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The Inya Institute Quarterly Newsletter

Join us in congratulating our groups of junior researchers for completing their 10—month-long small-scale research on the Myanmar’s borderlands in incredibly challenging conditions. Except for one group, whose personal circumstances did not allow them to finalize their research due to Tatmadaw attacks on Waingmaw (Kachin State) and conscription within Lisu militia, all of the other seven groups successfully presented their findings at the 2024 International Interdisciplinary Conference (IICMB) on Myanmar’s Borderlands held in Bangkok on June 17—19, 2024. Two of the 23 researchers were even able to share in person their research work. On p. 5, you will read an account of the learning gained by these junior researchers following their participation in this project and what they are looking forward to next. A big thank you to Dr. Kimberly Roberts for mentoring all groups through the project!

Our 2024 IICMB conference held at the Faculty of Political Science, Chulalongkorn University, and co-convened with the Asia Research Center for Migration (ARCM) and Cornell University’s Southeast Asia Program (SEAP), was a remarkable success! More than 150 conference presenters and attendees (in-person and online) joined the event, including nearly 30 Myanmar junior researchers who had their transportation and accommodation costs covered

In this issue

by the Inya Institute thanks to the generous funding from the U.S. Department of Education. The range of topics was as diverse as the border regions of Myanmar and also reflected through the plenary session’s guest speakers who shared their experience conducting research in these regions. More on this on p. 3! We hope to repeat the event in two years and offer researchers of Myanmar who conduct work on the country’s border regions an avenue at which the specific issues of these territories may be discussed constructively and comparatively.

Our 2024 Languages of Myanmar course is currently underway with our five language instructors teaching to a total of 30 participants: 6 international and 24 Myanmar participants have joined this year’s series for a new round on Kachin, Karen, and Shan languages. We wish them all the best!

Lastly, we are delighted to introduce Thinn Thinn Thar and Shun Lai Pyae Sone, respectively our new Administrative Assistant and Digital Resources and Information Assistant to our readers. More information about them on p. 14. They replace Chai Mana and Aung Kyaw Phyo who are now pursuing new personal projects in Thailand. We wish them all the best in their new endeavors!

The Inya Institute team in Yangon

Recent Event 3 2024 International Interdisciplinary Conference on Myanmar’s Borderlands, Bangkok, June 17-19

Lessons Learned 6 Reflecting on the 2023-24 Myanmar’s Borderlands Research and Mentoring Workshop

Reflections from the Field 10 Lahpet and the Future: Tea Production and Political Autonomy in Namhsan, by M. Dunford

Recent Activities at Inya 13

At the Yangon Office 14

Upcoming Event 15

New Books on Myanmar 16

Address in Myanmar:

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Northern Illinois University DeKalb, IL 60115 USA

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Library: It currently holds a little more than 830 titles and offers free access to scholarly works on Myanmar Studies published overseas that are not readily available in the country. It also has original works published on neighboring Southeast Asian countries and textbooks on various fields of social sciences and humanities. Optic fiber wifi connection is also provided without any charge.

Library digital catalog: Access here.

Working hours: 9am-5pm (Mon-Fri)

Digital archive: It features objects, manuscripts, books, paintings, and photographs identified, preserved, and digitized during research projects undertaken by the institute throughout Myanmar and its diverse states and regions. The collections featured here reflect the country’s religious, cultural, and ethnic diversity and the various time periods covered by the institute’s projects developed in collaboration with local partners.

Digital archive: Access here

The Inya Institute is a member center of the Council of American Research Centers (CAORC). It is funded by the U.S. Department of Education under Title VI of the Higher Education Act (2020-2024).

Institutional Members

Center for Burma Studies

Center for Asian Research

Southeast Asia Program

Northern Illinois University Arizon State University Cornell University

Center for Southeast Asian Studies Carolina Asia Center York Asia Center for Reseearch

Northern Illinois University University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill York University

Academic Board

Maxime Boutry, Centre Asie du Sud-Est, Paris

Jane Ferguson, Australian National University

Lilian Handlin, Harvard University

Bod Hudson, Sydney University

Mathias Jenny, Chiang Mai University

Ni Ni Khet, University Paris 1-Sorbonne

Alexey Kirichenko, Moscow State University

Christian Lammerts, Rutgers University

Mandy Sadan, University of Warwick

San San Hnin Tun, INALCO, Paris

Juliane Schober, Arizona State University

Nicola Tannebaum, Lehigh University (retd)

Alicia Turner, York University, Toronto

U Thaw Kaung, Yangon Universities’ Central Library (retd)

Board of Directors

President: Catherine Raymond (Northern Illinois University)(retd)

Treasurer: Alicia Turner (York University, Toronto)

Secretary: François Tainturier

Jane Ferguson (Australian National University)

Lilian Handlin (Harvard University)

Nicola Tannenbaum (Lehigh University)(retd)

Thamora Fishel (Cornell University)

Aurore Candier (Northern Illinois University)

Recent Event

2024 International Interdisciplinary Conference on Myanmar’s Borderlands, June

17-19,

Bangkok

Bringing over a hundred fifty conference presenters and attendees (both in person and remotely) representing more than 20 countries in Asia-Pacific, North America and Europe (including nearly 30 Myanmar students and researchers), the conference was co-convened by Chulalongkorn University’s Asia Research Center for Migration (ARCM) and the Faculty of Political Science, the Inya Institute, and Cornell University’s Southeast Asia Program (SEAP). It was hosted at the Faculty of Political Science, Chulalongkorn University.

Titled ‘International Interdisciplinary Conference on Myanmar’s Borderlands: Past, Present, and Future’, the conference’s theme was deliberately broad in the time span it covered and offered presenters and the audience an opportunity to pursue an inclusive conversation on Myanmar’s borderlands; to consider alternate framings of these territories and their populations, not just through the typical lenses of geographical and methodological borders; and to emphasize the unique contributions of these communities to the ecosystems, history, economy, and cultures of the Southeast Asia Region and their interconnectedness.

The conference also focused on Myanmar’s expanding crisis. The crisis is bringing to the fore long-standing developments and narratives about its borderlands, which now assume additional critical relevance. Of particular significance are the socio-economic, political, and cultural dynamics of communities living in areas that have been often described as “peripheries.”

