The View From France

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 to this campaign of terror. By using art, performance, sound, and storytelling, these exhibitions serve as a beacon to highlight violations of international law and establish a record for transitional justice, while remembering those who have lost their lives. The events showcase the works of about twenty artists, including frontline Myanmar photographers, put together with the help of Thai curators. “When we do this kind of work, we want to it to be empathy-driven,” says Hnin, the founder of A New Burma. “We want to talk about this topic, not to give knowledge, but to speak to your heart.”

2 Maj 1h 49min

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 policy’s roots to the CIA’s Cold War counterinsurgency training, and its evolution into the Tatmadaw’s brutal Four Cuts strategy. Waters further critiques how America’s anti-Communist strategies, enacted covertly by the CIA, indirectly empowered the expansion of the drug trade.Waters argues that Myanmar’s ethnic militias are not reflective of any cultural deficiencies, as some outsiders have implied, but rather rational responses to the absence of a stable, inclusive state. He is also sharply critical of the Western aid sector, particularly USAID, for prioritizing donor interests over local needs, and perpetuating cycles of ineffective development. Skeptical of post-coup “political dialogue” initiatives, Waters asserts that the military junta is structurally incapable of genuine negotiation.Ultimately, he frames Myanmar’s continued suffering as the product of Great Power rivalries, stating that as long as China and the U.S. treat the country as a Cold War playground, real change remains elusive. Waters concludes by stressing the nuance required to better understand and engage in Myanmar, “I'm not looking for good and evil, I'm [just] looking for the story and trying to understand the processes.”

29 Apr 1h 35min

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 her colleagues are tirelessly working through various organizations and initiatives to expose the pervasive gender discrimination and violence that persist in newsrooms.Their efforts also focus on creating networks that enable affected female journalists to connect, share experiences, and address these critical issues collectively. Pushing back against those voices that suggest these concerns should be addressed only after the junta is toppled, Aung insists this is partand parcel of the current revolution’s objectives. Her story gives an inside look at the obstacles and absurdities that Burmese female journalists are made to confront unduly.In closing, sheinsists that their fight for equality is not code for establishing a new matriarchy; instead, she imagines a world where men and women share the workspace evenly.“Personally,” she attests, “I do not want us exercising some form of dominance over our male colleagues. When we think about our organization’s structure, we think, ‘We will need to include their perspectives as well.”

25 Apr 1h 19min

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 downplayed the storm to proceed with a constitutional referendum ... and over 138,000 people died.Kyne argues that instead of learning from this tragedy, the regime has doubled down, now weaponizing disaster response. Following the recent earthquake, search and rescue was blocked, aid was withheld, and military authorities even prevented international teams from entering. Humanitarian responder Kiran Verma, for instance, was stopped at gunpoint. “This wasn’t logistical failure,” Kyne says, “it was humanitarian suppression under authoritarian rule.” He notes that corruption further undermines aid distribution: local junta-aligned leaders steal and resell aid. Worse, young male relief volunteers are reportedly being forcibly recruited, and legitimate aid workers face harassment from pro-junta paramilitaries.Kyne proposes a three-part framework for international response: pragmatic, political, and moral. He urges aid agencies to bypass the junta, work through opposition-held zones, and commit to long-term recovery. Community resilience, he emphasizes, can start with education alone—empowering locals through training and digital platforms.He closes with a message of solidarity: “To the people in Myanmar, you have to be very strong. And for the international community members, please continue with what you have been doing, and please support the affected individuals.”

22 Apr 53min

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 challenges posed by cultural differences and an unstable, political climate.Visa issues forced U Jagara to leave Burma, prompting him to continue his monastic journey in Sri Lanka. There, U he lived a simple ascetic lifestyle, re-incorporating the Goenka meditation method into his practice as he also ventured to India for long retreats, and spending time in isolated, mountain hermitages. He emphasizes the importance of embodying spiritual principles in all aspects of daily life, not just during formal meditation sessions.After 15 years, U Jagara took a break from monastic life, moving to France where he disrobed, lived a lay lifestyle, and fell in love. This phase offered insights into attachment, intimacy, and the balance between worldly and spiritual commitments. Eventually, Burma's reopening led him back; he re-ordained, focusing on cultivating advanced meditative states at Pa Auk Monastery.A key theme throughout his journey is balancing structure and freedom in spiritual practice. U Jagara stresses the importance of critical inquiry and creativity, cautioning against rigid attachment to any one tradition. He acknowledges the human vulnerabilities of monks, advocating for a realistic understanding of spiritual life. His story encourages embracing both discipline and freedom, while maintaining an urgency to pursue true liberation—a journey that requires resilience, openness, and a willingness to question and adapt.As U Jagara puts it, “Sometimes we need a slap from reality that helps us to wake up to the fact that we are going to die, and that the sickness and all these things are just part of our existence. When we are aware of that, then we will keep that kind of eagerness just to keep our life in that direction. It's a sense of urgency, saṃvega, that dimension in Buddhism.”

