By Jaivet Ealom (Originally published on On Think Tanks)
Working on Myanmar from outside the country can seem abstract. In reality, it is anything but. My work often takes me to Bangladesh and the Thai–Myanmar border, where I move between refugee camps, local civil society groups, humanitarian agencies, diplomats, and regional actors. In these settings, information is fragmented, the situation is urgent, and credibility is essential. In moments like these, personal conviction alone is not enough. Effective engagement requires a strong research foundation. For me, that foundation is the Myanmar Policy and Community Knowledge Hub (MyPACK).
Diaspora think tanks play a distinct role in Myanmar’s knowledge environment by connecting lived experience with policy discussions. On the ground in Bangladesh and Myanmar, conversations move quickly, and decisions are shaped by incomplete data, competing narratives, and political sensitivities. Without a research hub that can organise field insights, verify claims, and present them in policy-relevant language, even the most urgent realities can be dismissed as anecdotal. MyPACK serves this purpose. It gathers what we see and hear in the field, places it in context, and turns it into evidence that policymakers can use.
This institutional support becomes even more important when engaging directly with policymakers. Whether in Dhaka, regional capitals, or Western policy circles, access is rarely granted to individuals alone. Policymakers expect continuity, rigour, and accountability—qualities rooted in institutions, not personalities. Having a think tank behind you shows that your engagement is part of an ongoing analytical process, not a one-time effort. It reassures decision-makers that what they are hearing is grounded in research, peer discussion, and careful methodology.
The reality is clear: refugees and activists, no matter how knowledgeable or credible, are rarely heard without an institutional platform. This is not because their insights lack quality. It reflects how policy systems operate. Information is filtered through institutions seen as neutral, professional, and sustainable. Diaspora think tanks help bridge this gap by bringing the voices of refugees and affected communities into spaces they would otherwise struggle to access, without weakening the urgency or substance of those voices.
Participating in the On Think Tanks School for Thinktankers reinforced this lesson. The program strengthened my understanding of how a strong knowledge infrastructure is built—not only through solid research, but also through organisational strategy, communications, fundraising, and long-term planning. For diaspora-based organisations like ours, the goal is not to copy traditional think tanks. It is to become more professional while staying close to the communities we represent. The experience clarified how diaspora institutions can maintain credibility in policy circles while remaining accountable to the ground.
In Myanmar’s context, this role is essential. The country’s knowledge infrastructure has been systematically weakened. Institutions have been dismantled, researchers displaced, and knowledge production fragmented by conflict. Diaspora think tanks help hold this system together. They create continuity amid disruption, preserve institutional memory, and connect local realities in Bangladesh, Thailand, and Myanmar to regional and global policy debates.
The takeaways:
- Until independent research institutions can safely operate inside Myanmar again, diaspora-based platforms remain the most practical way to sustain evidence generation and policy engagement.
- Building a strong knowledge environment requires continuity. Flexible, multi-year funding allows diaspora think tanks to maintain research integrity, retain expertise, and respond quickly to changing realities on the ground.
- Supporting communications, organisational structures, and long-term strategy is just as important as funding individual research projects. Strong institutions create lasting pathways for research and analysis to influence policy.
- Support for diaspora think tanks today should be seen as an investment in rebuilding Myanmar’s research landscape tomorrow. It can enable a gradual transition back to locally rooted institutions when conditions allow.
Ultimately, strengthening Myanmar’s knowledge infrastructure is not only about producing better research. It is about ensuring that those closest to the crisis are not excluded from shaping the responses to it. Diaspora think tanks like MyPACK make this possible by supporting field-based work, legitimising engagement with policymakers, and translating lived realities into evidence that can move decisions.
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