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Dr Maung Zarni

Research Fellow on Burma
Centre for the Study of Global Governance

email: m.zarni@lse.ac.uk
phone: +44 (0) 758 841 2377

biography

Burmese activist, blogger and scholar, Zarni is the coordinator of the Burma Research Initiative (BRI) and a research fellow on Burma at LSE's Centre for the Study of Global Governance. He has been involved in pushing for social change in Burma/Myanmar for the past 20 years, in various capacities as a grassroots organizer, policy advocate and Track II facilitator. As founder of the Free Burma Coalition, he led one of the Internet’s first and largest political campaigns in the 1990s targeting foreign investors for divestment and lobbying Western governments for tougher policies on Burma. In 2003 Zarni became the first Burmese dissident to publicly call for an end to blanket Western sanctions against his country for their negative societal impact on Burma, and instead called for strategic engagement with both civil society and reform-minded elements within State’s power structure as a way forwards.

A frequent commentator on Burma’s affairs in the media, he has given talks and lectures on peace, social movements, human rights and Burma’s affairs globally, and has edited and published several book-length publications, [including the authoritative "The Free Burma Coalition Manual: How You Can Help Burma’s Struggle for Freedom" (FBC, 1997), "Common Problems, Shared Responsibilities: Citizens’ Quest for National Reconciliation in Attempts at Reconciliation in Burma/Myanmar" (FBC, 2004) at http://www.freeburmacoalition.org and "Active Citizens Under Political Wraps: Experiences from Myanmar/Burma and Vietnam" (Heinrich Boell Foundation, 2006) at http://www.pyinnya.com/?p=16 ].

Before joining the CSGG in April 2009, he held a 3-year Visiting Research Fellowship at Queen Elizabeth House/ Department of International Development at Oxford where he was mentored by Professor Barbara Harriss-White on rural development and Braudelian historical method.

He was educated at the universities of Mandalay, California, Washington and Wisconsin where he completed his PhD thesis in 1998 on ‘the politics of education under military rule (1962-88)” under the guidance of Professor Michael W. Apple. As a tenure-track assistant professor of education, Zarni taught at the Chicago campus of National-Louis University, a position he gave up to devote his energies to change in his native country.

His research interests include social movements, civil society, human and national security, education, political economy of development and agrarian change, and international affairs.

Zarni has developed and continues to run an on-line education site http://www.pyinnya.com for his compatriots and, as of Autumn 2009, will be a regular columnist for Irrawaddy, the premier bi-lingual Burmese/English news publication based in Chiang Mai, Thailand, as well as for TRANSCEND http://www.transcend.org an international peace and development network led by Johan Galtung.

Reuters, 25 January 2010

China casts nervous eye at erstwhile ally Myanmar

Dr Zarni is quoted in this Reuters piece about China's relations with Burma.

View the article

BBC Burmese, 20 January 2010

Reponse to US relations with Burma

In this Burmese language excerpt from BBC Burmese, Dr Zarni takes issue with US policy towards Burma. Zarni argues Burma is not a policy priority for the US and the west and that relations won't be mended until there is a change in leadership, policy or political system in Burma.

Listen to the recording

The Irrawaddy, 5 January 2010

Chasing Change in Burma

Dr Zarni examines the gulf between the long history of those talking about change in Burma and actual events and progress on the ground in this article for The Irrawaddy.

Read the article

The Irrawaddy, 1 January 2010

More of the Same

Dr Zarni gives his predictions for Burma in 2010 to The Irrawaddy. He believes there is little call for optimism while the present regime remains in charge.

Read the article

The Irrawaddy, 29 December 2009

A history of military reformers

Dr Zarni provides an historical perspective on on Burma's soldier-dissidents and inside reformers within the armed forces since 1962.

Read the article in Burmese

people and power, al-jazeera, 23 December 2009

People and Power

Dr Maung Zarni is interviewed in this documentary about the Burmese regime's attempts to obtain nuclear weapons, and elections in 2010.

View the broadcast on Al-Jazeera

Democratic Voice of Burma, 21 December 2009

The fascist and feudal Than Shwe

Dr Maung Zarni comments on Burmese despot Than Shwe's vision of Burma as a semi-feudal state and his methods of deception for achieving it.

Read the article

BBC World News, 15 December 2009

Dr Maung Zarni comments on the visit of Joseph Stiglitz to Burma and the engagement strategy of the Burmese junta.

View the video from BBC World News

The Irrawaddy, 8 December 2009

Unsung Heroes in our Midst

In his regular column for The Irrawaddy, Dr Zarni questions the lack of outcry at the political trials of Burma's 'insider-dissidents'.

Read the article

Democratic Voice of Burma, 7 December 2009

Stiglitz and the Master of Puppets

Dr Maung Zarni comments on the visit of Joseph Stiglitz to Burma and the engagement strategy of the Burmese junta.

Read the article

The Irrawaddy, 23 November 2009

Beware of the Generals' Election

Dr Maung Zarni discusses the 2010 Burmese elections in his regular column for The Irrawaddy.

Read the article

The Irrawaddy, 10 November 2009

Ethno-nationalism and Racism in Burma

Dr Maung Zarni, in his regular column for The Irrawaddy, writes about ethno-nationalism and racism in Burma. This article, controversial to some, has broken records for provoking comments with the publication.

Read the article in Burmese

TVOAnews.com, 5 November 2009

Myanmar/Burma: Outside Interests and Inside Challenges

Dr Maung Zarni joins a panel of other experts at Johns Hopkins University to discuss issues involving Burma.

View the video on VOAnews.com

The Irrawaddy, 17 October 2009

Confronting the Demons

Dr Maung Zarni examines the the empirical and analytical validity of the century-old self-perception of Burma as a cohesive political entity.

Read the article on The Irrawaddy

BBC World News, 9 October 2009

Dr Maung Zarni speaks to Zeina Badawi about Aung San Suu Kyi meeting with western ambassadors to discuss the matter of sanctions and the US policy of engagement with the Burmese regime.

Part One

Part Two

BBC World Service, 24 September 2009

Listen here to Dr Maung Zarni speak to the on BBC World Service on events in Burma.

The Irrawaddy, 23 September 2009

Interview with Dr Maung Zarni

The Irrawaddy, the leading wholly-Burmese run news group in exile, talks to Dr Zarni, who played an instrumental role in building the international "Free Burma" campaign. Here he discusses with utmost frankness his views on the need for reviving the local tradition of intellectual freedom, the country's repressive military, international policies of engagement and sanctions, his decision to return to Burma after 17 years as a political exile in the United States, the role of intellectuals in legitimizing the military rule, and so on.

Read the article in Burmese on The Irrawaddy.

The Irrawaddy, 21 August 2009

The Virtues of Careful Engagement

Dr Maung Zarni makes the case for cautious engagement with the Burmese junta.

Read the article on The Irrawaddy

Read the article in Burmese

An additional comment on the article in Burmese

CBC Radio One, 17 August 2009

Burma-US Relations

Dr Maung Zarni is interviewed on CBC Radio One about the implications of the release of American John Yettaw from Burma

Read the transcript and listen to As It Happens on CBC Radio One

Opinion Asia, 16 August 2009

US Senator meets junta leader Than Shwe

Dr Maung Zarni sounds cautious notes about the outcome of Senator Webb's visit to Burma.

Read the article on Opinion Asia

radio france internationale, 14 August 2009

US Senator meets junta leader Than Shwe

Dr Maung Zarni comments on the announcement meeting of US Senator Jim Webb and Burmese military leader Than Shwe.

Listen here on RFI

news.bbc.co.uk, 14 August 2009

US Senator in landmark Burma trip

Dr Maung Zarni comments on the announcement of a visit by United States Senator Jim Webb (D-VA) to Burma.

Listen here on BBC World News

bbc world news, 11 August 2009

Interview on BBC World News

Dr Maung Zarni is interviewed by Peter Dobbs at the conclusion of Aung San Suu Kyi's trial in Burma.

View part one

View part two

riz khan show, al-jazeera, 11 August 2009

'Myanmar's verdict'

Dr Maung Zarni appears on the Riz Khan Show on Al-Jazeera English to comment on the verdict in the Aung San Suu Kyi trial.

View the broadcast on Al Jazeera

index on censorship, 11 August 2009

'The trial of Senior General Than Shwe'

Dr Maung Zarni comments at the conclusion of the Aung San Suu Kyi trial.

Read the article on Index on Censorship

the independent, 1 August 2009

'Burmese leadership's mad behaviour betrays its fear'

Dr Maung Zarni examines the Burmese leadership's reasons for erratic procedures in the Aung San Suu Kyi trial.

Read the article in The Independent

deutsche welle, 31 July 2009

Verdict delayed

Maung Zarni writes about next year's Burmese elections in Chatham House's The World Today.

Read the article in The World Today.

deutsche welle, 31 July 2009

Verdict delayed

Pia Chandavarkar speaks to Maung Zarni about the delay in Aung San Suu Kyi's trial verdict.

Listen here on Deutsche Welle.

New StraitsTimes, 20 May 2009

'W. SCOTT THOMPSON: In the end, the Lady will surely win'

EXCERPT:
Zarni now makes a critical distinction between constructive and "strategic" engagement. It's not "dialogue" with the regime; that's a waste of time. What is needed is "strategic engagement with civil society and potentially reformist elements within the state bureaucracy and even within the military's command structure".

Read the article in the New StraitsTimes

the independent, 19 May 2009

'Here's how this court ordeal can be turned to her advantage'

Dr Maung Zarni suggests that Aung San Suu Kyi should use her upcoming trial as an opportunity to gain publicity for her views on a free Burma.

Read the article in The Independent

bbc radio four , 14 May 2009

Interview on BBC Radio Four

Dr Maung Zarni in a BBC Radio Four interview with John Humphrey of Today's Programme on the junta's move to try Aung San Suu Kyi

Listen to the interview

bbc world news, 14 May 2009

Interview on BBC World News

Dr Maung Zarni in an interview with Tim Willcox of BBC World on the junta's move to try Aung San Suu Kyi

View the interview

canadian broadcasting corporation, 14 May 2009

Interview with Canadian Broadcasting Corporation TV

Dr Maung Zarni on Canadian Broadcasting Corporation TV

View video

BBC Burmese, 5 May 2009

Burmese and Global Affairs Debate

Dr Maung Zarni participates in a debate on the farcical trial of Aung San Suu Kyi.

Listen here