For those of you who, like me, know very little about Myanmar, this presentation will cover the history, particularly of British misrule and the major ethnic groups, discuss the interests and actions of the great powers, and review the recent fighting and the outlook for Myanmar.
The video may look a little rustic, but don’t be fooled: the speaker, Kevin Kirk, has developed software in the Soviet Union, Israel, Russia and Ukraine, and has trained diplomats as part of the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs.1 And these days, he says, he teaches computer science at almost every university in Thailand.
We apologize for not having a transcript. This talk is information-packed and fast-paced, so please pay attention to it. There are several key points where the video is important, so if you treat this talk like a YouTube interview and listen while doing other things, you will miss important information. For example, at the beginning, Kirk introduces the audience to the major regions of Myanmar and the ethnic minorities that live there. This is an important anchor, so please do not only watch this part, but also make sure to watch it. There are several other points where maps are introduced and used, so be sure to pay attention to the screen at those times too.
I shared some facts with Lambert, who has been following Myanmar for a while, but it was new to him, so even if you already have some knowledge on the subject, I think you will leave this presentation feeling more informed.
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1 Thailand was the first country to set up a school to train diplomats outside of Thailand, with participants coming from countries now known as the Global South. As a result, Kirk has an advantage from his years in the Foreign Service, plus an extensive network of former students.
