Insight Myanmar

Episode #259: 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.

Episode #258: On this special day of August 8th, the anniversary of 8888, we bring you a story of freedom.Azad's mission is a testament to the enduring spirit of international solidarity and the fight for democracy. An internationalist from the USA, Azad's journey began in the heart of the Rojava revolution in northeastern Syria, where he spent four years aligning with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). This experience deepened his commitment to revolutionary causes and honed his skills as a fighter and trainer. Motivated by a sense of duty to support oppressed peoples, he transitioned to the conflict in Myanmar, embedding himself in the resistance movement in Chin State. Azad's mission in Myanmar is multifaceted, focusing on providing advanced sniper training and enhancing the operational capabilities of local resistance fighters. Despite the challenges, including limited resources and harsh conditions, efforts like Azar’s are crucial in helping level the playing field against the well-armed—though demoralized— Burmese military forces. His training emphasizes the importance of precision, technical expertise, and strategic acumen, aiming to transform motivated but inexperienced locals into effective combatants.“The revolution in northeastern Syria and the revolution that's going on here touch very much on the same wavelength, if you will,” he says. “People all over the world, they're looking at these revolutions that are happening. And the question is people; not governments, not states, not organizations. The question is people! When they're faced with dictatorship, when they're faced with tyranny, or when people come together and they want to fight for their own freedom for their own autonomy for their own self-determination … can they do it?” 

Episode #257: This is a story about how the Burmese are willing to pass through hell and high water in order to evict the military from their seat of power, and achieve their democracy.Lorcan Lovett is an experienced journalist who has dedicated much of his career to covering Myanmar’s tumultuous and complex political and cultural landscape. He paints a vivid picture of the dynamic energy that characterized the country during its nascent democracy, with its growing industries and vibrant cultural scene, that wasbrought to a screeching halt by the coup, instituting a new, stark and brutal reality.Through Lorcan’s lens, we witness the resilience of the Myanmar people, their fight against oppression, and the harsh realities of conflict. Lorcan's stories are not just about the headlines; they delve into the personal experiences of those caught in the crossfire, from young resistance fighters to displaced villagers. His narrative brings to life the everyday struggles and profound courage of a nation in turmoil.Lorcan also shares the challenges of reporting in such an environment, the ethical dilemmas faced by journalists, and the unyielding spirit of the Myanmar people. His account is a testament to the power of journalism in uncovering truths and giving a voice to those who strive for justice and freedom in the face of overwhelming adversity.“The resistance overall is ready,” he says, describing how they are on the precipice of unseating the military regime. “They are on a journey of figuring out what the future looks like, from village to township to state or region to a country as a whole.”

Episode #256: Michael Haack, a long-time advocate and policy expert, outlines the long and arduous journey of the Burma Act from its inception to appropriation. The Burma Act, a legislative framework guiding US policy toward Myanmar, required relentless lobbying to secure the necessary funding, ultimately resulting in a significant $167 million appropriation, a notable increase in a period of general budget cuts.Haack highlights the power of grassroots activism. The concerted efforts of local constituencies, churches, and advocacy groups played a pivotal role in influencing key legislators like Mitch McConnell, demonstrating the impact of community engagement on foreign policy. Despite the systemic challenges, the increased funding reflects a robust commitment to supporting Myanmar’s democratic aspirations and humanitarian needs.Concerning the multifaceted nature of US aid, Haack offers a nuanced view of the interplay between policy, power, and the pursuit of global justice, urging continued grassroots efforts to sustain and enhance US support for Myanmar.In the end, Haack is cautiously hopeful that US funding towards Burma will continue to increase, albeit with a caveat that if Donald Trump is elected, overall foreign aid will dip across the board. He also remarks on the US’s gradual shift from a Burma policy that had been driven almost entirely around the person of Aung San Suu Kyi, and which now relies increasingly on the voices of ethnic communities who have settled in the US. “That opens the possibility of a really different way of looking at the conflict, and I think one that is more realistic,” he says. “Whatever you think about Suu Kyi, she's literally one of something like 56 million people. We have the basis to drive a US-Myanmar policy that's much more realistic and much more robust, and the expansion does show that the US is paying attention to Myanmar.”

Episode #255: Roger Huang dives into the enigmatic nature of Myanmar's political landscape, arguing that the transition period wasn't driven by external pressures like sanctions or international isolation, but by an internal recalibration towards the military realizing its vision of a “disciplined democracy.” This vision is rooted in the failure of the Burmese Way to Socialism of the 1960s-70s, which prompted the military to pivot towards more economic openness combined with tightly controlled democratization that would ensure their continued dominance.From the 1990s onwards, the military indeed benefited from economic openings despite international sanctions, enriching themselves and cronies through trade with countries like China and Thailand. The 2010s brought genuine, albeit limited, liberalization, which was part of the military's plan, and not a step towards full democratization. The military's grip tightened again as the NLD's electoral success threatened their system.Civil society, often seen as a democratizing force, was allowed to flourish only within strict limits, providing services where the state did not, but never challenging the military's core interests. The military's resilience, unity, and adaptability have been key to its enduring control. In sum, Huang's analysis presents a stark picture: the junta’s “disciplined democracy” was never meant to transition to true civilian rule, and any significant challenge to this system would always have been met with the swift reassertion of military dominance.

Kitti Prasirtsuk, a professor at Thammasat University known for his expertise in regional politics, discusses the ongoing Myanmar crisis and the ineffectiveness of ASEAN and Thailand's responses. He highlights the complex interplay of Thailand's economic ties and military relations with Myanmar, stressing the need for negotiations with the junta, despite its lack of credibility. Kitti emphasizes China's potential influence and advocates for a unified effort among major powers to address the humanitarian crisis and support opposition forces striving for change.