Papers addressed issues related to Myanmar’s borderlands both historically and contemporary, and spanning any area of Myanmar borders with China, Laos, Thailand, Bangladesh, and India.

On June 17, after opening notes by Dr. Francois Tainturier, Director of the Inya Institute, Dr. Pavika Sriratanaban, Director of the Institute of Asian Studies, and Dr. Prakorn Siriprakob, Dean of the Faculty of Political Science, the conference’s keynote speech was given by Prof. Pinkaew Laungaramsi, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Chiang Mai University. With her focus on ‘Dark Zomia: Myanmar Frontier and the Chinese Enclosure’, Ajarn Pinkaew discussed the boom in scamming activities along the Thai-Myanmar and China-Myanmar borders and the frictions of sovereignty resulting from these developments. On June 19, the plenary session convened Prof. Wen-Chin Chang, Academia Sinica (Taipei), Prof. Yos Santasombat, Department of Sociology and Anthropology (Chiang Mai University), Dr. Su-Ann Oh, Independent Scholar (Singapore), and Prof. Naruemon Thabchumpon, Faculty of Political Science (Chulalongkorn University). The session titled ‘Myanmar’s Borderland Methodology’ addressed issues related to

the feasibility of pursuing studies on the border regions of Myanmar. This theme has become a crucial one for researchers to consider when borders along Myanmar see extremely volatile developments. The plenary session was moderated by Dr. Jiraporn Laocharoenwong, Faculty of Political Science, Chulalongkorn University. The conference ended with closing notes by Dr. Bhanubhatra Jittiang, Faculty of Political Science, Chulalongkorn University.

One measure of the conference’s success was the number of Myanmar presenters affiliated with the following institutions: Chulalongkorn University, Chiang Mai University, Mahidol

Pic. 1: 2024 International Interdisciplinary Conference on Myanmar’s BorderlandsAnnouncement

Pic. 2: Keynote speech by Prof. Pinkaew Laungaramsri on ‘Dark Zomia: Myanmar Frontier and the Chinese Enclosure’

University, Mae Fah Luang University, Parami University, the Thabyay Education Foundation, Thinking Classroom, Pinnyar-Mandaing Program, Chin State Academic Research Network, Kachinland Research Center, Yangon Cosmopolitan University (YCU), and Spring University Myanmar.

Scope of panels

With an entire generation deprived of in-country educational opportunities for the past four years, it was no coincidence that Myanmar conference presenters currently enrolled at Parami University and YCU focused on the challenges that Myanmar students face in their educational pursuits, especially those located in migrant camps along the Thai-Myanmar border.

Other significant issues addressed by Myanmar and a number of international presenters were the challenges encountered by Myanmar migrant, refugee, and exiled communities in securing livelihoods and human security along the Thai-Myanmar and India-Myanmar borders.

Also addressed by a large number of conference presenters and two specific panels was the shifting governance of

land and natural resources in the border regions of Myanmar and the articulation of this shifting governance with the traditional knowledge systems of groups of people living in these regions.

Recent developments, including power dynamics and armed conflicts in these contested border regions, were also addressed by two panels, including one sponsored by the Asia Foundation in which findings were presented by representatives from Myanmar-based research and academic organizations.

Other panels took the long view of history to address the development of infrastructures in these border regions; the border regime and its security in relation to India, Bangladesh and China and also at the time of British Burma; nationbuilding and nationalism as pursued and defined by Kachin and Chin communities; ethno-historical dynamics across these border regions; or the geopolitics of the Myanmar-China border.

A last group of panels covered borderlands’ material and immaterial cultures with themes focusing on manuscript cultures and religion, and the building of homes for displaced communities. The diversity of the themes addressed during the conference is also another mark of its success.

Steps forward

Just as illustrated by the ‘Research and Learning in Myanmar’s Borderlands’ roundtable held on the last day of the conference, what the event purports to do was to offer a platform where exchange and interconnectedness may be further enhanced through connections with colleagues from neighboring countries, the Southeast Asia region and further beyond. In the context of a worsening country-wide conflict, it is crucial to encourage researchers studying the border regions of Myanmar to meet, discuss, and debate. There is already, no doubt, much collaboration happening at many levels between groups of researchers studying the border regions of Myanmar. A conference on Myanmar’s borderlands offers them an opportunity to share the results of their formal and informal collaboration with a broader audience.

We hope to turn this international interdisciplinary conference on Myanmar’s borderlands into a biennial event. In 2026, it could be organized in Bangladesh or Northeast India. One day, eventually, the conference will be held in Myanmar at a time when all the conditions are met for the safety and comfort of its participants!

Lessons Learned

Reflecting on the 2023-2024 Myanmar’s

Research and Mentoring Workshop

Borderlands

After ten months of research developed in extremely challenging conditions comes the time of reflection for all our 20 junior researchers who developed a small-scale project under the guidance of Dr. Kimberly Roberts (York University). The groups collectively offer here their views on the professional and personal lessons learned. Their feedback will help the Inya team refine its programming for the subsequent round of research projects and the participation of new teams.

The Inya Institute launched the Myanmar’s Borderlands Research and Mentoring Program in July 2023. Initially, 23 junior researchers living in various border regions of Myanmar and also in Yangon, all eager to explore issues related to education, humanitarian relief and assistance, and other types of challenges linked to cross-border migration, participated in the program. 20 of them presented their insightful research findings at a workshop held on June 17, 2024, before the conference’s official opening.

Research background and research capacity gained during the program

At the start of the program, only one out of eight groups had a good understanding and significant experience in research design and development. 43% had some understanding and no experience, while 28.6% mentioned having both a good understanding and some experience. Only

a few of the participants (14%) had neither prior experience nor knowledge in research design and development.

After 10-month conducting research and receiving mentoring from Dr. Kimberly Roberts and the Inya Institute team, close to three quarters of our junior researchers reported that they ‘made significant progress’ while a little less than one quarter (29%) declared ‘having made some progress’ in developing their research capacity.

