From Russia With Anxiety

Episode #357: When Wai Yan Phyo Naing, a civilian scholar in Myanmar vocal against the human rights atrocities of the junta, received a scholarship from a Russian university to pursue his Masters, he did not expect to receive a rare insight into the intricacies of Myanmar's military. Yet that is exactly what happened, as many soldiers were also studying at his university in Moscow. Surrounded by hundreds of uniformed students, he observed a prevalent insularity within their ranks. Yet, amid this closed environment, he identified a distinct subgroup: military officers whose willingness to interact with other international students cultivated, for him, a notable "sophistication and nuance." This observation led him to ponder the potential for these officers to subtly influence their homeland's future in ways the stricter officers could not.

The dramatic 2021 coup in Myanmar, however, abruptly shifted Wai Yan Phyo Naing's focus, placing him in a precarious position. When civilian friends in Moscow sought his counsel on protesting the junta — a perilous undertaking in Russia's restrictive political climate — he opted for a more strategic approach. His background in journalism proved invaluable as he drafted a public statement against the coup. He was careful to be diplomatic with his words, an act that speaks to his conviction that internal harmony is essential for Myanmar's future as, he argues, political factions have too often favored opposition rather than seeking practical ways to collaborate with all parties, ultimately holding back the nation's holistic progress.

As his research on Myanmar-China and Myanmar-Russia relations progressed, he also noted a significant geopolitical realignment recently: the junta's increasing change in strategy from its historical ties with China towards a partnership with Russia, who offer military arms to the junta. He questions this shift, considering China is a more immediate neighbor.

Wai Yan Phyo Naing further speaks on what he perceives as the delicate and often misunderstood role of Buddhist monks in Myanmar's political landscape. He offers a defense of controversial Buddhist monks like Dhammaduta Sayadaw, whose public silence regarding the junta, he suggests, may be a calculated measure to avert further violence and chaos. He stresses that it is fine to criticize monks, but to blame them would be to disregard their complex positionality.

Ultimately, Wai Yan Phyo Naing expresses a deep-seated anguish over the ongoing conflict. "I really hope fighting and killing each other is not the real solution for my country," he says, speaking for a future built on trust and comprehensive national development rather than perpetual strife.