Alive With Resistance: Diasporic Reflections on the Revolt in Myanmar

Apr 11, 2021

This is a conversation with Geoff Aung (@Rgnhardliner on twitter), a Burmese American Marxist anthropology Phd candidate at Columbia University living abroad, about the current uprising, repression and revolutionary potentials in Myanmar. We discuss the evolution of tactics on the ground as revolutionaries adapt to the brutal murders of protesters by the state. Geoff also talks about the ways in which this movement is different from similar current movements in Asia and some of the historical context of struggle in Myanmar.

• Transcript
• PDF (Unimposed)
• Zine (Imposed PDF)

The host, John, wishes they'd had more time to dig into further questions. There are some links below of news sources and articles on the struggle in Myanmar.

For further anaylsis from Geoff Aung, please refer to the below articles as well as his twitter.

 

Geoff's latest articles on the subject:

• https://nplusonemag.com/online-only/online-only/dead-generations/
• https://spectrejournal.com/keep-the-streets-coup-crisis-and-capitalism-in-myanmar/
• https://chuangcn.org/2021/02/until-the-end-of-the-world-notes-on-a-coup/

Some good sources for news on Myanmar:

• myanmar-now.org
• https://www.frontiermyanmar.net/en/
• irrawaddy.com
• https://aappb.org/
• https://www.historyworkshop.org.uk/like-karaoke-fascism-all-over-again-the-military-coup-in-myanmar-and-the-global-rise-of-the-far-right/

Some interesting contextual podcasts on Myanmar/Burma from "The Arts of Travel" podcast:

• Chu May Paing: On the Feminism & Feminists of Myanmar's Freedom Struggle

• Geoff Aung: On The Capitalist Dreamworlds and Nightmares of Myanmar

Ways to show solidarity from abroad include:

• focus on companies internationally doing business with the Burmese Military Junta: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-56133766
• Show attention to Myanmar government offices in North American cities
  • US:DC, NYC and LA
  • Canada: Ottawa, Toronto, Vancouver
  • Mexico: DF
• Donations to the movement in Myanmar  https://www.isupportmyanmar.com but be aware that when the regime shuts down the internet it makes it impossible to get money and it has been difficult getting money there.

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Featured Tracks:

• Dust In The Wind by Kansas
• The Night Will Not be Silenced by Cacelorazo (members of Yangon punk bands The Rebel Riot, Kultureshock, The Outcast, The Slingshot and other international bands), mixed by Joe Clayton.

• Kabar Ma Kyay Bu (We Won't Be Satisfied Until the End of the World) composed by Niang Myanmar