Workshop series: The good and not-sogood points

During the 10-month period, the institute organized four workshop series on research design (a three-week long workshop), on data collection, data analysis and writing, all four series complemented by lectures, interim checks on their progress, and constructive and insightful feedback from Kimberly. Most junior researchers mentioned that all workshop series were

very helpful, and, more specifically, that online meetings focusing on data collection, data analysis and report writing were the most helpful among the workshop series. The workshop series significantly benefited all junior researchers during their projects as confirmed by the notes of a group of researcher (Group 8),

“For data collection, the description of the mentor’s previous research experiences helped us considerably for our own research project. The recap session, recording video and the sharing links of the mentor’s own experiences were essential for producing our research writing.”

Similarly, Group 3 appreciated much the effectiveness of the data analysis workshop in which Kimberly provided detailed explanations of her research work and experience, greatly enhancing the understanding of the group’s members.

However, Group 6 researchers expressed some reservations about the research design, literature review and data analysis workshop series (the first series of workshop held) but offered no explanations about these reservations. For Group 8, language barriers posed challenges in understanding the session on research design, affecting the learning process. Their members explained the following,

“We had difficulties in detailed understanding of research design especially. For us, our most important challenge is the language barrier as we are not only familiar with the topic of research design but also we are not used to native English speakers. Data analysis is also our first time experience and therefore it took time for us to realize and understand the whole process.”

Nevertheless, the workshop series proved a very productive time for all group of researchers. Overall, the researchers reported making significant progress through their respective projects.

Positive and negative aspects of the program

Our researchers highlighted several positive aspects such as increased learning about what steps are important in the research project, increased understanding about how research projects are developed, increased attention to details, increased understanding of the nuances of the issues investigated, and stronger analytical skills when considering their involvement in the program.

Most groups (except Group 1) mentioned challenging aspects such as meeting time with the mentor, lack of communication with other research groups, difficulty in sharing information, and insufficient peer motivation for research improvement.

Positive and negative aspects on the program development

As the program was run by the Inya Institute, the researchers’ perspectives on the positive and negative aspects of its implementation play a central role to program future research initiatives. Some of the positive aspects mentioned by groups of researchers regarding how the program was developed by our institute are described as follows,

“This is the best workshop I’ve participated in so far” (Group 7);

ticipants, and their ability to successfully complete the research program with great flexibility and organization” (Group 3).

Based on the feedback from the seven groups, there are some critical aspects that should be addressed to improve future programs. Suggestions include offering more training courses for data analysis, final paper writing and lecture sessions, giving opportunities to collaborate with other research groups, and organizing monthly follow-up meetings. Mentioned below are some specific suggestions,

“Inya Institute should train on the process of data analysis and final paper writing” (Group 6);

“We suggest collaborating with the research groups and communication well with the Inya staff. We think one meeting per month is not enough to keep in touch with Inya and the lecturer [mentor]” (Group 8);

Pic. 2: Screenshot of Group 2 presentation made during the workshop held prior to the 2024 IICMB conference

“We have learned step-by-step research instructions and guidelines and these are the great aspects” (Group 6);

“As an individual, the program team worked well, and I would like to suggest that, regarding the time, I feel it is not enough for meetings. I want to ask and request to have followup sessions once a month, like meeting with other groups and sharing some challenges and giving some feedback from peer to peer” (Group 2);

In terms of contrasting aspects, two groups of researchers (Groups 6 and 2) expressed concerns for not having sufficient meeting time with colleagues for discussing their projects. This was also supported by another two groups (Groups 3 and 4) who mentioned facing difficulties in delving into the specificities of the research topic due to time limitations. Group 3, in particular, echoed this remark with the following remark,

“We had some constraints such as access to the internet, electricity shortage and had to relocate to deal with the timely changing conflict situation.”

“Dr. Kim’s assistance and guidelines help us to improve and overcome the challenges in our research” (Group 8).

Other significant positive aspects noted are as follows,

“The positive aspects are frequent team meetings, the effective training at the beginning of the project and all the engagements with trainer and senior officials” (Group 1);

“We highly appreciate [the institute’s and the mentor’s] understanding of the participants’ situation, effective communication among research par-

“When it comes to organizing research workshop series, it is beneficial to incorporate interactive lecturing sessions during training days in order to enhance the participants’ comprehension and explanation of the research topics. We would like to suggest for future improvement purposes to include more lecturing sessions” (Group 3).

Relevance of research and its role in today’s society

After participating in the program for 10 months, junior researchers, regardless of their backgrounds, shared the view that research and conducting research play a crucial role for the betterment of

the community and, more specifically, at this time of political upheaval. Two groups 8 and 4 mentioned,

“We think that our country needs more accurate and detailed research for becoming a better community. However, research conducting is still facing challenges and barriers due to the country’s political and socioeconomic situation” (Group 8);

“Researching is essential, particularly current political instability” (Group 4).

Groups 1 and 2 commented that the field of their investigations is highly relevant for the needs of the communities they represent and should therefore be prioritized by relevant organizations, including research policy network groups. The following comments were made on this issue,

“Participating in a program focused on humanitarian relief and public health at borderlands underscores the profound relevance of research in today’s society. Research in this context is crucial for several reasons”(Group 1);

“I understand that today’s society needs more research on local contexts, but I see we need more relevant research styles and a research policy network group at the national level” (Group 2).

They hope that the programs they may join in the future will offer them an opportunity to use their research findings as a way to enhance these projects, especially for projects focusing on Myanmar refugees and migrant workers and aiming to improve their security and living conditions. For instance, Group 7 remarked,

“With all the on-ground data [collected on our topic: ‘Legal Status and Humanitarian Challenges of Myanmar Refugees in Mizoram, India’], [there are now opportunities to develop] projects including advocacy in citizenship laws, refugee laws, and human rights directly [supporting] Myanmar refugees, CSOs, NGOs and related stakeholders by in-person and online meetings, short films, and music videos to reach out to more donors, stakeholders and relevant persons to develop mechanisms and

ment for the security and daily lives of Myanmar migrants. Furthermore, we expect to turn our research paper into a policy analysis paper in the proper situation to get more awareness to the policy-maker and have a positive impact on Myanmar migrant workers.”

Group 2 added the following,

“We want to use our research findings for community advocacy toward promoting language that supports both of the two targeted areas [Kachin and Chin States] and share them with community leaders. We believe that, by doing so, we can create positive changes and raise awareness about the importance of preserving linguistic diversity, especially for people in the two areas”.

