RESEARCH
Published research and analysis with institutions such as the ISEAS–Yusof Ishak Institute, the United States Institute of Peace (USIP), the Stimson Center, the International Crisis Group, and Article 19.
Published in more than 20 leading international publications, including TIME Magazine, Foreign Policy, Al Jazeera, Los Angeles Times, The Globe & Mail, The Nation, Thomson Reuters Foundation, Rest of World, The New Humanitarian, VICE, Myanmar Now, New Naratif, Frontier Myanmar, The Diplomat, Columbia Journalism Review, Southeast Asia Globe, Nikkei Asia Review, Mongabay, South China Morning Post, The Japan Times, and FCC Hong Kong Magazine.
Research & Publications
2021- Present
5. “The Arakan Army and Resistance Movement in Myanmar,” Stinson Center, April 2023.
4. “Different reposes to Cyclone Mocha in Western Myanmar”. ISEAS- Yusof Ishak Institute Perspectives, September.
3. “The Myanmar Junta “sham” election threatens of 2025 Arakan Rebel’s Goal, 2023/35.” ISEAS Perspectives, April.
2. “Avoiding a Return to War in Myanmar’s Rakhine State,” International Crisis Group, 2022.
1. “Rebuilding an Architecture of Oppression: The impact of the military coup on freedom of expression and civic space in Myanmar,” (with Laura Haigh), Article-19, December 2021.
Analysis [Op-Eds & Commentary]
2025- 1. “Myanmar’s Earthquake Explores Political Fault Lines”. Foreign Policy Magazine, April.
2024
4. “Is Myanmar’s Arakan Army Capable of Governing Rakhine? South China Moring Post, November.
3. “Does the Arakan Army Have the Capacity to Govern Rakhine? ISEAS- Yusof Ishak Institute, November.
2. “The New Era is Dawning for the People of Rakhine State, The Diplomat Magazine, February.
1. “Fighting in Cities: Shaping a New conflict Map in Western Myanmar.” ISEAS- Yusof Ishak Institute, January.
2023
7. “Is Myanmar’s Civil War Pushing Towards Fragmentations? The Diplomat Magazine, December.
6. “Ceasefire Breach: Operation 1027 Shakes Western Myanmar,” The Diplomat Magazine, November.
5. “Operation-1027”: A Turning-Point for Myanmar’s Armed Struggle? (with Naing Lin), The Diplomat Magazine.
4. “Arakan Rebel Government Takes Lead in Myanmar Cyclone Recovery.” The Diplomat Magazine, May.
3. “How has the Arakan Army capitalized on Myanmar’s coup? The Diplomat Magazine, April.
2. “How Would Rakhine Figure in Myanmar’s “Sham” Election? ISEAS- Yusof Ishak Institute, March.
1. “How India betrayed the Rakhine People, and why it matters today.” The Diplomat Magazine, February.
2022 6. “Japan Needs to Ratchet Up Pressure on Myanmar’s Junta” (with Sam Boran). The Japan Times, October.
5. “Insurgents in Myanmar’s Rakhine State Return to War on the Military,” United States Institute of Peace, October.
4. “Fighting in Maungdaw: A strategic Turning point in western Myanmar? The Diplomat Magazine, September.
3. “Myanmar’s Rakhine State: Parties Split, Rebels Rise, and the Junta Schemes.” United States Institute of Peace, August.
2. “In Myanmar’s Rakhine, a Fraying Truce May Hold Key to Anti-Regime Fight” United States Institute of Peace, July.
1. “Can the Arakan Army achieve its confederacy dream? Frontier Myanmar, May.
2021
6. “Relief Agencies’ push for Independent Access to Rakhine.” (with Laetitia Van Den Assum), The Diplomat, Sept.
5. “Democratic states should recognize the National Unity Government.” (with Faudi Pitsuwan), Nikkei Asia Review, April.
4. “After Myanmar’s coup, Arakan Army accelerates implementation of the “Way of Rakhita”. The Diplomat, April.
3. “Covering the coup: A Myanmar Journalist Reports.” Foreign Correspond Club-Hongkong, April.
2. “Myanmar Military is trying to divide and terrorize the people. We must resist.” The Diplomat Magazine, March.
1. “Myanmar Politics must be remade, not restored,” Frontier Myanmar, February.
2020 1.
“Myanmar: world’s largest Internet shutdown ruins lives.” TIME Magazine, November.
Featured Articles
2022
3. Civilians in firing line as conflict returns to Myanmar’s Rakhine, Al Jazeera, October.
2. Myanmar’s Arakan rebels cement control over Rakhine state while the junta’s distracted. SCMP, January.
1. Myanmar’s military coup prolongs misery for Rohingya in Rakhine. Al Jazeera, January.
2021 39. “My friends are being burned”; atrocities mount under Myanmar’s Junta” (with David Person). LA Times, December.
38. “Sidelining of tarnished icon Aung San Su Kyi leaves Myanmar’s democratic hopes in hands of others.” (With David Person). Los Angeles Times, December.
37. Myanmar sentences Aung San Su Kyi: more verdicts expected (David Person). Loge Angeles Times, December.
36. Rumbles in Rakhine amid strains between Myanmar military and rebels. Al Jazeera, November.
35. “The Last Battle for Myanmar”: Citizens Take up arms in bid to topple junta (with David Person). Los Angeles Times.
