Journalism and Fighting for Indigenous Rights in Myanmar
From Beyond the Mekong by The Diplomat
June 4, 2026 · 27 min
About this episode
Scott Johnson discusses his experiences and insights on indigenous rights and the ongoing civil conflict in Myanmar.
Scott Johnson is an Australian lawyer, journalist, and human rights advocate with more than 25 years experience, focusing on indigenous groups and geopolitical issues in Southeast Asia. He also runs Tribal Action Group and its popular YouTube channel . His work began in the 1990s with human rights campaigns and lobbying on behalf of the Montagnard Foundation, representing the interests of the indigenous Montagnard hill tribe groups of Vietnam in the corridors of power around the world. In recent years that focus has shifted to Myanmar where Johnson has conducted some 30 excursions, including more than 70 jungle border crossings, to report on the various resistance forces – the Karen, Kachin, Chin, and Rakhine – opposing military dictatorship. Despite recent territorial gains by the military and a far from united opposition made up of about 20 ethnic armed organizations, Johnson says the civil war remains unwinnable for the junta. Johnson spoke to The Diplomat’s Luke Hunt about his recent trip into Karen State where he met with the Kawthoolei Army and its leader Gen. Nerdah Bo Mya who has declared an independent Republic of Kawthoolei. Opinions about the declaration and Nerdah…
People in this episode
Host: Luke Hunt
Guest: Scott Johnson
Topics covered
- indigenous rights
- journalism
- Myanmar
- human rights
- military dictatorship
- ethnic armed organizations
Keywords
- Scott Johnson
- Myanmar
- indigenous rights
- Karen State
- military dictatorship
- human rights
- Gen. Nerdah Bo Mya
- Tribal Action Group
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Tribal Action Group
Places: Myanmar, Vietnam, Karen State, Republic of Kawthoolei
More episodes of Beyond the Mekong
- A Welsh Reporter on Myanmar’s Frontlines · May 28, 2026 · 27 min
- Trump and Xi: The Impact on Southeast Asia · May 18, 2026 · 28 min
- ASEAN's Trade With Europe: The Costs and Trials of Doing Business · April 28, 2026 · 31 min
- Reevaluating ASEAN’s Economic Outlook Amid the Iran Conflict · April 21, 2026 · 26 min
- The Iran War, ASEAN and Global Supply Chains · April 9, 2026 · 25 min
- Myanmar, War, and Federalism: A Conversation With Joe Lo Bianco · March 24, 2026 · 23 min
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Beyond the Mekong podcast page.