Insight Myanmar

Insight Myanmar

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 yet, Insight Myanmar is not just a platform for political discourse; it's a sanctuary for spiritual exploration. Our discussions intertwine the struggles for democracy with the deep-rooted meditation traditions of Myanmar, offering a holistic understanding of the nation. We delve into the rich spiritual heritage of the country, tracing the origins of global meditation and mindfulness movements to their roots in Burmese culture. Each episode is a journey through the vibrant landscape of Myanmar's quest for freedom, resilience, and spiritual riches. Join us on this enlightening journey as we amplify the voices that matter most in Myanmar's transformative era.

  1. 19시간 전

    Once Upon A Time

    Episode #299: Greg Constantine’s project on the Rohingya community is a profound exploration of both their suffering and resilience. Through years of dedicated storytelling, Greg has sought to shed light on the overlooked experiences of the Rohingya, a predominantly Muslim ethnic minority in Myanmar. Despite deep roots in Rakhine State, the Rohingya have faced systemic persecution for decades, culminating in the 1982 citizenship law that left them stateless and stripped of basic rights. Greg’s work began in 2006, and he has since documented the ongoing oppression and humanity of the Rohingya people. He captures not only moments of suffering but also the ordinary lives and hopes of the community. In 2019, Greg curated an exhibition at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, which shifted his approach to include a fuller narrative—showing not only the suffering but also the contributions of the Rohingya. This led to the project “Ek Khaale,” meaning “Once upon a time,” aimed at reclaiming the Rohingya narrative. The project gathered family photos, personal documents, and other artifacts to reveal the community’s history and humanity. Launched as an online interactive experience, “Ek Khaale” presents the Rohingya's story through nine chapters, highlighting cultural heritage, contributions during World War II, and their resilience despite systemic violence. Greg’s work challenges the perception of the Rohingya as passive victims, instead presenting them as a community with a rich culture, deep connections, and a history of contributions. Ultimately, his work aims to restore dignity to the Rohingya and humanize a community often reduced to mere statistics.  "The reason why I kept going back to that story is because if I thought about almost like all the different characteristics that make up this theme of statelessness... I don't think that there was any other community that had been so incredibly paralyzed by all of those different characteristics than the Rohingya community. It was a perfect storm."

    1시간 36분
  2. 4일 전

    Coming To America

    Episode #298: Maia Storm is an immigration attorney with over 25 years’ experience specializing in assisting refugees, particularly those from Myanmar. She began her career helping prisoners facing long detentions or deportation, before opening her own firm to serve the growing Burmese refugee community in Michigan. Her focus shifted after the 2021 Myanmar coup, as she has since worked tirelessly to assist individuals fleeing political persecution and seeking asylum in the United States. Maia’s clients have often been involved in anti-coup activities and fear being arrested or conscripted back home. Navigating the U.S. immigration system is a grueling, years-long process that often leaves refugees in a state of uncertainty. Maia advocates for these clients, helping them apply for asylum or temporary protected status (TPS), often overcoming significant barriers like language difficulties, lack of documentation, and the emotional toll of fleeing a violent regime. While the legal process can be complex and bureaucratic, Maia’s passion for her clients’ stories and her personal commitment to their safety make her a vital resource. Despite the system’s challenges, Maia has built a strong rapport with her clients, guiding them through the difficult asylum application process and preparing them for their interviews and hearings. She emphasizes the importance of personalizing their stories to make them more credible, to help overcome bureaucratic red tape. Asylum cases are never straightforward, but Maia’s approach ensures that each client’s voice is heard. She remains steadfast in her mission to offer a lifeline to those fleeing violence and oppression, helping them find safety and a future in the United States. “Most of these people have been active in some kind of anti-coup activity,” she says. “And they may even have warrants out for their arrest! So I try to help as many people as I can."​

    2시간 24분
  3. 2024. 12. 31.

