DO 129 - Burma revisited: Life under a military coup, the role of grassroots groups & the potential for cryptocurrency

During the night of February 1/2, 2021, a military junta deposed the elected government of Burma (Myanmar) and instituted martial law.

Protests followed, answered by a violent and swift crackdown by the newly self-installed military dictatorship. They have attacked protestors in the streets, killed innocent bystanders, and wrongfully detained, interrogated, tortured, imprisoned, and killed many innocent people seeking only peace, freedom, and self-determination.

This is the second podcast installment of a series of conversations on the situation in Burma. (The first installment can be accessed here: youtu.be/j288oI1poFE) 

Once again we speak with "Romeo," a pseudonymous woman living and working in Yangon since long before the 2021 coup. Her work with the underground resistance facilitates citizens' grassroots resistance efforts including nonviolent forms of protests and general strikes to oppose the actions of the junta.

We also speak with longtime friends and colleagues Lisa and Rocky.

Rocky is ethnic Karen (from Karen State eastern Burma) and spent most of his childhood in a refugee camp. Lisa is originally from Scotland but has worked in the Thailand-Burma border region since the 1990s. She and Rocky lived in Thailand/Burma with their two kids for many years until the past few years they have been based in Scotland. They have a lot of experience working with grassroots groups of Karen women and youth on health issues, environmental issues, conflict and human rights abuses.

"Romeo" is based in Yangon but with Lisa and Rocky's perspectives we were able to expand the discussion a bit to talk about how the coup and ongoing conflict has affected border and hill tribe areas, some history of the conflict and political situation in Burma, the roles that grassroots and community-based networks have played in relief and aid during and after natural disasters and conflicts, etc. 

We also talked about the potential role for cryptocurrencies facilitating exchange and support as a parallel system to gov't controlled banks and the economic/inflation crisis the country has been experiencing.

More information can be found at joshkearns.substack.com. 

Our crowdfunding campaign to support underground resistance, peace, and democracy in Burma: givesendgo.com/G9TS8