Burma Global Action Network
Burma Global Action Network was an internet-based international advocacy organization that used social networking to mobilize support for democracy and human rights in Burma, now Myanmar.
Last updated November 4, 2026
AI crawler reads
No AI crawler has read this profile since Oct 28, 2026.
Overview
Burma Global Action Network, commonly abbreviated BGAN, was an international internet-based advocacy organization associated with the global movement for democracy and human rights in Burma, now Myanmar. It emerged in late September 2007, after the Burmese military government's suppression of the Saffron Revolution, a series of protests led prominently by Buddhist monks and joined by civilians. The organization grew out of the Facebook group Support the Monks' Protest in Burma, which was founded by Jack Hidary, Imran Jamal, Sophie Lwin, and other organizers. That group reportedly reached approximately 400,000 members and at its peak approached 500,000, making it one of Facebook's largest advocacy communities during the platform's early expansion. BGAN's stated purpose was to support Burmese monks and civilians through internet activism, while building international solidarity for the Free Burma movement. Rather than operating primarily as a conventional membership charity or a commercial brand, it functioned as a volunteer-led digital campaign network. Participants and moderators came from different countries and backgrounds, and the organization worked with established advocacy groups, local partners, journalists, and online platforms. Its activities included distributing news and user-generated media, coordinating demonstrations, encouraging consumer pressure on companies connected to Burma, and drawing international attention to political prisoners and humanitarian crises. The network's most visible early achievement was its role in coordinating a Global Day of Action for Burma on October 6, 2007, in cooperation with Burma Campaign UK, Canadian Friends of Burma, the US Campaign for Burma, Avaaz, and local organizations. Demonstrations took place in cities around the world; the London event alone reportedly attracted more than 10,000 participants, while worldwide participation reached the tens of thousands. The event illustrated how social networking sites could be used to coordinate simultaneous transnational activism without a centralized physical organization. BGAN subsequently organized Aung San Suu Kyi Day on October 24, 2007, focusing attention on the opposition leader's prolonged detention and Burma's political prisoners. It also developed Don't Forget Burma, a user-uploaded media campaign intended to prevent international attention from fading after the military crackdown. Supporters could submit messages and material about Burma, creating a viral stream of advocacy content for circulation online and in the wider media. The organization also pursued economic pressure. It called for boycotts of Chevron and Total, whose investments and energy interests in Burma were criticized by campaigners as providing revenue and legitimacy to the military government. BGAN urged the companies to withdraw or divest from their Burmese operations. Following Cyclone Nargis in May 2008, it created an online group supporting relief efforts for victims and circulated photographs and reports about conditions inside the country. It joined other organizations in a May 17, 2008, Global Day of Action calling for humanitarian intervention and improved access for aid, in response to the military authorities' restrictions on international relief. BGAN's use of social media attracted attention from technology, academic, media, and government institutions. Harvard University's Berkman Center for Internet & Society invited representatives to discuss the group's digital organizing at a February 2008 event in Istanbul. Later that year, BGAN was among a small number of organizations invited to the Alliance of Youth Movements Summit in New York, an event involving Facebook, Google, YouTube, MTV, Howcast, Columbia Law School, and the U.S. Department of State. These invitations reflected the group's significance as an early example of online activism used for international political mobilization. The available reference material does not establish BGAN's present operating status, legal structure, headquarters, current leadership, or successor organization. It identifies Sophie Lwin, Imran Jamal, Nickie Sekera, and Tim Aye-Hardy among members at the time described, and identifies Alex Bookbinder as a former staff member. BGAN should therefore be understood principally as a historically important digital advocacy network associated with the 2007-2008 Burma democracy and humanitarian campaigns, rather than as a conventional commercial brand.
History
BGAN developed from the Facebook community Support the Monks' Protest in Burma, created in the aftermath of the Burmese military government's 2007 crackdown on monk-led and civilian protests. Established in late September 2007, the network used Facebook and related internet tools to connect supporters outside Burma, disseminate information, coordinate public actions, and keep the political situation visible internationally. Its growth was rapid: the associated group reportedly had roughly 400,000 members and later approached 500,000 at its peak. The organization's model differed from that of a conventional nongovernmental organization. It was volunteer-led, geographically dispersed, and organized around moderators, online participants, and partnerships with established Burma advocacy groups. BGAN presented its mission as building solidarity and unity for a free Burma through internet activism. The network's early prominence reflected both the urgency of the 2007 protests and the novelty of using a major social platform to organize a worldwide political campaign. Its first major international action was the October 6, 2007, Global Day of Action for Burma, organized with Burma Campaign UK, Canadian Friends of Burma, the US Campaign for Burma, Avaaz, and local partners. Demonstrations occurred across numerous cities, with more than 10,000 people reportedly attending the London event and tens of thousands participating worldwide. BGAN then supported Aung San Suu Kyi Day on October 24, drawing attention to her long detention and to Burma's political prisoners. To address declining international media coverage after the crackdown, BGAN created Don't Forget Burma, a viral user-media project through which supporters could submit messages about the Burmese cause. The group also sought economic pressure on companies operating in Burma, particularly Chevron and Total, asking consumers to boycott them and asking the companies to divest from their Burmese assets. After Cyclone Nargis struck Burma in May 2008, BGAN created an online relief-support community that circulated photographs and reports about the disaster. It joined a May 17 global action with international partners calling for humanitarian intervention and criticizing the military authorities' restrictions on access for outside aid. These activities expanded BGAN's focus from political repression to the relationship between state control, humanitarian access, and international responsibility. BGAN's digital-organizing experience received institutional recognition in 2008. The Berkman Center for Internet & Society invited it to discuss social networking and democracy activism at an Istanbul event in February. In December, BGAN attended the Alliance of Youth Movements Summit at Columbia Law School in New York, an event involving Facebook, Google, YouTube, MTV, Howcast, Columbia Law School, and the U.S. Department of State. The available material does not document a formal dissolution, later institutional development, current officers, or continuing operations; its present status is therefore unknown.
