The Transparency Paradox
From Insight Myanmar by Insight Myanmar Podcast
April 20, 2026 · 1h 24m · Episode 522
About this episode
The episode explores how distrust in official institutions affects humanitarian aid delivery in Myanmar.
Episode #522: “We became interested in understanding how distrust toward official institutions influences the way humanitarian aid actually moves on the ground, and how donors decide where to place their trust in such a complicated environment,” begins Than Htike Zaw, who, along with Pablo Gassilloud, studies humanitarian aid in Myanmar. Drawing on surveys of roughly 78 donors—primarily Burmese nationals—and interviews with civil society organizations, their work examines how political conditions shape aid delivery in constrained environments. Institutional distrust, already longstanding, intensified after the coup and the 2025 earthquake. Military interference, surveillance, checkpoints, and financial restrictions complicate humanitarian response, delaying supplies and limiting the transfer of funds. As Than Htike Zaw explains, “Trust in state institutions has been very low and the humanitarian environment has become extremely complicated.” The authors emphasize that their analysis focuses on how donors perceive these risks rather than proving direct manipulation of aid flows. In this context, donors face a tradeoff. Large organizations offer formal accountability but are often…
People in this episode
Guests: Than Htike Zaw, Pablo Gassilloud
Topics covered
- humanitarian aid
- trust
- political conditions
- Myanmar
- donor perception
- institutional distrust
Keywords
- humanitarian aid
- trust
- Myanmar
- donors
- political conditions
- institutional distrust
- civil society
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Myanmar, civil society organizations
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