Through their feedback, participants share strong views about the role their research findings could play and help future stakeholders make informed decisions to tackle issues that all groups addressed in their projects. Group 3 stated,

Pic. 2: Screenshot of Group 2 presentation made during the workshop held prior to the 2024 IICMB conference

Future participation in research programs and use of research findings

After participating in this program, most junior researchers (86%) are motivated to pursue further research work as a high priority. They are eager to seek opportunities to conduct research and participate in different programs, especially in policy-making programs (100%), humanitarian and assistance programs (71%) and community engagement programs (43%). 14% of researchers expressed interest in human rights programs and minority rights advocacy research. Moreover, 57% of the researchers also would like to expand their knowledge by enrolling in overseas study programs.

direct more aid to refugees and provide protection to them and secure their human rights. Lastly, I want to develop a project in which refugees can consult about their refugee status, humanitarian aid programs, and their pathways to citizenship in India or even in a third country”.

Similarly, Group 4 mentioned,

“We hope to use the findings of our research [on challenges of undocumented cross-border migration from Myanmar to Thailand following the 2021 Coup] for humanitarian assistance programs and policy-making programs supporting Myanmar migrants in Mae Sot and other regions of Thailand. We think that the current policy for migrant workers in Thailand needs some improve-

“Our findings [on the changes within KIO governance system in the China – Myanmar border areas after the 2021 Myanmar military coup] will be utilized to disseminate our comprehension of the project to broader domains, not solely limited to the current policyrelated project. We firmly believe that this knowledge can be further expanded in related areas such as humanitarian assistance, community engagement, and policy-making programs. Additionally, the experience gained from this project has fostered a more positive outlook towards future studies through research methods in the relevant sector. One of our group members, who is planning to pursue a Master’s degree in a socialpolitical related subject, has been stimulated by this project in terms of understanding how research work contributes to society. This first-hand experience has equipped him with the necessary knowledge to conduct his own research in future studies.”

Lesson Learned

Based on the lessons learned and experience gained while participating in this program, our groups of researchers highlighted several key insights such as,

“This program enhances the intellectual value of our team and enables us to delve into borderland issues, ultimately making a valuable contribution to society” (Group 4).

The researchers gained common key lessons learned for themselves and their groups after participating in the program, particularly regarding their prior weaknesses in data analysis and recognized the need for improvement in these areas. Regarding the lessons learned, Group 1 mentioned,

“After the program, we learned key lessons. First, cultural sensitivity is vital; understanding and respecting people’s backgrounds builds trust and fosters better relationships. Second, adaptability is crucial as situations can change quickly and unpredictably. Third, working with different experts from various fields significantly improves our efforts and [research] outcomes. Fourth, being resourceful and innovative helps when resources are limited. Fifth, using data and research ensures our actions are effective and targeted. Sixth, mental resilience is important in tough, high-stress environments. Lastly, actively engaging with local communities makes our work more relevant, accepted, and sustainable.”

the research mentoring program [...] All things considered, the research mentorship program has given us valuable knowledge and understanding, reinforced our dedication to the field, and given us a strong platform for future work. Without a doubt, the knowledge gained will help us in both our academic and professional endeavors by encouraging a culture of inquiry, teamwork, and constant progress. After completing this program, we are stronger, more confident, and resilient researchers who are prepared to face the difficulties in our particular fields. We are appreciative of the opportunities it has given us, and the experience has been priceless. I, myself, Naw Seng, am looking forward to the coming opportunities for young people in Myanmar”.

One member of Group 3 reflected on the lessons learned as follows,

Group 2 described the lessons learned as follows,

“Research challenges [during the project], such as unexpected findings or technical issues, have made us more resilient and adaptive because now we understand that failures are an essential dimension when doing research projects [...] Our ability to think critically and solve problems was improved by participating in

“The systematic approach to conducting research helps me comprehend the importance of investigating and carrying out the process. Academic studies that offer concrete evidence of socio-political impacts can greatly influence current trends, depending on the research areas I choose to focus on. This research project has provided me with valuable lessons overall. Despite facing limitations and security issues that resulted in our research being incomplete within the set timeframe, I have learned to appreciate the challenges involved in conducting thorough field research. Dr. Kimberly Robert’s guid-

ance and mentorship were instrumental in enhancing my understanding of research methodologies. Her expertise in the field of research has significantly enriched our knowledge [...] It is a good opportunity to participate in this programme arranged by a fantastic team from the Inya Institute. In this programme, we not only had a chance to meet with other participants from different border regions but we could also improve our own research skills with the help of our research mentor who has a good knowledge of our research area. Last but not least, it was an eye-opening and great chance for us to attend the 2024 IICMB and network with regional and international researchers working on the study of Myanmar’s borderlands [...] Residing in the border regions has exposed us to numerous socio-political transformations in recent years. The border has attracted people from various fields who have embarked on new roles as soldiers, educators, healthcare professionals, and more. We have witnessed social changes in the Kachin dominant communities and the administration system of KIO/KIA. The opportunity to be part of this research program amid these challenging times has been significant in our experience and ability to document it. Our research has shown us the importance of anticipating unexpected hurdles such as armed conflicts, limited access to electricity, and the internet. I am confident that these challenges have imparted valuable lessons for our future research endeavors.”

Furthermore, Group 4 shared their experience of meeting with documented and undocumented migrant workers and how they could learn the challenges these migrant workers are facing and wish to highlight the urgent need to address their concerns. Participating in this program was, according to them, a huge opportunity from which they learned the steps needed for writing a research paper, research design, sampling, data collection, data analysis, and writing narrative.

Pic. 4: Screenshot of Group 7 presentation made during the workshop held prior to the 2024 IICMB conference

One member of Group 6 explained the following,

“I have learned the entire process of research, design, and presenting. Initially, I focused on research project design, teamwork, interviewing, transcribing data, and data analysis. However, I still find myself weak in data analysis and recognize the need to improve in this area. Additionally, I should learn more about research paper design to enhance my overall skills and effectiveness in conducting and presenting research. This program is a lot for me. My name is Ahtaram. Currently I live in a Bangladesh refugee camp. I couldn’t pursue my Bachelor’s Degree due to the Myanmar military’s genocide and to the fact of being driven out from my country. After getting ac-

paper and the detailed thinking for the research process. In addition, we experienced the actual conditions of Myanmar migrant workers in Mae Sot from our interviews and the need to enhance the research area in Myanmar. When we contacted our participants via online, we realized the whole process of the online interviewing session. We also found out the positive and negative impacts of working online in this research process with our lecturer, Inya staff and our participants. Moreover, we noted some of the prerequisites of our research questions when we were writing the conference paper and this experience let us comprehend the detailed requirements of contributing to research questions aligned with our main topic.”

cess to this program, I could build my professional skills. It is a hope for my future.”

