The Wall Street Journal spoke to Zarganar, who goes by one name, by telephone on Thursday, and he remained as controversial as ever, calling on the government to release more dissidents behind bars. Here are some excerpts from that conversation:
What happened when you were released ? Zarganar : At 5:30 a.m. yesterday morning, I got a message from the jail officer. They told me I will be released at 7:30 a.m. I was in Myitkyina prison. There are 18 political prisoners in that prison but only three political prisoners were released yesterday. Fifteen remain in prison. I felt very sorry for them. I feel all prisoners should be released.
How did you feel ? Zarganar : No strange feeling. Previously, I was arrested four times and released four times. But I just felt sorry for my friends who were not released yesterday. I was arrested in September, 2007. I was released Oct. 18, 2007. I was again arrested on June 2, 2008 and released yesterday. In 2007 I was arrested because I participated in the Saffron Revolution (a series of peaceful demonstrations led by monks). In 2008, I was arrested because I donated to the victims of Nargis. I had organized my friends from the art field to provide aid. So the authorities did not like what I did.
How was your experience in prison ? Zarganar : The prison guards and prison officials were all very nice to me. But this is only at Myitkyina prison. What I say does not represent the other prisons in Burma (an alternate name for Myanmar). This time, I was not tortured. In the last three times, I was tortured. In 1998, 1990 and 2007, I was tortured when I was in prison. But in the 2008 arrest I was not tortured.
What do you think now ? Zarganar: I want to ask the new president to free all prisoners, including political prisoners and military intelligence officers. I have some arrangement to meet with Aung San Suu Kyi either today or tomorrow. I am not an National League for Democracy (NLD) member. You can say I am a maverick. I want to participate in the change in our country. If I agree with a party’s principles, I will support. If I don’t agree, I will never support. I will never stand for elections. I do not wish to enter into that kind of contest.