Episode #253: This is the 4th installment of our interview with Jonathan Crowley, a dedicated vipassana meditator in the tradition of S. N. Goenka. In this episode, he speaks about the time he and his wife Carolyn spent in Myanmar, and how that affected his spiritual journey in general, and specifically his practice of meditation.Myanmar is particularly vulnerable to “Orientalism,” a term referring to the distorted, exotified views that Westerners have of Mideastern and Eastern cultures. Goenka's narrative paint both an overly romanticized view of the country, as well as encouraging a restrictive interpretation through the narrow lens of the lineage tradition and Goenka’s “purity” narrative, which clashes with the vibrant, complex and rich reality that Jonathan and his wife encountered during their time in the country.As the dissonant experiences accumulate, Jonathan faces increasing angst about the organization's messaging and his own complicity in promulgating the tradition’s mythology through a desire to belong and in his role as Assistant Teacher. Increasingly, he grapples with the belief that meditation alone cannot address deeply ingrained social conditioning, and that personal liberation and addressing societal issues are not mutually exclusive, finding himself more and more at odds with the organization’s perspective.

Episode #252: Born in a Thai refugee camp after his family fled the violence in Myanmar, Star2’s life has been remarkable. His family moved to San Diego when he was just five, and there he faced a new set of challenges, including language barriers, cultural adjustments and bullying. To escape these hardships, he found solace and inspiration in music, particularly hip-hop. Influenced by artists like Tupac, Star2 began creating his music, blending genres like pop, R&B, and hip-hop to reflect his diverse experiences.Star2's songs, such as "Six Feet Away" and "Pain," address themes of fame, personal struggles, and the impact of his upbringing. His music resonates with a broad audience, including Asian communities and Western listeners. Returning to Myanmar recently, Star2 was motivated by the resilience of the people and aims to use his growing platform to raise awareness about their plight. Despite the difficulties, Star2 remains focused on his career, hoping to amplify his people's voices and stories through his art while avoiding direct involvement in politics due to potential risks.“[My listeners are] people who have gone through what I’ve gone through, people who feel like they don’t fit in, because I never fit in. I was different. But people who are different, they’re usually my people. They’re very supportive. Back home in the jungle, they listen to my stuff even though there’s no service out there. It’s crazy! Even in Myanmar, I have a big fan base. Burmese people, all Asian people, it doesn’t matter what type of Asian you are. As long as I’m growing and becoming bigger and more well-known, I’m the voice for the Asian community, not just my people."

Episode #251: Alexandra Kaloyanides joins the podcast to talk about her recent book, Baptizing Burma: Religious Change in the Last Buddhist Kingdom. After pursuing her own meditation practice while exploring more traditional themes in Buddhist studies, she became fascinated by “these young evangelical Americans who ended up sort of by accident in Burma.”She notes that the origins of missionary interest in Asia can be traced to early 19th century theories that ancient Sanskrit manuscripts told of a Jesus-like figure, leading some to suspect that the messiah had actually traveled to Asia, but in the ensuing centuries, his teachings had been lost there. She notes how this narrative nourished their sense of Asia as “‘this land of darkness’ that they could bring light to.” Surprisingly, Kaloyanides describes how Karen tribes had a parallel mythology that spoke of a lost book that would be delivered by foreigners in the far-off future; for this reason, the American missionaries were warmly welcomed by the Karen.  Some Baptists even began to speculate that the Karen might be one of the lost tribes of Israel! Overall, the mission’s success with converting ethnic peoples was much greater than with the Bamar. Many missionaries, especially women, saw modern education as an important tool in luring people towards conversion. They stocked schools with equipment such as globes and maps and the like. And while many Bamar showed a great interest in those objects, few had any interest in conversion. But the schools, themselves, were very impactful on Burmese culture. A more modern education, in English, is actually one of the missionary movement’s enduring legacies in Burma. Kaloyanides notes how missionaries impacted Burmese culture in unintended ways, too, such as bringing the first printing press into the country. Somewhat ironically, too, she explains how the missionaries’ work in Buddhist lands, although for the most part unsuccessful, ultimately facilitated a greater understanding of Buddhist thought in the West.In her final analysis, other than their great success in ethnic territories, Kaloyanides emphasizes the overall failure of missionary work in Burma. “Burmese Buddhism became, if anything, more pronounced, stronger, more powerful in the face of all of this change [like in education] and challenge,” she says.

Episode #250: Rosalia (“Lia”) Sciortino, founder of SEA Junction in Bangkok, shares her poignant narrative of dedication to the country of Myanmar. Her journey began with an interest in cultural anthropology and development sociology, which led her to Southeast Asia. Lia's subsequent work with the Ford Foundation, Rockefeller Foundation, and IDRC provided her with a deeper understanding of the region’s socio-political complexities.Lia’s connection with Myanmar deepened through her focus on transnational issues such as migration, trafficking, and cross-border health. Her commitment to social justice and democracy is reflected in her support for various advocacy programs even through Myanmar’s most repressive periods. She underscores the resilience of Myanmar’s civil society, particularly the role of women and LGBTQI activists, who have been on the front lines of the struggle against the military junta.Through SEA Junction, Lia creates a public space to foster awareness and empathy for Southeast Asian issues. Exhibitions, discussions, and art installations serve as powerful tools to engage the public and highlight the ongoing struggle for democracy in Myanmar.Lia hopes that more people will tune in and become involved. “There is a shortage of international community attention, and unfortunately, they have abdicated the management of this to ASEAN,” she says, adding that because they have not met their responsibility, that the international community should have “remained active and implemented all kinds of sanctions and embargoes and stopped the sale of arms. There is a lot of work to be done internationally! But at the same time, we can see that the people of Myanmar really engage, and this is why I think is a fantastic example for the rest of the region.”