29 Oct, 2025
Mr. Khin Maung Win, an IPSJ Senior Executive Member, joined Dr. Miemie Winn Byrd, Lt. Col., U.S. Army (Ret.), Ed.D., a professor at the Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies, during a 10-day tour in Australia from October 18 to 28 to advocate for Myanmar’s push toward federal democracy. IPSJ Senior Executive Members have been advising Dr. Byrd since 2022 on various issues related to developing a federal democracy in Myanmar, and similar advice was also provided before and during the trip, particularly regarding China-backed online scam operations along the Thai-Myanmar border and Khin Maung Win’s personal accompaniment.
While Dr. Byrd engaged with diaspora communities in Perth, Melbourne, and Sydney during the trip, Khin Maung Win participated in discussions on how the diaspora community could support the federal democracy movement.
Most notably, Dr. Byrd and Khin Maung Win met with leading Australian Senators who are strongly interested in supporting Myanmar’s federal democracy movement—namely Senator David Shorbridge, Senator Dean Smith, Senator Jessica Collins, Senator Leach Blyth, and officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) in Perth and Canberra during the tour. While Dr. Byrd emphasized the growing Chinese influence over Myanmar and the region, which is also supporting the online scam operation, Khin Maung Win pointed out the decline of independent media in Myanmar and the increasing Chinese influence over Myanmar’s media.
Discussions on the junta’s sham election also took place during meetings with Senators and DFAT officials. The Senators were clear, stating they oppose the sham election and would urge the Australian government to reject it. In a speech to Parliament, Senator Dean Smith echoed Dr. Byrd and Khin Maung Win’s discussion during the meeting about the Shan election and the decline of independent media. He called on the Australian government to speak out, emphasizing that silence equates to complicity.
At the end of the trip, Khuin Maung Win briefed other Senior Executive Members of the IPSJ on the trip, provided additional details, and outlined a near-future cooperation plan with Dr. Byrd.