    A Taste of Resilience

    Episode #297: The vibrant flavors of Burmese cuisine have traveled far beyond the borders of Myanmar, embedding themselves into global food culture. Earlier this year, we convened a panel discussion that delved not only into recipes and cooking techniques, but also into the themes of resilience, culture, and migration. Our guests included: ·      Kenneth Wong: A Burmese-American author, translator, and UC Berkeley language teacher. ·      Ma Nandar: A feminist activist and storyteller from Shan State, Myanmar, Ma Nandar channels her passion for justice through her leadership in the Purple Feminists Group and her creative exploration of food as a form of healing and memory. ·      Htet Khine Soe (Ko Htet): A long-time activist involved in movements from the Saffron Revolution to "Food Not Bombs," Ko Htet continues his humanitarian work from Mae Sot, after years of persecution and personal loss under Myanmar’s military regime. ·      Thin Lei Win: An acclaimed journalist and founder of Myanmar Now and The Kite Tales, Thin Lei Win combines her reporting on climate and food systems with a deep personal passion for cooking, exploring the connections between food, culture, and sustainability. Food plays a vital role in cultural preservation for Burmese families, connecting them to their homeland and history. As the diaspora spread across countries like Thailand, Australia, and the U.S., beloved recipes were passed down through generations, blending with local cuisines and creating new fusion dishes. This panel showcases personal stories and commentary on how Burmese cuisine has been both preserved and transformed by this global migration. The panelists also examine how Burmese food fosters community, becoming a bridge between cultures. Burmese restaurants, pop-up kitchens, and food festivals offer spaces for cultural exchange, promoting a deeper understanding of Myanmar’s rich culinary heritage. By offering the stories behind the food, the episode provides listeners with both historical context and a celebration of Burmese resilience through cuisine.

    1시간 59분
  4. 2024. 12. 27.

    Of Unity and Uprising

    Episode #296: Azad, an American fighter who is supporting the resistance against the military, returns to the podcast to discuss the current situation in Chin State, and the Chin people’s struggle for liberation. Long isolated and neglected, this region is now at the center of a determined battle against Myanmar’s military junta. The difficult terrain hinders typical military tactics, resulting in the junta's reliance on air superiority; it also makes the supply chain a challenge, causing the military to engage in coercion for local resources. Despite being outgunned, the resistance remains committed to challenging the military’s presence, highlighting the resilience of the Chin people. Azad notes how local, armed groups will sometimes strategically choose to not overrun junta bases even when it is possible, in order to prevent heavy, retaliatory aerial bombardments, which mainly just affect civilians. Azad talks about how low morale is a real issue among junta troops stationed in Chin. They often lack the will to fight, but they face severe consequences if they are caught trying to defect. Despite this, the resistance has seen some success with encouraging defections. Even as the advantage begins to tilt away from the military, Azad discusses the importance of coordination and unity among different resistance groups and the need for unity both to effectively fight the junta now, but also in post-liberation governance. He emphasizes the necessity of building a cohesive and unified governing structure. Azad speaks about the Anti-Fascist Internationalist Front and its volunteers who have joined the fight in Burma, drawing parallels to historical internationalist efforts, and stressing the importance of solidarity. "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?" Azad asks rhetorically. "The answer is absolutely yes. The important part is what is currently represented is the will of the people against the will of a dictator. If you want to make it as romantic as you like, the will of the many versus the will of the few."

    1시간 29분
  5. 2024. 12. 24.

    Shaken, Not SIlenced

    Episode #295: "I was born on the sixth of the 8th of the '88; the famous '88! My parents were part of the student movement, but growing up with my grandmother, I didn’t know much until I was older. They just said my parents were away." Hnin's story is tightly linked with Burma’s turbulent history.  When her activist parents were forced into exile, she was raised by her grandmother, and grew up disconnected from her parents. Eventually reunited with her parents in refugee camps along the Thai-Burma border, she saw firsthand the hardships they endured, and only then began to understand the scope of their sacrifice in the service of democracy. Relocating to Australia in the early 2000s, she struggled with identity, culture, and belonging, all while her parents continued their activism, hosting the Burmese community regularly. In 2011, Hnin returned to Myanmar and opened Father’s Office—a bar merging Burmese heritage with a modern identity, particularly providing a safe space for women. The 2021 military coup transformed her life, along with everyone else, and a downtown creative space she had set up became a resistance hub where activists could gather and strategize, despite the inherent dangers. Hnin’s efforts echoed her parents’ legacy. Forced to flee Myanmar, Hnin moved to Chiang Mai, where she continues her work supporting Myanmar’s resistance, through organizing workshops, running community kitchens, and preserving Burmese cultural heritage through exhibitions. Hnin embodies resilience—a constant evolution reflecting Burma's struggles. From chef and bar owner to activist, her journey remains a testament to community power, resilience, and the pursuit of freedom, even amidst oppression.