- 2008
Berkman Center digital activism event
[1]BGAN was invited to discuss its use of Facebook and internet tools for international democracy activism at a Berkman Center event in Istanbul.
- 2008
Cyclone Nargis relief advocacy
[1]The network created online relief-support resources and joined a global action calling for humanitarian access after Cyclone Nargis.
- 2008
Alliance of Youth Movements Summit
[1]BGAN participated in a New York summit focused on youth movements and digital activism.
- 2007
Support the Monks' Protest group established
[1]The Facebook group that became the foundation of BGAN was created by Jack Hidary, Imran Jamal, Sophie Lwin, and other organizers in response to the 2007 Burmese protests.
- 2007
Burma Global Action Network formed
[1]BGAN was established in late September as an internet-based organization promoting democracy, justice, and international support for Burma.
- 2007
Global Day of Action for Burma
[1]BGAN and partner organizations coordinated demonstrations worldwide on October 6, demonstrating the potential of social media for simultaneous international mobilization.
- 2007
Aung San Suu Kyi Day
[1]The October 24 action highlighted Aung San Suu Kyi's detention and the plight of Burma's political prisoners.
Products and positioning
A volunteer-driven, globally connected digital advocacy network using social media and internet coordination to promote democracy, human rights, humanitarian access, and international pressure concerning Burma.
Online advocacy community · 2007
Support the Monks' Protest in Burma
A Facebook-based advocacy group that served as BGAN's principal organizing platform. It connected hundreds of thousands of supporters, distributed information about Burma's protests, and helped coordinate international demonstrations and solidarity actions.
User-generated media campaign · 2007
Don't Forget Burma
A viral online campaign designed to maintain international attention on Burma after the military crackdown. Supporters could submit messages and media expressing solidarity and documenting concern about the country's political situation.
Humanitarian information platform · 2008
Support the Relief Efforts for Burma Cyclone Disaster Victims
A Facebook page created after Cyclone Nargis to share photographs and information about conditions affecting victims and to support international relief efforts.
Marketing campaigns
- 2008Cyclone Nargis humanitarian access action
Global
BGAN worked with Burma advocacy groups and local partners on a May 17 global action calling for humanitarian intervention and access to cyclone-affected communities.
Outcome. The action amplified calls for aid access after the military authorities restricted or obstructed international relief operations.
- 2007Global Day of Action for Burma
Global
BGAN collaborated with Burma Campaign UK, Canadian Friends of Burma, the US Campaign for Burma, Avaaz, and local partners to coordinate demonstrations and public actions in cities worldwide on October 6.
Outcome. The London demonstration reportedly drew more than 10,000 participants, with tens of thousands taking part internationally.
- 2007Aung San Suu Kyi Day
Global
An October 24 action focused on Aung San Suu Kyi's prolonged house arrest and the detention of political prisoners in Burma.
Outcome. The campaign raised international awareness but the available source does not document a specific policy outcome.
- 2007Don't Forget Burma
Global
A user-uploaded media campaign encouraged people to share messages of support and keep Burma in international public discussion after the protest crackdown.
Outcome. The campaign provided a continuing online advocacy channel; no quantified policy result is documented in the source.
- Chevron and Total boycott and divestment campaign
Global
BGAN urged consumers to boycott Chevron and Total and called on both companies to leave or divest from Burmese investments that campaigners associated with financial support for the military government.
Outcome. The available material does not establish the campaign's measurable commercial or policy outcome.
Brand decisions
2008
Added humanitarian advocacy after Cyclone NargisStrategyBackground
Cyclone Nargis created a major humanitarian emergency while Burma's military authorities restricted access for international relief organizations.
Action taken
BGAN created an online relief-support community and joined a global campaign calling for humanitarian intervention and aid access.
Aftermath
The network connected its democracy advocacy with emergency humanitarian communication and pressure for international assistance.
2007
Adopted social networking as the primary mobilization modelStrategyBackground
The organization formed during the 2007 protest crackdown, when supporters needed a way to share information and coordinate international solidarity across borders.
Action taken
BGAN built its organizing model around Facebook groups, user-generated media, internet distribution, and decentralized volunteer participation.
Aftermath
The associated Facebook group became one of the platform's largest advocacy communities and helped coordinate large-scale international actions.
2007
Expanded from protest solidarity to corporate pressureStrategyBackground
BGAN argued that foreign commercial interests in Burma could provide resources or legitimacy to the military government.
Action taken
It launched calls for consumer boycotts of Chevron and Total and encouraged the companies to divest from their Burmese assets.
Aftermath
The campaign broadened BGAN's activism from public awareness and demonstrations to economic pressure on companies connected with Burma.
Sources1 sources
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/burma-global-action-network · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled