ABSTRACT

For many years, Myanmar’s diaspora has played a crucial role in shaping the perception of the international public on Myanmar’s political situation and its protracted conflicts. Arguably, the Myanmar diaspora was a key player in drawing attention to the country when many people had rarely ever heard about it. The influential media and information network that was constructed in exile was a main source of information about the country and its people. The Myanmar diaspora as a whole was characterised by a focus on the strong involvement in political activities on different levels—grassroots activities, political education, or lobbying on an international stage. The strong focus on the activism of the diaspora, on the one hand, reflects the desire of exiled populations to stay involved in the affairs of their homeland. On the other hand, the focus on activism resonates with the emphasis on human rights violations, the paradigm through which many Myanmar-related developments have been analysed.