A researcher from Group 7 mentioned the following,

“As a group, we have learnt so much about doing research and actual basic research experience. We have decided to pursue more research and hope to be able to help and make an impact on those vulnerable and marginalized groups in Myanmar.”

Group 8 mentioned that,

“We had the chance to realize the process of developing a research

Conclusion

Based on the lessons learned by each group of researchers, the program seems to have achieved its goal of building the participants’ research skills and raising their awareness of the significance of these skills for their future endeavors.

Looking ahead and building upon the feedback of all seven groups, the Inya team can confidently consider implementing a new round of this research and mentoring workshop in the coming years. Meanwhile, we will continue to support these first groups of researchers in seeking channels through which the results of their findings could be disseminated in a relevant way.

• Group 1: Abdu Rahman, Sanah Ullah, and Mohammed Shahid, all of whom joined the program from a refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, worked on public health and humanitarian relief provided to Rohingya refugees;

• Group 2: Naw Seng from Myitkyina, Kachin State, and Ngu Cer Hlei Lang from Hakha, Chin State, worked on language barriers in the education system of Myanmar’s borderlands and investigated the ways to enhance access and quality in multilingual communities (high school level) in Kachin and Chin States;

• Group 3: Su Paul Lu, Jakan Naw Awng, and David Naung Ding, all of whom joined from Laiza, Kachin State, worked on the changes within KIO governance system in the China –Myanmar border areas after the 2021 Myanmar military coup;

• Group 4: Moris Zin Htet Aung and Nan Myintzu Min in Chiang Mai, Thailand, and Moe Yeh Phaw from Deemawso, Karenni (Kayah) State, worked on the challenges of undocumented crossborder migrants from Myanmar to Thailand following the 2021 Coup;

• Group 5: Zai Sam from Mangkring IDP camp in Myitkyina, Htawshe Dau Hkawng and Zaw Sar Zu from Waingmaw, all in Kachin State (not completed)

• Group 6: Ahmed Sukanu from Nga Sar Kyu Village, Northern side of Maungdaw, Rakhine State, Ahtaram Shine and Md Mir Za Nu, joined from a refugee camp in Bangladesh, worked on the history of cross-border trade between Arakan Rohingya and Cox’s Bazar communities;

• Group 7: Myo Myint Myat Thein, Sithu Aung, and Myat Thiri, all of whom joined this program from Yangon, worked on legal status and humanitarian challenges of Myanmar refugees in Mizoram, India;

• Group 8: Khaing Yamin Lwin, Hnin Eaindra Lwin, and Eaindray Nyein Chan Pyae, and all of whom joined this program from Yangon, worked on labor rights violations against migrant workers along Myanmar-Thailand’s borderland before and shortly after the coup.

Pic. 5: Screenshot of Group 7 presentation made during the workshop held prior to the 2024 IICMB conference

Reflections From the Field

Lahpet and the Future: Tea Production and Political Autonomy in Namhsan, Northern Shan State

Michael Dunford (Mike) is a PhD candidate in anthropology at the Australian National University (ANU). His PhD research aims to place the stories of Ta’ang people and the Myanmar tea industry within the global story of tea. The long-term goal of this research is to develop an understanding of regional cultural interconnectedness beyond the borders of Myanmar by focusing on production processes and trade. Prior to starting at ANU, Mike was a social science lecturer at the Parami Institute in Yangon, Myanmar, where he taught in the Politics, Philosophy and Economics (PPE) program.

I started field research towards my PhD in Myanmar in early 2020, just as news of the pandemic was starting to spread. At the time, my aim was to learn as much as I possibly could about the tea industry in Myanmar: I wanted to understand how and why the Ta’ang community was (and is) so central to the story of tea in Myanmar, and what this story could tell us about the long relationship between the hill towns of Shan State and the kingdoms of the Dry Zone. This is still the over-arching question that guides my research, but the circumstances of pursuing this question have changed drastically since I began

working on this question. Although it often looked like the project was going to fall apart completely, support from the Inya Institute played an integral role in moving my project forward despite the human tragedy and logistical complexities caused by Myanmar’s military coup. Here, I will explain briefly how my project has developed since 2020, and highlight what I have learned: most importantly, that the stories of Myanmar and northern Thailand cannot be understood as separate entities, but must be considered as facets of a continuous trans-boundary social and cultural formation.

After completing three months of fieldwork in early 2020, my university required me to return to Australia. The border was about to close as a COVID-19 prevention measure; they insisted it would be temporary. Simultaneously, the tea industry in Myanmar took a massive hit, as tea shops closed and social gatherings became impossible. Although I continued to chat with my research contacts, work on the project slowed down drastically. In February 2021, in the wake of Myanmar’s military coup, work nearly stopped altogether, as I believed it would be inappropriate to continue working on research while

my project participants were in such difficult circumstances. Things slowly changed, though: by the end of 2021, I was notified by my university that overseas fieldwork would once again be possible; at the same time, two of my research collaborators in Myanmar— Naing Oun and Zaw Lin, both Ta’ang men and social researchers with a keen interest in the economy of the Ta’ang world—expressed interest in re-starting the project remotely as a collaborative operation. They also helped connect me to the Ta’ang community in Thailand, and I went to Chiang Mai to continue research on this project.

At the present moment, Thailand (and especially Chiang Mai) has once again become a major hub for Myanmar-focused research, which solved a major issue that had held back my project: an inability to send resources into Myanmar, and to adequately determine the ethical feasibility of carrying out research in the post-coup political climate. I was able to connect face-toface with the extensive networks of Myanmar people (and Ta’ang people) who had fled to Thailand in the wake of

Mai University—who helped me design a research project that was ethical in the new post-coup environment. The goal, I learned, would be for Naing Oun’s and Zaw Lin’s observations and inquiries to form the basis of our research questions; my role, in terms of the Myanmar-side project, would be to help the two of them develop their skills as interviewers and to determine how their immediate on-the-ground research questions fit into the longer political-economic history of Myanmar.

