Burma in Diaspora: A Preliminary Research Note on the Politics of Burmese Diasporic Communities in Asia

Abstract

This research note focuses on the far-flung Burmese overseas communities, situating them into the wider diaspora literature. Drawing on extant scholarship on refugees, migrants and exiled dissidents of Burmese origin, it presents an original cartography of Burmese diasporic groups dispersed throughout Asia. It explores their migration patterns and tentatively maps out their transnational networks. It seeks to comparatively examine the relationships these polymorphous exiled groups have developed with the homeland. Two research questions have been identified and need further exploration in the context of the post-junta opening that has been observed since 2011: First, what comprises the contribution of the Burmese diaspora to political change and homeland democratization? This has been widely debated over the years. Despite a dynamic transnational activism, there is still little evidence that overseas Burmese have influenced recent domestic political developments. Second and subsequently, how can the Burmese diaspora effectively generate social and economic change back home: by “remitting” or by “returning”? This note argues that Burmese migrant social and financial remittances might prove a more viable instrument to foster development and democratization inside Myanmar in the short term than a mere homecoming of exiles and skilled migrants. This is a preliminary analysis that hopes to encourage further research on Burmese diasporic politics and their potential leverage as “agents of change”.

Transnational labour contractor regime in the China–Myanmar borderland: Mitigating hyper-precarity in the sugar cane cutting industry

“…30 Finally, the political engagement of the Myanmar diaspora across South and Southeast Asia in the issue of homeland democratization leaves Myanmar's domestic tranquility unattainable and the migrant worker supply unpredictable. 31 Ultimately, unpredictable labour supplies and the difficult management of a hyper-precarious labour force render contractors' life hyper-precarious.…”

Chin diaspora and their social networks in Thailand : implications for development in Myanmar

“…(2018) in other parts of the world. Moreover, majority of the respondents in this study admit that their homophilic transnational ties have great influence in their migration into Thailand as well.•Egreteau (2012) states there are few evidence to prove the domestic political development influence of Myanmar overseas communities even though there is a dynamic transnational activism. This paper also finds out that there has been few evidence of the political by the Chin diaspora in Thailand to their come community in Myanmar according to the findings of their lobbying tendency and voting behavior.…”

“…While there have been a few studies about the possibility of return of Myanmar citizens abroad (Chantavanich, et al, 2012, Egreteau, 2012, this paper assesses the future aspiration of Chin diaspora in Thailand. The findings on the future aspiration of the respondents is found out to be contradicted in itself.…”