Lecture Addresses Political Unrest in Myanmar

In an hour-long lecture on campus yesterday, political science professor Darren Zook summarized just over 50 years of the history and politics of Myanmar in light of the country’s recent civil unrest.

Zook said that the military government of Myanmar, colloquially referred to as Burma, violently shut down pro-democracy protests made famous by the scores of robed monks who marched the streets of the largest city in the country.

Zook has been to Myanmar several times and specializes in Southeast Asian politics. In solidarity with the monks’ cause he used the name Burma rather than Myanmar, which is used by the military junta currently in power, throughout the lecture.

“I am a messenger of other people who are doing things,” Zook said. “The best thing you can do, however, is jump on a plane and go to Burma.”

Yesterday’s lecture was organized by the campus’ Religion, Politics and Globalization Program. Program Coordinator Sara Heitler Bamberger said Zook was chosen because of his expertise on the subject and his unique approach to political science.

“He is particularly interested in looking at questions from an interdisciplinary perspective,” Heitler Bamberger said.

UC Berkeley junior Myat Aye, who was born in Myanmar, found the lecture interesting but said the problems discussed might seem remote to other listeners.

Aye was one of 16 students who participated in last week’s Die-In for Burma, a demonstration where participants laid down to mark the deaths of others.

“The purpose of the Die-In for Burma is to symbolize the number of people the military government has killed,” Aye said.

The Burmese Association at Berkeley’s die-in was one of many events taking place in recent weeks to raise awareness about the issue, according to Zook.

“There are at least ten to twelve groups working in high gear,” Zook said.

The Bay Area-based Burmese American Democratic Alliance went to the Indian embassy last Friday to protest the country’s ties to the Myanmar government and its perceived indifference to the protests, alliance president Nyunt Than said.

“We have to keep the moment and the issue alive,” Than said. “(Activists) can’t continue it in Burma, they are on the run.”

Aye said that schoolwork makes it difficult for many students to be involved and “keep the issue alive.”

“Even though (UC Berkeley) is known for political activism there isn’t enough awareness,” Aye said. “We are so stuck in our own little world.”

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