Abstract
Myanmar diaspora was not united before the coup; some full-time activists were engaged in power politics for securing funding from international aid organisations and some just helped their family inside the country. Younger generation were more concerned about their own survival and a better life. However, the Spring Revolution made all different diaspora united and become full-time activists to support their country. Based on intensive interviews of diaspora in US, the chapter describes the changing roles of Myanmar diaspora before and after the coup. It discusses a sense of unity and determination to end dictatorship and to realise a new federal state with new constitution, new army, and new political culture (decentralised leadership). It also explores how Myanmar diaspora participates in regular protest and fundraising and explains their contribution not only to NUG and CRPH centrally but also their decentralised means to support grassroots people.
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Notes
- 1.
Though the term ‘my country’ has been used as a litmus for a political standpoint, here I want to use its name, ‘Myanmar’, as this has been widely used in the UN system.
- 2.
This data comes from activists for the Burma Act. In lobbying for this act, a group of young activists tried to obtain an updated number of Myanmar diaspora population by state.
- 3.
NCGUB was formally established as a provisional government in exile of Burma in December 1990, but was dissolved in September 2012. It was led by Prime Minister, Dr. Sein Win, a first cousin of Aung Sun Suu Kyi and had its headquarters in Rockville, Maryland, United States.
- 4.
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Thida, M. (2023). For My Country from Country I Live: Collective Resistance and New Revolution Against Military Dictatorship. In: Takeda, M., Yamahata, C. (eds) Myanmar’s Changing Political Landscape. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-9357-2_12
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