Burma’s literary community in crisis

Sunday, 24 January 2010 15:47 Mizzima News (Interview)

Interview with poet Ko Lay (Inn Wa Gone Yee)

Chiang Mai (Mizzima) - Mizzima reporter Kyaw Kha recently interviewed poet Ko Lay (Inn Wa Gone Yee), asking him about his views on the role of youth in current press and literary circles, press freedom, the definition on journalism under successive military regimes and the manipulation and control of media by the junta.

Q: How do you feel about the current situation of the literary and journalistic community? Is it satisfactory?

A: No, because the new generation does not know what they should be as they have no opportunity to learn their profession and techniques. Moreover, there are no more editors here. Even in this situation, this new generation wants to poke the noses of and insult elders.

We were brought up under the supervision of great editors. If they rejected our articles by saying the quality was poor, we had no objection. Nowadays there are no rejections in the editorial world. These editors will select the article written by a young author attacking a 75-year old author like me. They won’t reject and object to such an article. They want to make waves only. Even if someone writes an article attacking a great writer like Dagon Tar Yar, they will print it. No doubt.

We, though, do not object to being progressive and modern.

Q: What do you see today in youth literary circle?

A: There are many disappointments in this matter. In our time, we had Saya (master/mentor) Zaw Gyi, Saya Min Thu Wun, Uncle Dagon Tar Yar, Ludu Daw Ah Mar, Lude U Hla and others. And then, at Mandalay University, we had Saya U San Tun, Professor U Chan Mya, Saya U Oo and Maung Maung Swe. But today, I think, young journalists and writers have no one to instruct them and no right to speak.

Q: What does this new generation of young writers and journalists need to learn from their role models in literature?

A: In Burmese, the saying goes ‘honor goes to honor deemed’, as printed at the heading of daily papers everyday. But they don’t follow this saying. Without a right to honor these honorable writers, there will be no chance to find honorable writers. In this matter, the State plays the great role. This is the responsibility of State government to highlight and portray who should be honored and respected.

We have no opportunity to work freely and widely. So, new generation journalists and writers become idiots. Everybody knows who’s responsible for it. This is the most disappointing matter for me. The situation in our country is like that.

The people who deserve honor are marginalized in our country. So the new generation does not know them now. For instance, they should provide all assistances to the funeral of Ludu Daw Ah Mar. But we did not have a chance even to assemble there. This is how democracy is in our country.

Q: How should the new generation act? What type of freedom should they have?

A: This is the superstructure. Without resolving politics, they cannot be handled. Only when we properly lay the democracy foundation will all these superstructures materialize.

I started writing when I was only 14. Now I’m 75, so now my writing career is about 60 years old. So, now this is their [the new generation’s] turn to say something. They have attained the age of speaking for themselves. But they have no platform from which to speak out.

If they assemble somewhere, authorities watch them closely and report their movements. So this situation is a lack of freedom. Even me, I’m not a politician, but as I get older my outrage regarding this situation grows. We can’t do anything here. In this way, we automatically become rebels. This is the democracy issue. Nowadays, there is no room for metaphors, similes and figurative speech.

I’d like to say these things but we have no right to express them. There is no freedom of organization and no freedom of expression. If we move a little bit, they [authorities] will certainly think of us as rebels. They name us and classify us as rebels, but really we are not.

Q: How effective is the junta’s infiltration into the literary world of Burma?

A: They have their own protégés to conduct their slogans and policy of ‘counter media with media’ and ‘counter literature with literature’. They are blooming here now.

The current generation makes innovations, but they are poor. Some of them are prodigies and gifted but their talents and creative abilities cannot be nurtured properly. A teak tree must have enough space to grow straight. If they have to grow in a winding and twisted position, they will be useless.

Q: Do you have any experience with your work being censored?

A: Oh! There’s a lot. I have had such an experience hundreds of times. For instance, I wrote a poem about eloping with a girl.

