Bridge to Nowhere
Insight Myanmar6 Huhti 2025

Bridge to Nowhere

Episode #331: “My friend told me it is like the crumbling of the world, because everywhere, everywhere is destruction.”

Burmese Buddhist nun Sayalay (who has chosen not to give her full Pāḷi name for safety concerns) speaks about the humanitarian crisis following the devastating earthquake in central Myanmar. Focusing on the country’s spiritual heartland, the Sagaing Hills, home to centuries-old monasteries and nunneries, she describes how the region was hit hard, with monks and nuns killed, buildings collapsed, and survivors left without clean water, shelter, or medical aid. Critical infrastructure, including bridges connecting Sagaing to Mandalay, was badly damaged, delaying relief. Junta restrictions further obstructed rescue efforts, blocking aid and forbidding the use of essential heavy machinery.

It's mainly volunteers who are working rescue operations, but they are severely limited as to what they can use because of the junta’s paranoia; even basic tools are sometimes confiscated. Hiring machinery to clear rubble costs more than many nunneries can afford, yet without it, decomposing bodies pose serious health risks. Survivors, especially young nuns, suffer from trauma and nightmares. Some speak of visitations from the dead, pleading for help from beneath the rubble.

Sayalay, a former nurse, is coordinating aid through her nonprofit, Metta Stream Foundation, and stresses the importance of spiritual action. “When we practice mettā bhavana, it’s not only for us to recite…but we need to do it physically.” Her message is one of compassion, resilience, and a call for global solidarity with those suffering in Myanmar.

Jaksot(519)

Liberal Dreams, Illiberal Ends

Liberal Dreams, Illiberal Ends

Episode #473: “The military was pursuing an illiberal strategy to peace, and Norway became complicit, not necessarily by design, but by its effect, it became a de facto sponsor of a strategy for illib...

23 Tammi 1h 51min

Still I Rise

Still I Rise

Episode #472: “Where is my grandmother’s vote?!” asks Thiri. Her core argument is that Myanmar’s struggle today is not a failed revolution, but the evolution of a long, cyclical people’s movement, who...

22 Tammi 1h 47min

The Art of Letting Go

The Art of Letting Go

Episode #471: Sebastian Copija's journey from being a Buddhist monk to embracing lay life is a story of deep introspection and balance. Monastic life had afforded him security and structure, but Sebas...

20 Tammi 2h 12min

Reclaiming The Narrative

Reclaiming The Narrative

Episode #470: This episode of Insight Myanmar continues our three-part series covering the Decolonizing Southeast Asian Studies Conference at Chiang Mai University, bringing together voices exploring ...

19 Tammi 1h 19min

Here Be Dragons

Here Be Dragons

Episode #469: “This is not simply about solving the conflict, but about understanding the conflict to begin with,” explains Bhanubhatra “Kaan” Jittiang, an assistant professor of political science at ...

16 Tammi 2h 2min

The Fragile Light of Vipassanā

The Fragile Light of Vipassanā

Episode #468: Friedgard Lottermoser, born in Berlin in 1942, first came to Burma in 1959 when her stepfather was sent there on contract. What began as an expatriate posting soon turned into a lifelong...

15 Tammi 4h 13min

The Case for Engagement

The Case for Engagement

Episode #467: “We still believe that engaging is more useful than not engaging,” says Kiat Sittheeamorn , former Thai Deputy Prime Minister and international trade negotiator. In this discussion, Kiat...

13 Tammi 1h 24min

What Lies Beneath

What Lies Beneath

Episode #466: Jonathan Moss, a Free Burma Rangers (FBR) volunteer and former U.S. Explosive Ordnance Disposal officer, speaks on the topic of landmines. He notes that the Burma Army routinely employs ...

12 Tammi 1h 26min

Suosittua kategoriassa Politiikka ja uutiset

uutiscast
aikalisa
rss-ootsa-kuullut-tasta
ootsa-kuullut-tasta-2
politiikan-puskaradio
tervo-halme
rss-vaalirankkurit-podcast
rss-podme-livebox
viisupodi
rss-asiastudio
et-sa-noin-voi-sanoo-esittaa
otetaan-yhdet
rikosmyytit
the-ulkopolitist
radio-antro
rss-kaikki-uusiksi
rss-hyvaa-huomenta-bryssel
rss-raha-talous-ja-politiikka
rss-tasta-on-kyse-ivan-puopolo-verkkouutiset
rss-girls-finish-f1rst