The Barbed Wires Podcast

E02 | Operation 1027: A Researcher from Myanmar Explains the New Resistance Offensive

In this episode, James*, a researcher from the Myanmar Policy Institute (MPI), unpacks the politics, economics and geopolitics behind the recent wave of attacks against the military junta in Myanmar called Operation 1027 [https://myanmar.iiss.org/updates/2023-11]. Initiated by three ethnic armed organisations in northern Shan State, it has now spread to other parts of Myanmar, including Karenni State, Sagaing Region, Chin State and Rakhine State. *pseudonym Notes: * To understand the geographical spread of Operation 1027, check out the IISS conflict map [https://myanmar.iiss.org/updates/2023-11]. * Also, in case you’re interested, here [https://thediplomat.com/2023/11/operation-1027-is-changing-myanmars-frontier-geographies-is-india-ready/] is my recent article on Operation 1027 published in The Diplomat. Additional readings * Operation 1027 poses rare challenge to Myanmar junta [https://www.rfa.org/english/commentaries/myanmar-operation-1027-11102023122533.html], Radio Free Asia * ‘Operation 1027’: The End of the Beginning of Myanmar’s Spring Revolution [https://thediplomat.com/2023/11/operation-1027-the-end-of-the-beginning-of-myanmars-spring-revolution/], The Diplomat * Is ‘Operation 1027’ a Game Changer for Myanmar? [https://thediplomat.com/2023/11/is-operation-1027-a-game-changer-for-myanmar/], The Diplomat * Operation 1027 is Creating a New Political Template for Myanmar’s Future [https://www.irrawaddy.com/opinion/analysis/operation-1017-is-creating-a-new-political-template-for-myanmars-future.html], The Irrawaddy * Brotherhood Alliance rewriting Myanmar’s war narrative [https://asiatimes.com/2023/11/brotherhood-alliance-rewriting-myanmars-war-narrative/], Asia Times * Another town on the India-Myanmar border falls to the resistance [https://myanmar-now.org/en/news/another-town-on-the-india-myanmar-border-falls-to-the-resistance/], Myanmar Now This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit barbedwires.substack.com [https://barbedwires.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

E01 | China's Conflict Mediation in Myanmar: Who Wins and Who Loses?

On 10 March, Saudi Arabia and Iran, two of West Asia’s fiercest rivals, startled the world when they announced a detente. The historic “peace deal” was brokered by China. But, much before this happened, Beijing was attempting to broker peace between various actors in a country much closer to home – Myanmar. The February 2021 coup by Min Aung Hlaing’s military derailed its complex conflict mediation project. But, Xi Jinping’s China put it back on track in no time. Yet, whom does a China-brokered peace in Myanmar benefit? Why is China even doing it? What kind of a peace is it? And what does Myanmar reveal about Chinese conflict mediation in the 21st century? I try to answer these questions in the first episode of the BW Podcast. Listen and share! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit barbedwires.substack.com [https://barbedwires.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]