Hip-hop singer Zayar Thaw—who was released from prison in May after serving 3,5 years of a 5-year sentence for his political activities—has been barred by Mingla Taung Nyunt township authorities from singing at a live concert in Rangoon. The live concert, which will include various well-known pop stars, is scheduled to be held on Aug. 6 at Kandawgyi Lake. The concert has been arranged for the purpose of raising funds for the elderly residents of Seesar Ahla, a charitable home founded by social activist Than Myint Aung, a leading member of the Free Funeral Service Society, an NGO that has reportedly been under government surveillance since 2007.
Speaking to The Irrawaddy on Thursday, Zayar Thaw said, “It is simply unreasonable to ban me for my political views. If the current government is a democratic one, it needs to accept diversity. Even if our beliefs are different from the current government’s stance, it does not mean that we are outlaws.”
The hip-hop star is a co-founder of Generation Wave, a pro-democracy civic group which rose to prominence shortly after the September 2007 mass demonstrations. He was arrested in February 2008 and sentenced to five years imprisonment in November 2008.
He served his jail time in Kawthaung Prison in the far south of Burma.Zayar Thaw followed an illustrious list of artists, writers, poets, pop stars and other celebrities who have been sentenced to lengthy jail terms for airing their dissent against Burma's government. Controversial comedian Zarganar was sentenced to 59 years in prison, while late poet Tin Moe was sentenced to five years for publishing a poem satirizing the military generals.
2011.08.04 [2011.08.04 |http://www.mizzima.com/news/inside-burma/5724-hip-hop-singer-zay-yar-thaw-forbidden-to-perform-in-charity-show.html]