One of the very few beneficial—though surely unintended—byproducts of the coup is the emergence of a group of young, vibrant, dynamic voices that has arisen in opposition to the military takeover. From artists to hackers, videographers to poets, and speakers to bloggers, this new generation is applying a fresh perspective and understanding to 21st century Myanmar.

Aye Min Thant (they/them) is certainly one of this group. Their writing consists of far more than simply telling people what happened to whom, as they also take great care to embed their stories in their full context. This is intentional, as they note that they want to ensure their readers understand that what's happening in Myanmar right now is affecting “very real, three-dimensional people,” that it’s neither some big, geopolitical struggle, nor a story cast in terms of a caricature of “poor, sad people in the third world.” They are also less focused on the everyday struggle, and more attuned to what comes next.

Aye Min Thant describes the previously unimaginable norm-breaking that is currently challenging the values and behaviors of traditional Burmese society, and they explain how, out of necessity, neighborhoods have turned into independent bastions of democracy and critical thought, as residents have had to band together to decide how to best protect their communities—day and night—against the military’s onslaught of terror.

We also talk about the role of the monks, and how fewer monastics have come out to the street as compared to the 2007 Saffron Revolution, perhaps due to the violence that was inflicted on them then, but partly because some probably do believe the military’s assertion that only the generals can adequately protect the Dhamma. However, Aye Min Thant sees more here than just the propaganda, explaining that many of the more traditional clergy resist change of any kind, feeling that their country is one of “the last strongholds” of true Theravada Buddhism. Finally, Aye Min Thant notes how the recent improvement in the economy has widened the gap between lay and monastic society in Myanmar, making the idea of renunciation more difficult as there is now more to give up than ever before.

Note that since this interview was conducted, Aye’s situation has become more precarious. To continue to be able to offer support to them during these trying and very dangerous times, we are opening a donation fund specifically for Aye. If you would like to support Aye and their work at this time, please consider making a donation on our website and letting us know it is meant specifically for Aye. We will continue to update their work as it is safe to do so.