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PODCAST

Insight Myanmar

Insight Myanmar Podcast

Insight Myanmar is a beacon for those seeking to understand the intricate dynamics of Myanmar. With a commitment to uncovering truth and fostering understanding, the podcast brings together activists, artists, leaders, monastics, and authors to share their first-hand experiences and insights. Each episode delves deep into the struggles, hopes, and resilience of the Burmese people, offering listeners a comprehensive, on-the-ground perspective of the nation"s quest for democracy and freedom. And

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All Episodes

01:47:22

A Tamil Erasure

Insight Myanmar ·

2025/06/13

Episode #354: Saravanan, an advocate for Myanmar's alienated Tamil community, illuminates their rich, yet overlooked, history. He describes an ancient connection, starting around 300 BC, through trade between Tamil merchants and the Mon people. Those early Tamil migrants eventually assimilated completely, suggesting hidden Tamil ancestry in many Burmese today.The colonial era marked a huge turning point. From just 19 Indians living in Yangon in 1852, the rice boom led to a surge of cheap Indian

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02:00:42

Over the Borderline

Insight Myanmar ·

2025/06/10

Episode #353: Professor Lahra Smith, a political science professor specializing in East Africa at Georgetown University, argues that Myanmar’s current struggles must be seen within a global framework of colonial legacies, using Sudan as a comparative case. While acknowledging contextual differences, Smith shows how both countries were shaped by British colonial rule that hardened ethnic divisions, created infrastructure disparities, and entrenched political inequalities.Sudan lies within Africa’s

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47:52

Bonus Episode: The Global Citizen

Insight Myanmar ·

2025/06/08

The Global Citizen Podcast recently featured a look at the work behind Insight Myanmar and Better Burma, which we bring you here as a bonus episode.

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01:14:37

A Nation Interrupted

Insight Myanmar ·

2025/06/06

Episode #352: Nicholas Coppel’s tenure as Australia’s ambassador to Myanmar (2015–2018) provides a unique lens on the country’s transition toward democracy, as well as the enduring challenges posed by military dominance. Serving during the historic 2015 elections, Coppel witnessed the National League for Democracy (NLD) rise to power under Aung San Suu Kyi. Yet despite the optimism surrounding the election, the military’s entrenched authority under the 2008 Constitution continued to hinder reform

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01:09:42

From the Strait to the Streets

Insight Myanmar ·

2025/06/03

Episode #351: Aurora Chang’s diverse background and upbringing deeply influence her perspective and activism. Born in Taiwan, she spent formative years in South Africa, the United States, Singapore, and the United Kingdom, an international upbringing that provided her with a multifaceted worldview. This exposure also played a role in informing how she views her Taiwanese identity, particularly as she grappled with questions about her country’s sovereignty in light of its complex relationship with

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35:04

On the Frontlines of Democracy

Insight Myanmar ·

2025/06/01

Episode #350: Dr. Kevin Casas-Zamora, Secretary-General of International IDEA since 2019, speaks on the enduring struggle for democracy in Myanmar, a fight he frames as universally relevant. “At a fundamental level, any country’s struggle for democracy is every country’s struggle for democracy,” he says. He contrasts the brutal 2021 military coup with the more gradual democratic erosion seen globally, highlighting Myanmar’s stark regression.International IDEA, established in 1995, works to

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02:03:58

Fields of Gold

Insight Myanmar ·

2025/05/30

Episode #349: Oliver Tanner's journey begins in London, where as a teenager, he became restless and dissatisfied with the status quo. At 19, he traveled through Asia, which first exposed him to the idea of meditation. He first practiced yoga, but a chance encounter led to a Vipassana meditation course in the tradition of S. N. Goenka, which profoundly shifted his perspective. His commitment deepened through sitting and serving at Vipassana centers, notably in the UK, where he immersed himself in

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02:06:41

Spring Awakening

Insight Myanmar ·

2025/05/27

Episode #348: The Spring Revolution in Myanmar represents a continuation of long-standing struggles for a legitimate political order, according to Charlie Thame, Assistant Professor of International Relations at Thammasat University.Thame describes this uprising as a "redemptive revolution," striving to fulfill the promises of past movements like the 1988 Uprising and the Saffron Revolution. The current revolution aims for popular sovereignty and inclusion, seeking rights for marginalized ethnic

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01:07:19

Dispatches from the Edge

Insight Myanmar ·

2025/05/23

Episode #347: In the first part of this three-part series, three distinct yet intersecting voices reveal the human, political, and structural toll of the Myanmar crisis—and the inadequacy of ASEAN’s current response.Charles Santiago, a veteran Malaysian politician and currently the chair of the Asean Parliamentarians for Human Rights, delivers a scathing critique of ASEAN’s “process-driven” stagnation in contrast to Indonesia’s proactive diplomacy. He argues that poverty and inequality—rooted in

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01:20:28

Burn After Reforming

Insight Myanmar ·

2025/05/20

Episode #346: Mark Farmaner, Director of Burma Campaign UK, reflects on Myanmar’s multiple crises and shares his multi-decade relationship with the country. Initially engaged through public demonstrations, Farmaner’s work evolved into policy-oriented advocacy aimed at cutting off the military’s power through sanctions, revenue disruption, and denial of legitimacy. He criticizes international strategies rooted in the false hope of military reform, arguing that any compromise with the military only