Spears standing and shining swords lying ahead
Cobra lying on thorny road
Anyway, sworn friends!
Let’s go and take her

I wrote this poem about a lad eloping, but the censor board saw my poem in different way, in their own way. They disliked the words ‘spears’ and ‘swords’ in my poem. See, how about the situation here. I wrote this poem very simply. The boy will act no matter what stands in his way - spears, swords, a cobra or thorns. It’s very simple. He will certainly elope with this girl by entering her house at any cost.

In my 60-year long writing career, many of my works were inked over, torn out or deleted. I wrote many poetry books. But I have no intention to republish these works now. I don’t want to see my works being broken and deformed. I can’t tolerate cutting out even a single beautiful word in my works.

Another example, I wrote a poem about my dad not feeling well. The weather was not suitable for him. Cloudy skies in winter could take my dad’s life. The climate change can claim the lives of elderly people. I worry very much about them. So, I wrote about my dad.

Patient who’s taking treatment
Please be kind to my dad
Be kind to my dad
Keep him warm by the rays of the sun

I wrote this poem about my dad. But the censor board saw my poem in a different way. Please don’t cleverly write in this way, we know well what ‘dad’ you mean. You mean General Ne Win? Oh my god! It’s not true. We are not politicians. If you want to elect me as a Member of Parliament, I’ll say ‘No’. If you want me to be Prime Minister, I don’t know how to be Prime Minister.

Q: Do you think many writers and poets are facing similar difficulties in today’s Burma?

A: All artists who are not on the side of them (junta) are in trouble. All of them are really upset and disappointed. Like I said to you before, they will find fault in your work by using a magnifying glass. They will assume the words and phrases in a different way and with suspicion. But the current situation is worse than before. Previously they just inked out and tore out pages. Now they will even arrest you. They are eccentric and awkward persons.

Q: What would you like to say on the censorship board?

A: It should not exist at all. How can there be censorship in a democratic society and democratic country? Why do they need it? What are their functions? Daily papers must have deposit money remitted to the government account. If they oppose the government, they can forfeit this deposit money. If they lose this money frequently, the administrator of the paper will control their paper themselves. Moreover, they (authorities) can sue them at court with a defamation suit. There are many ways to control them. If you make any wrongdoing, you must face the music. The writers must have freedom in their creation.

Q: How important is Mandalay in Burma’s literary circle?

A: If I were Education Minister, I would convert Mandalay University into the Culture and Arts University. I’d send all science disciplines to Rangoon University. You see, Pin Ya and Inn Wa are around here. In the north, there is Sagaing. Amarapura is close to Mandalay. So I wish to establish a State Cultural and Arts University near Mandalay University.

Q: What sort of responsibilities do writers and poets have in making changes in the country?

A: We are the people of the country. We must speak our voices. We must express our voices. We must express our wills and desires. But we don’t have such rights to do so. But I’m still happy now. Now we have [exile] free media that can point out their (the junta’s) mistakes and wrongdoings. There is your Mizzima News Agency. There are many more such news agencies such as VOA, BBC, RFA, DVB, Irrawaddy and Khitpyaing (New Era). I feel happy for having such free media for our country now. There are many people working on our side. Now we can present what we would like to.


Brief Biography of poet Ko Lay (Inn Wa Gone Yee)

He was born to U Chun and Daw Ma Ma Gyi on 11 August 1936 in Inn Wa, Zegyo, Pabedan Ward. His real name is Ko Lay.

He studied in Inn Wa Gone Yee Middle School, Pyat Thad School and Tadaoo High School, joining Mandalay University after matriculation.

He served as librarian of the University Hostels and as Sagaing Association Mental Strength In-charge. He also joined Mandalay University Writers’ Club.

His first poem, ‘My native place Shwe Inn Wa’, was published in the August 1952 issue of the Mandalay Myanmar Lanzin daily paper. He later won the National Literary Award for his ‘Lan Thit’ poetry book. In 1990, along with four other poets, he published the ‘Nadi 5 Thwe’ (Five Rivers) book of poetry. He currently lives in Tadaoo.