While Naing Oun and Zaw Lin were focusing on Ta’ang people’s engagement with the tea industry in Namhsan, I encountered two stories in Thailand that added layers of complexity to the story we were collectively building. First, I learned that northern Thailand (and northern Laos) have their own a long histories of producing wet-fermented tea—nearly identical to Myanmar’s iconic lahpet soe (pickled tea), best known outside of Myanmar as the main ingredient of tea leaf salad. Miang, the Thai variant of wet-fermented tea, is evidence that tea-pickling cultures are both varied and widely spread across the

and an important voice in Indigenous Peoples’ activism spaces in Thailand. I spent roughly six months conducting participant observation research and dozens of hours of interviews in northern Thailand, trying to understand how both the Ta’ang community and lahpet culture transcended Myanmar’s borders.

While my own individually-conducted research extended the scope of the Ta’ang world and the cultural geography of lahpet, Naing Oun was developing an increasingly intensive focus on Namhsan Township. (Zaw Lin, our other collaborator, won a scholarship to attend graduate school in the United States and subsequently left the project). With support from the Inya Institute, Naing Oun carried out a survey of every settlement in Namhsan, interviewing hundreds of residents and developing a granular understanding of the ethnoracial diversity and livelihood strategies of people across the township. Although analysis of this vast data set is still ongoing, preliminary findings suggest that Namhsan is far more diverse than either Naing Oun or I imagined: the Ruching clan, which is popularly imagined

the coup, who helped me send money and research materials into Myanmar. These connections and resources made it feasible for Naing Oun and Zaw Lin to carry out independent research inside Myanmar (especially in Namhsan). By re-starting my project in Thailand, I was also surrounded by scholars and activists from across Myanmar—many of whom were connected to the Regional Center for Social Science and Sustainable Development (RCSD) at Chiang

region. Secondly, I learned that a Ta’ang community in Thailand had been growing since the mid-1980s, when there was a large initial wave of migration from Myanmar; many ended up working in Thailand’s tea industry. There was a second wave that began at the end of the 2010s, mainly in reaction to increasing conscription rates in the Ta’ang areas of Shan State. Now numbering in the tens of thousands, they are one of the largest constituents in Thailand’s citrus industry

to exist mainly in Southern Shan State (and is the clan of most Ta’ang people in Thailand), forms the majority of several villages in Namhsan. Furthermore, despite public anxiety about the decline of Namhsan’s tea industry, tea farming is still overwhelmingly the main livelihood expressed by people in Naing Oun’s survey. With this data, Naing Oun and I hope to create a demographic snapshot of Namhsan Township as it was in the period between the 2021 military coup

Pic. 2: Newly-planted field in northern Namhsan Township (Photo by Naing Oun)

and operation 1027: a snapshot of the ethno-racial diversity and livelihood strategies in a township held by the revolution.

Above all, during my time as a CAORC-INYA fellow, I learned firsthand that the stories of Myanmar and northern Thailand are not only intertwined, but should be understood as part of a singular trans-boundary social

formation. This is not a new formation that has emerged only in the wake of the 2021 military coup, but a relatively old one, going back centuries: the presence of miang in northern Thailand and lahpet in Myanmar are further evidence that the borderlines of the 21st century have not done away with the social and cultural connections that have long bound the two places. I am inclined to

think that the re-emergence of Chiang Mai (and Thailand more generally) as a hub for Myanmar research is not a temporary affordance caused only by the military coup, but the latest iteration of a long-term process of cultural flows going in both directions. The story of the Ta’ang people and their relationship to the tea plant is one strand of this cultural flow.

Pic. 3: Festival attendees, Lway Saing Paya Bwe, Namhsan Township (Photo by Naing Oun)

The CAORC-INYA Short-term Fellowship program for U.S. Graduate Students conducting research work on Myanmar/Burma in a third country is funded by CAORC through a grant from the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the U.S. State Department.

Recent Activities at Inya and beyond

Critical Thinking Skills, Online Training Course, June 3-7, 2024

With the aim of offering free educational opportunities for Myanmar students at the time of crisis, the Inya Institute offered a new free online five-day training course, “Critical Thinking Skills and Decision making”, facilitated by Pyae Phyoe Myint, Education and Training Manager on June 3-7, 2024. This training course is offered with the principal aim of introducing critical thinking skills by providing the most fundamental concepts and facts as a foundation to analyze and interpret ideas, facts, and assumptions in logical and reasonable ways. It also aims to help the participants apply knowledge and concepts gained from this course in their learning of different fields, especially in reading news, articles and other paperworks.

The syllabus covers topics on characteristics of adult learners and adult learning principles, introduction to critical thinking skills, asking the right questions on different issues, conclusions, reasons,

evidence and statistics, etc. while reading different articles and news. Each day of the course is particularly structured into three main sections: read and analyze, explain, and practice, that allow the participants to actively engage in thinking how to raise questions on different reading materials provided for the course.

AAS-in-Asia 2024 Conference,

Participants, aged under 28, residing not only in Myanmar such as Mandalay, Bago and Yangon Regions, and Karen and Kachin States, but also in Chiang Mai, Thailand, joined the course and actively participated in the in-class activities. With the practical exercises extracted from Myanmar journals and interactive discussion, the course has been particularly beneficial as the participants can apply their theoretical knowledge in both academic and professional settings.

The inaugural round of this training course was successfully offered and our training facilitator is ready to run the next round of this training course in August.

Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, July 9-11, 2024

On Tuesday, July 9, 2024, the Inya Institute participated in a panel convened by University of California-Los Angeles (UCLA) during the AAS-in-Asia conference held at the Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta (Indonesia). Titled ‘Digital Collections and Community Archives: The Modern Endangered Archives Program (MEAP) across Asia’ and chaired by Dr. Laura Brueck, founding Board Member of MEAP, and Dr. Daniel Majchrowicz, MEAP Board Member, the panel featured one of the Inya Institute’s projects developed across Myanmar and Thailand.