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56:21

Bonus Episode: Light Forest

Insight Myanmar ·

2025/05/18

The host of Insight Myanmar was invited to speak on the Light Forest Podcast.Here is a description of this platform:"The Light Forest podcast is a journey of exploration to bring more Light into how we live and regenerate our planet away from 'Dark Forest' systems of extraction and fear. Join me for conversations with change makers from around the world, as we explore philosophies, technology, spirituality, and history that can help us get to the root of our global problems. Together we learn how to

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01:08:28

The Art of Doing Nothing

Insight Myanmar ·

2025/05/16

Episode #345: Does any and all engagement with the junta equate to some form of complicity? Moe Thuzar of ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute challenges this notion by offering a nuanced perspective on ASEAN’s role in the Myanmar crisis following the 2021 coup. She argues that ASEAN’s diplomacy aims to exert influence and advocate for the Myanmar people’s aspirations.Moe Thuzar begins by explaining that there are “multiple Myanmars” beyond Naypyidaw: “in the peri-urban and central areas, the delta, the

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02:16:31

Rangoon Confidential

Insight Myanmar ·

2025/05/13

Episode #344: Dominic Faulder’s decades of reporting on Myanmar began serendipitously in 1981, when a Thai coup disrupted his travel plans and led to an impromptu journey to Burma for Thingyan. He was immediately struck by the atmosphere—enticing yet oppressive—and quickly became fascinated by the country's complexity, secrecy, and resilience. In the 1980s, he uncovered the unreported Mandalay fire, which destroyed a sixth of the city, and found that a similar catastrophe in the town of Taungdwingyi

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01:06:10

On The Waterfront

Insight Myanmar ·

2025/05/09

Episode #343: “I literally thought the world was crumbling!”Chloe, a young woman born and raised in Myanmar’s Inle Lake region, speaks viscerally about the country’s recent, devastating earthquake. The lake, known for its picturesque floating gardens and villages built on stilts, is one of Myanmar’s most iconic cultural landmarks. But the area is now in ruins. And while the structural damage was severe enough, the people were traumatized.With minimal outside relief, and an ineffective and corrupt

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02:16:31

An Irish Bhikkhu in Burma

Insight Myanmar ·

2025/05/06

Episode #342: Dhammaloka, born Laurence Carroll in Dublin around 1856, was a unique figure in the history of Buddhism and anti-colonial resistance. Much of what we know today about Dhammaloka comes from Laurence Cox, Alicia Turner, and Brian Bocking in “The Irish Buddhist.”Carroll left Ireland as a teenager, becoming a sailor and tramp, living on the margins of society. These experiences shaped his adaptability and led to his connection with Buddhism when he arrived in Burma. Unlike other Europeans,

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01:49:16

The Unfriendly Skies

Insight Myanmar ·

2025/05/02

Episode #341: As the military has suffered setbacks in the field, its use of indiscriminate aerial bombing has only increased, taking a deadly toll on civilians and leaving a legacy of trauma for survivors.In this episode, we take you inside a conversation with resistance artists and researchers who have been working with A New Burma, through their exhibitions in Thailand titled “When We See the Planes.” These events shed light on the tragic effects of air strikes – and people’s refusal to succumb

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01:35:46

Lost In Translation

Insight Myanmar ·

2025/04/29

Episode #340: Having taught at Payap University in Chiang Mai from 2016–2022, Tony Waters mentored doctoral students grappling with Myanmar’s long history of war, repression, and foreign interference. His students’ pride in their cultures, alongside their questioning of the country’s fragmentation, helped shape his own understanding of Myanmar’s deeper crises and multi-layered history.One dissertation, exploring Ne Win’s Burmanization policy, particularly influenced his thinking. It traced the

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01:19:50

Whose Byline Is It Anyway?

Insight Myanmar ·

2025/04/25

Episode #339: Aung, a full-time journalist and women’s rights activist, sheds light on the many hardships Myanmar’s journalists now face both operating from within and without the country following the 2021 coup and the all-important issue of gender equality in the field.Reflecting back on the transition period, Aung laments that despite the modest advancements made in women’s rights and gender equality, the military coup has undone these gains. Now, confronted with unprecedented challenges, she and

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53:17

Emergency Declined

Insight Myanmar ·

2025/04/22

Episode #338: “[The quake] revealed the tragic disconnect between the government's understanding—or perhaps, willingness to communicate—the severity of the disaster and the actual level of risk facing the population.”In a compelling analysis, Professor Dean Kyne critiques Myanmar’s disaster management, highlighting how decades of military rule have prioritized authoritarian control over public welfare. He illustrates this with the 2008 Cyclone Nargis, when the junta ignored early warnings and

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01:37:28

The Start of a Path

Insight Myanmar ·

2025/04/18

Episode #337: U Jagara's journey is characterized by a deep commitment to spiritual practice, resilience, and the pursuit of authenticity. Growing up in a small town in Quebec, his early life was marked by a desire to find meaning beyond the material world. Inspired by his brother, U Jagara took his first vipassana meditation course with S.N. Goenka, and eventually traveled to Europe, India, and Burma, where he ordained as a monk under Mahasi Sayadaw. He persevered in this endeavor despite the

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