    1시간 58분
  6. 2024. 12. 20.

    Ripples of Dhamma

    Episode #294: This is the second installment of Grahame White’s discussion with Insight Myanmar. He picks up the thread being back in Australia, running group sittings that grew in popularity. Joseph Goldstein was invited to conduct the country's inaugural ten-day course, setting off an explosion of interest. This soon resulted in the building of the Blue Mountains Insight Meditation Centre, complete with a Burmese style pagoda and relics brought over by Sayadaw U Lakkhana. Over time, Grahame found himself in the middle of a tug-of-war at the center between emphasizing the more traditional forms of practice, and presenting a stripped-down emphasis of technique. Although Grahame favored the former in some manner, the center’s board chose the latter. While there were few possibilities for practice in the West when he started out on this path, Grahame is not averse to the plethora of meditation styles and teachers available today in Australia, and around the world. He realizes that similar to the young hippies who unexpectedly assumed the mantle of imparting the profound teachings of the Dhamma to a Western audience, the present generation is trying to formulate and disseminate the practice within their own distinct context and society, including a message that is more inclusive of previously marginalized communities, and its relevance in a rapidly changing world. In closing, Grahame, returns to the current horror that has overtaken Myanmar, the land which has given him so much. “There's been certain emotions going on in my mind, like shock and horror, and real sadness that the Dharma is no longer there in the sense that it was for many, many years,” he says, adding, “As these situations arise, they've been living with it for a thousand years, and up to the present day, and this one will pass as well...”

    1시간 26분
  7. 2024. 12. 17.

    The Last Stand

    Episode #293: Journalist Thomas van Linge shares his insights into the dire situation in Karenni state, contrasting the devastation caused by the military junta versus the resilience of the Karenni people. From the beginning of the coup in February 2021, Thomas closely followed the bravery of Burmese protesters who transformed civil resistance into an armed struggle. His work mapping the conflict revealed that the junta's control is weaker than originally thought, with military forces largely confined to isolated, hilltop bases. The resistance, despite being outgunned, has shown remarkable unity and determination. Lacking a central leadership, they operate in a uniquely cooperative way, effectively countering the junta's efforts. Thomas notes how the Karennis’ community-driven spirit allows them to weather internal conflicts and maintain unity, even without a dominant leader. Thomas also highlights the failures of the international community, criticizing ineffective humanitarian aid and the refusal of neighboring Thailand to provide adequate sanctuary to refugees. Yet he points out that while the lack of international intervention is legitimate grounds for criticism, it does have an upside, as it enables the resistance to maintain a grassroots character, free from external manipulation. "Despite all these hardships, all these difficulties, I've never sensed any despair or dip in morale among the people... They're all keeping their spirits up," he says. "Where we visited, most of the villages have been abandoned because they are within the artillery range of the regime. But the regime itself is now isolated in the hilltop camps and could be eliminated from those bases in different perceivable future! So when those areas are completely cleared, then the people could leave the IDP camps and come back to their villages to start rebuilding."

    1시간 55분
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소개

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 yet, Insight Myanmar is not just a platform for political discourse; it's a sanctuary for spiritual exploration. Our discussions intertwine the struggles for democracy with the deep-rooted meditation traditions of Myanmar, offering a holistic understanding of the nation. We delve into the rich spiritual heritage of the country, tracing the origins of global meditation and mindfulness movements to their roots in Burmese culture. Each episode is a journey through the vibrant landscape of Myanmar's quest for freedom, resilience, and spiritual riches. Join us on this enlightening journey as we amplify the voices that matter most in Myanmar's transformative era.

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