Dr. Elizabeth Lhost, MEAP Program Manager, introduced the program via a pre-recorded video which was followed by the presentations of the two MEAP Project Leads:

• Dr. Evi Lina Sustrino, Universitas Gadjha Mada, Indonesia, on ‘Recovering Chinese Religious Printed Materials in Central Java’; and

• Dr. François Tainturier on ‘Surveying

Pic. 1: Panel members at the AAS-in-Asia Conference

Monastic Collections for Future Digitization across the Greater Shan Country’.

The key takeaways from the discussion that followed were:

1. Building local capacity through some short-term training on digitization techniques of archival materials with local team members and project partners is essential.

2. Guidance is offered by the UCLA team on the technical aspects of the digitizing process as samples sent by MEAP Project Leads are reviewed to ensure that they meet the standards required.

3. Identifying local institutional partners which will have the financial and technical capacity to maintain the database once the project is over (including an access to both metadata and digital files for online users) is an added value to the project although it may not be a requirement considering that UCLA MEAP’s mission is to precisely handle these two aspects of the project outputs.

4. Issues regarding the copyrights of the materials to be digitized are handled by UCLA with high flexibility as local custodians’ recommendations on this are given priority.

The Inya Institute is looking forward to developping the next phase of the project with its local partners.

Pic. 1: Training course announcement

At the Yangon Office

We are delighted to introduce you to our two new staff members: Ms. Shun Lai Pyae Sone, our new Digital Resources and Information Assistant, and Ms. Thinn Thinn Thar, our new Administrative Assistant. Both started their work at the Yangon office in early July. Unable to complete their degrees at government institutions following the disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic and military coup and having volunteered at various local organizations until now, they are both thrilled to start their professional life at the institute.

Allow me to introduce myself. I am Shun Lai Pyae Sone, a dedicated and enthusiastic university student, a YSEALI Fall 2023 Alumni on Civic Engagement, eager to embark on a journey of knowledge and personal growth. I have a passion for social studies, fashion, and volunteer activities. I am currently pursuing my Bachelor’s Degree in Social Science at Myanmar Institute of Theology (Liberal Arts Program) and Human Rights Diploma Program at Spring University Myanmar in association with the University of Arizona.

In addition to my active participation in these two stdudy programs, I participated in various programs for which I assumed leadership or supporter roles. Responsibility, creativity, flexibility, insightful analysis, and active learning are some of the qualities that have been noted by my peers and instructors.

I also founded the Nway Htwe Eain (‘Warm Home’) initiative which aims to empower street children through sewing and fashion design training. Over a three-month period, this initiative provides valuable skills to these children, helping them to transition to better opportunities or advanced education. My dedication to tackling the issue of street children and contributing to their overall well-being is driven by a commitment to creating a more just and prosperous society. Through the Nway Htwe Eain initiative, I guide street children towards productive and skilled-focused recreational paths, hoping to break the cycle of poverty and street life. On weekends, I record audiobooks for blind and disabled children and volunteer at orphanage schools. Additionally, I am also conducting research projects on street children with my university classmates.

Aside from these activities, I possess a keen eye for fashion and have showcased my unique style through my daily lifestyle. Committed to making a positive impact, I actively volunteer not only in my own community but also look forward to learning from different communities.

Thank you for taking the time to get to know me better. I look forward to engaging with new colleagues at the institute, sharing knowledge with them, and working towards our shared goals.

I am Thin Thin Thar, 25 years old. I am of mixed parentage as my mother is Chin ethnic and my father Burmese. I have lived with my family in Kalay Township, Sagaing Region, until May 2024. Two months, I decided to move to Yangon and joined the Inya Institute as an Administration Assistant on 1 July 2024. I graduated with a BA degree (English major) from Kalay University in 2018. While I was pursuing my master degree, the political situation in Myanmar changed suddenly completely. Therefore, I chose to pause my Master’s degree program instead of pursuing under military administration. Then, I tried to search for another educational opportunity, a move that led me to joined the Community Leadership and Research Institute (CLRI) program offered by the Thabyay Education Foundation in 2023.

From 2015 to 2020, I was involved in various humanitarian aid initiatives, conducting community development activities and implementing small projects in collaboration with other youth organizations. Among them, I organized an English Conversation Club at Kalay University that ran from 2017 to 2020. It was aimed at building connections between Kalay university students and creating a conducive environment for them to practice English language without charge. Later, I collaborated with the Kalay Technology University student leaders to organize the Knowledge Sharing Club and Kalay Youth Club in 2018. In addition to these responsibilities, I was working as an assistant teacher (part-time) while enrolled in my Bachelor’s Degree program.

Although I had huge expectations and aspirations for my community at that time, I had to be realistic about them in relation to the current circumstances. With my enrollment in the CLRI program, I regained some determination. Looking ahead, I plan, among other resolutions, to pursue further studies in the field of Education Management and Administration and contribute to Myanmar’s education sector. I specifically intend to work on collaborative initiatives which will offer members of the rural communities inclusive education opportunities. Another of my goals is to conduct research on how the current Myanmar situation has impacted Myanmar youth. I hope that I will be able to contribute to these efforts very soon.

Upcoming Event in Southeast Asia

1. Assemblages of the Future: Rethinking Communities after the State

Location: Chiang Mai University

Date: August 2 – 4, 2024

Three years after the coup and amid desperate circumstances, the people of Myanmar have responded with renewed thought and action to reimagine the present and future for themselves and their communities. As it has become clear

that many traditional forms of authority have had their power eroded – notably the inability of the Myanmar “state” to carry out basic functions – such emergent realities present both opportunities and challenges. The “assemblages” of the future refers to new “entangled ways of life,” what Anna Tsing calls the “mosaic of temporal rhythms and spatial arcs” as taking place in Myanmar of 2024. This

framing asks scholars to situate their work within this contested reality, and ask critical questions about the emergent future. In particular, this refers to the complex rhythms of Myanmar’s social reality, where many aspects of culture, power and life have been transformed after the coup, yet others remain stubbornly intact – for better or worse.

