Networks (VPN), as they actually compromise safety, and instead advocates for the use of paid, secure VPN systems. In addition, she mentions the need for organizations to store documents in secure cloud systems to prevent sensitive information from being exploited if physical copies are compromised. “I'm so impressed, like so many other people, with the perseverance, the resilience, the strength, and with Burmese people from all walks and ethnicities, and from from all over the country. You are so impressive, and you are my personal heroes!”
Ada is a medical doctor who has embraced the field of mental health support, particularly in response to the increased challenges she has seen following the coup. She discusses how the conflict has led to heightened stress and emotional turmoil across Burmese society, with many struggling to cope with long-term trauma, safety concerns, and a lack of trusted spaces to express their feelings. Ada highlights that men and women handle emotional stress differently, with women more likely to talk to one another, while men often stay silent. She emphasizes the personal evolution she experienced in acknowledging her own difficult emotions, finding acceptance and a sense of liberation. Ada believes that by understanding and accepting their emotions, individuals can better help themselves and others. “Most men don't really talk about their emotions, even with close friends or colleagues. So men [struggle] more to handle their difficult emotions. They have a lot to hold onto, and they are holding it inside.”
Joe Anderson is a 24-year-old from London who became deeply interested in Myanmar after a tourist visit in 2016. His fascination led him to focus on Southeast Asian Studies at SOAS, London, where he was inspired by scholars like John Okell and Justin Watkins. Following the 2021 coup, Joe became very involved in Myanmar activism, particularly through his work with diaspora groups in London, and later in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Joe highlights the transformative experience of engaging with Myanmar's complex political landscape, both as a foreigner and a young person. He stresses the importance of being mindful of one's positionality and privilege when working in the activism space, stressing that he is motivated by the determination and willpower he learned from Myanmar activists. “If I do want to be of use in some form or capacity, then I really have to be direct with my work and try to make sure that I'm not just taking up space, especially as a foreigner. Being educated at SOAS, there's obviously a lot of conversations around positionality and where I'm coming from, and acknowledging and recognizing my privilege. It’s a continuous negotiation within myself, but also realizing that, if I am taking up the space, how can I use it the most effectively?”