34. “How Is That Fair? The Silent Terror of Survivor’s Guilt (with Verena Holzl). VICE, September.
33. Arakan Army Seeks to Build “Inclusive” Administration in Rakhine State. The Diplomat, Aug.
32. Arakan Army Extends Administrative Grip on Rakhine State. Frontier Myanmar, August.
31. Food fears for displaced and locked down in Myanmar’s Rakhine. Al Jazeera, July.
30. Myanmar Political Crisis is fueling an “uncontrolled” outbreak of COVID-19. (with David Pierson, Andrew Nachemson). Los Angeles Times, July.
29. Five Myanmar voices on a year in turmoil (with Emily Fishbein). Nikkei Asia, July.
28. Myanmar’s warring military and rebels find common ground in corrupt jade trade. (with Andrew Nachemson), Mongabay, July.
27. Myanmar military targets lawyers defending political prisoners (With Andrew Nachemson). Al Jazeera, June.
26. Cracks are showing in the Myanmar military, but is it enough? (With Allegra Mendelson). Southeast Asia Globe, May.
25. Facebook is still censoring groups fighting the Military coup in Myanmar. Rest of World, May.
24. Myanmar protesters facing new safety concerns as military enacts new regulations over hosting guests. (with Emily Fishbein, Nu Nu Lusan), Global and Mail, April.
23. The Military Coup Destroyed Independent Media in Myanmar, but in Rakhine State, It Wasn’t There to Begin With. (With Emily Fishbein), Tea Circle Oxford, April.
22. Myanmar accelerates toward a civil war of ‘unprecedented scale’. (With David Pierson), LA Times, Apri.
21. As Myanmar's Junta Intensifies Its Crackdown, Pro-Democracy Protesters Prepare for Civil War. (with Emily Fishbein). TIME Magazine, April.
20. Protests Unite Myanmar’s Ethnic Groups Against Common Foe. (With Emily Fishbein). Foreign Policy, March.
19. Myanmar forces kill dozens in deadliest day since coup. (With Andrew Nachemson). LA Times, March.
18. Idle businesses, uncollected taxes. How Myanmar is tumbling toward a ‘failed state’. (With David Pierson). LATimes.
17. Myanmar’s military sows fear and terror in nighttime raids. (With David Pierson) LA Times, March.
16. With 'Sarong Revolution', women in Myanmar defy coup and patriarchy, Thomsons Reuters Foundation, March.
15. As protests grow in Myanmar, so do crackdowns on the press. (With Emily Fishbein). Columbia Journalism, Mar.
14. Sarong Revolution: Women Smash Gender Taboos to Fight Myanmar Junta. (With Nu Nu Lusan, and Emily Fisbhein). VICE World News, March.
13. Myanmar's Pro-Democracy Protests Are Giving a Voice to LGBTQ+ People. (With Emily Fishbein). TIME, March.
12. Medics risk lives to treat injured in Myanmar anti-coup protests. (with Nu Nu Lusan, Emily Fishbein). Al Jazeera, Mar.
11. In Myanmar, LGBT+ people join anti-coup protests with rainbow flags. Thomsons Reuters Foundation, February.
10. Striking workers across Myanmar brave personal risks to bring down junta. (With Emily Fishbein). Globe & Mail, Feb.
9. Myanmar Coup: Neighborhood Vigilantes Patrol Streets as Military Tightens Grip. VICE World News, February.
8. ‘We Shall Not Surrender’: Myanmar Rises Up Against the Junta. (With Emily Fishbein). The Nation, February.
7. Myanmar military tries ‘divide and rule’ in bid to cement power. (With Emily Fishbein). Al Jazeera, Feb.
6. In Myanmar’s protests, diverse ethnic people stand united against a military coup, but some are pushing for bigger change. (With Emily Fishbein). Globe and Mail, February.
5. In Myanmar, one Blackout ends, another begins, (With Emily Fishbein). Rest of World, February.
4. Myanmar minorities fear renewed violence after military coup, (With Emily Fishbein). Al Jazeera, Feb.
3. Aung San Suu Kyi Faces New Charges After the Coup. Can Democracy Survive Without Her? TIME, February.
2. Myanmar’s Military Didn’t Just Overthrow Aung San Suu Kyi's Government. It’s Cracking Down on All Forms of Dissent, (With Emily Fishbein). TIME Magazine, February.
1. In Rakhine, families of the disappeared seek answers. (With Emily Fishbein). Al Jazeera, January.
2020
7. Like Ants Fighting Elephants”: Student Activists in Myanmar Speak Out. (With Emily Fishbein). New Naratif, Nov.
6. ‘Our voice has been killed’ - Rakhine’s smaller ethnic groups shut out of political process by vote cancellations. (With Emily Fishbein). Myanmar Now, November.
5. In Myanmar’s Rakhine State, trust in an armed group grows as election hopes fade. (With Emily Fishbein). The New Humanitarian, November.
4. Vote cancellations trigger outrage among Myanmar minority voters. (with Emily Fishbein). Al Jazeera, October.
3. Rakhine: Where the military is more feared than the coronavirus. (With Emily Fishbein). Al Jazeera, September.
2. For Those Displaced in Myanmar’s Rakhine State, COVID Adds Another Layer of Fear. (With Emily Fishbein). VICE World News, September.
1. To Fight the Coronavirus, Myanmar Needs a Cease-Fire in Rakhine. (With Emily Fishbein). Foreign Policy, September.