More info here

Volume 28, Number 1, 2024

Table of Contents

• Editor’s Note

Jane Ferguson

• Five Contributions to Pyu Studies: Introduction

Arlo Griffiths, Julian Wheatley

• Recent Archaeological Research at Śrīksetra

Win Kyaing

• Stūpa Shapes from the Āndhra Country to Śrīksetra Monika Zin

Journal of Burma Studies | Annual Membership

• Studies in Pyu Epigraphy II. Pyu Inscriptions on Molded Tablets: A Way Forward?

Marc Miyake, Julian Wheatley

• Chinese Reports about Buddhism in Early Burma

Max Deeg

• Funerary Practices at Pyu Sites in Myanmar and the Appearance of Buddhist Artifacts from the 5th to 6th Century CE Period

Bob Hudson

• The “Hidden Hand” Orchestrating Communal Violence:

Center for Burma Studies

Northern Illinois University

Peacekeeping through Contested Framing in Central Myanmar, 2011–2021

Nathaniel J. Gonzalez

• Monthly Observation Research by Community Researchers: Coping with Dangerous Situations and Multiple Crises in Postcoup Myanmar

Ardeth M.Thawnghmung, Su Mon Thazin Aung

• Me and the Generals of the Revolutionary Council: Memoirs of Turbulent Times in Myanmar by Kyi Win Sein (review by P. Sarno)

Membership of the Inya Institute is now available for Instituions as well as Individuals!

Despite Myanmar’s current multidimensional crisis, the Inya Institute continues to operate in Yangon providing educational and training opportunities to Myanmar students, supporting scholarship by Myanmar and International researchers in Myanmar and in third countries, and offering language learning opportunities for those interested in Myanmar’s linguistic diversity. It is also one of the few libraries currently open to the public in Yangon. Interconnectedness between Myanmar, the U.S., the Myanmar diaspora in the U.S. and elsewhere is more important than ever and the institute is keen to support this value as shown by its activities listed above. You can be part of this so please consider becoming a member of the Inya Institute!

INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERSHIP

Any recognized academic or educational institution in the United States or Canada may become an Institutional Member of the institute. If a representative of an institutional member chooses to send a delegate to serve on the board of directors, he/she has an opportunity to shape the institute’s programs and activities.

Other benefits include: (1) Recognition of institutional member status in the institute’s quarterly newsletter; (2) Publishing of members’ scholarly events in the institute’s quarterly newsletter; (3) Invitation to join online events, including conferences and webinars, organized by the institute.

Annual institutional membership dues are $400

INDIVIDUAL MEMBERSHIP

Anyone may become an Individual Member of the institute, upon application and acceptance by the institute.

Benefits: (1) Inclusion in the institute’s listserv of those institutions and individuals receiving the quarterly’s newsletter; (2) Invitation to join online events, including conferences or webinars, organized by the institute; (3) Reduced fees for the language learning opportunities developed by the institute.

Annual individual membership dues are $25.

New Books on Myanmar

Silver

Screens and Golden Dreams:

A Social History of Burmese Cinema

Jane M. Ferguson

University of Hawaii Press, 2024

Silver Screens and Golden Dreams traces the veins of Burmese popular movies across three periods in history: the colonial era, the parliamentary democracy period, and the Ne Win Socialist years. Author Jane M. Ferguson engages cinema as an interrogator of mainstream cultural values, providing political and cultural context to situate the films as artistic endeavors and capitalist products. Exploring how filmmakers eschewed colonial control and later selectively toed the ideological lines of the Burmese way to socialism, Silver Screens and Golden Dreams offers a serious yet enjoyable investigation of leisure during difficult times of transition and political upheaval. By skillfully blending historical and anthropological approaches, Ferguson shows how Burmese cinema presents a lively, unique take on the country’s social history.

Regime Changes and Socio-economic History of Rural Myanmar, 1986-2019

Akio Takahashi

Springer Singapore, 2024

The volume depicts the transformation and steadiness of Myanmar’s rural socioeconomy from within the villages based on my own detailed research, in relation with the regime changes from Burmese Way to Socialism to military junta and to democratization from 1986 to 2019. The main subject of the transformation is “de-agrari-

anisation” including land use and holdings, household incomes, non-, migrations, power structure, village landscape, etc. And the principal theme of the steadiness is the “absence of village collective” which is the core of rural Myanmar, in contrast to village communities like Japan. This is the reason why Myanmar villagers have lived surprisingly bright, free and independent despite the oppressive political economy under the socialism and the military junta, and have not collectively participated in so-called community development.

Putting Women Up: Gender Equality and Politics in Myanmar

Netina Tan & Meredith L Weiss

Yusof Ishak Institute, 2024

The volume examines the internal politics of nine political parties in Myanmar and both men’s and women’s attitudes towards and experiences of political leadership. Drawing on extensive interview, survey, and focus-group discussion data collected from across Myanmar in 2017 and 2020, it offers a mixed-methods approach to explain how factors from party rules to formative personal trauma to patriarchal biases to ethno-religious context shape women’s and men’s likelihood to join local and national politics. The findings expand on culturalist insights on gender inequality to provide context-sensitive, evidence-backed policy recommendations to promote women’s political leadership, despite militarization and violence in postcoup Myanmar.

Burma to Myanmar

Alexandra Green

British Museum Press, 2023

Focusing on cross-cultural interactions and their impact on art and culture, Burma to Myanmar examines early connections with India before looking at regional kingdoms and empires that arose between the 11th and 18th centuries. This book provides a compelling history of Myanmar through an enormous variety of objects stretching from the 500s CE to the present. They range from ceramic tablets to royal costumes, stunning textiles and impressive maps, as well as modern currency and contemporary painting.

General Ne Win’s Legacy of Burmanization in Myanmar: The Challenge to Peace in the Twenty-First Century

Saw Eh Htoo & Tony Waters

Palgrave Macmillan, 2024

This book focuses on how Burmanization created and reinforced ethnic divides since the 1962 coup d’etat when General Ne Win concentrated all authority in the Burmese speaking army. The book elaborates on the question of why Burmanization policies developed in the 1960s are important for understanding Burmese society today. Most importantly, Ne Win’s ideology reflects how patterns of interethnic relationships in Myanmar lead to the “intractability” of the battles in early 21st century Myanmar.

Rethinking Community in Myanmar by Judith Beyer now in Open Access