18 Apr 1h 37min

Episode #336: “We just want war to end.”With this blunt declaration, Malaysian MP Wong Chen encapsulates his call for ASEAN to play a constructive role in resolving Myanmar’s civil war. Speaking from Bangkok, Wong outlines Malaysia’s two-pronged approach during its ASEAN chairmanship: first, cutting off weapons, revenue, and logistical support to both the junta and resistance forces to pressure them toward negotiation; and second, leveraging Malaysia’s strong ties with China to push for a peaceful resolution before the chair rotates to the Philippines, who does not have as good a relationship with the regional giant.While personally critical of the junta, Wong insists Malaysia must act as a neutral facilitator to be effective. He proposes appointing Thailand’s military, which has close ties with both the SAC and resistance groups, as ASEAN’s long-term adviser on Myanmar. Wong also supports a temporary halt in arms and trade, particularly in jade and rare earths, as a way to weaken the junta’s war economy and force it to the table. For Myanmar’s ethnic armed groups, he urges reframing dialogue around economic incentives and a federalist model. Regarding the NUG’s possible participation in such talks and beyond, Wong expresses sympathy for the organization, but critiques its lack of military presence, leadership clarity, and funding. He warns it could be sidelined in future negotiations unless it reorganizes.Wong is sharply critical of ASEAN, blaming a lack of political will and calling for a dedicated ASEAN parliamentary body to lead on issues like Myanmar. Though he doubts quick results, he urges bold steps now and insists, “We cannot give up.”

14 Apr 1h 3min

Episode #335: “It was super hard to cope with.” That’s how Mia Kruska, a German researcher and policy advisor with the Green Party in Berlin, describes learning about the devastating earthquake that recently struck Myanmar. Mia has cultivated personal, academic, and professional ties to the country over the past decade. Her connection began with a backpacking trip in 2014 that evolved into her academic career. She also served as board chair of the Myanmar Institut in Germany and currently works on Southeast Asia policy issues.When the earthquake hit, after checking in on her friends in Myanmar and along the Thai border, she was overwhelmed by emotion and helplessness. But rather than simply repost traumatic images, she turned to a lesson from her early time in Myanmar: Burmese generosity. She recalls, “You have to be thankful for giving,” and used this insight to encourage meaningful, grassroots donations.Mia challenges Western narratives that cast Myanmar as mainly a victim. She emphasizes the resilience and reciprocity of its people—both within the country and in exile. She also reflects critically on the ethical responsibilities of Western researchers, highlighting the importance of acknowledging privilege and subjective bias, and the willingness to engage with humility in collaborative endeavors.Her message to fellow allies is clear: show empathy, offer material support, and don’t be deterred by complexity. “Even ten euros make a little difference,” she says. Ultimately, despite the many challenges, Mia concludes with an enduring sentiment: “I still have hope.”

12 Apr 1h 16min

Episode #334: James Rodehaver, head of the UN Human Rights Office on Myanmar, describes the aftermath of the country’s recent earthquake as a crisis layered upon crises. With communities already devastated by a brutal military regime, the natural disaster has only intensified their suffering. Yet instead of pausing hostilities, the military launched over 100 attacks in just nine days—many targeting rescue efforts and civilians. Consistent with a long-standing pattern, the junta has weaponized aid, restricting access to opposition-held areas and rebranding the disaster to channel relief only to zones it controls. The military‘s strategy appears deliberately cruel. Notably, paramotors—silent man-powered gliders used to drop explosives—have struck rescue workers and survivors. Despite a declared ceasefire, attacks continue, reinforcing the military’s aim to break morale in opposition areas.As a result, the humanitarian response has been severely hampered. Adding to this, civil society had already been gutted by years of conscription, repression, and exile, so now, the only ones digging through the rubble are poorly equipped civilians, often under threat of violence or forced labor. Rodehaver notes that even informal relief efforts are becoming increasingly difficult.Rodehaver calls for a coordinated international political push, and a unified resistance front. He envisions a broad platform where anti-junta groups can articulate shared goals. Only through trust, coordination, and outside pressure, he argues, can progress be made. Closing with a personal note, he honors those inside Myanmar: “Their courage and unflappable will to keep on resisting tyranny ... has been inspirational.”

10 Apr 1h 16min