Monday, 17 October 2011 12:34 Mizzima News
(Interview) – Mizzima reporter Myo Thein interviews the popular Burmese comedian Zarganar, who was granted amnesty in the political prisoner release last week. A well-known critic of the military regime, he was arrested while helping victim of Cyclone Nargis. He talks about voting, finding good political candidates, the comedy troupe Thee Lay Thee and performing again.
Question: After Cyclone Nargis, the military went ahead with its constitutional referendum. At that time, you were helping in the cyclone relief work. What were your thoughts about that?
Answer: During the referendum, was unable to vote. I was in my ward at that time, but my name was not on the electoral roll so I could not vote in the referendum. So I lost my right to vote though I was entitled to the right as a citizen.
Q: Why wasn’t your name included on electoral roll?
A: I don’t know. I didn’t have time to ask them because I was arrested as soon as the referendum was finished. I was also preoccupied with Nargis relief work at that time. On the day I realized that my name was not included I just said, “Okay, let it be.”
Q: How would you have voted?
A: I would have cast a “No” vote. (laughing)
Q: After the election, the USDP party won. What did you think about the election?
A: Yes, I could not vote in the election and if these elected parliamentarians do something wrong, I have no responsibility for them because they were not elected by me.
Q: This government is said to be in a transition to democracy. What’s your opinion?
A: I am glad to hear we are transforming to a democratic system. I really believe they are in a transition to democracy. Yes, I believe it, but I want to develop more trust. Now I’m still a skeptic. I still mistrust them. I will trust gradually. The government must do more to get our trust.
For instance, the nearest example is the amnesty. The amnesty has made me skeptical. I can’t trust them now. If the government continues in this way, it will be difficult for us to trust them. If they want our trust, they have to be more transparent and forthcoming. I wish I could see a real change from them.
Q: On the other hand, Suu Kyi and Aung Kyi have met frequently. And then President Thein Sein invited Suu Kyi to Naypyitaw and met with her. Do you think these events as progress and change?
A: It is difficult comment on them because we do not know what they said in the meetings, but meeting with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is good. This is a good sign of progress and change. But I want to add at a bit here because having a meeting is better than no meeting. And also no meeting is better than meeting without results.
Q: Suu Kyi is now having negotiations with the government. Some said Suu Kyi is being exploited by the government. Suu Kyi responded that she was ready to be exploited if it is for the benefit of the country. What do you think about the road she is taking?
A: I must answer this question in two parts. First, I’d like to respond to the criticisms of being exploited. If you put gold in the hands of a monkey, the monkey will not understand the value of the gold. You must put gold in the hands of the goldsmith. Only after that, can the gold will become rings and bracelets. Auntie (Daw Aung San Suu Kyi) is not the type of person who can be exploited. Is the bullion put in the hands of monkey? I don’t think so. If the gold is put in the hands of the goldsmith, you cannot say gold is being exploited. Auntie is not a naïve person.
And the second part is I have no objection in any way to the meeting with President Thein Sein. If there is no meeting, what will you do? What happened after the meeting of President U Thein Sein and Daw Suu? Who suffered for this and who lost for this? There will only be progress. I once said I have been longing for seeing Auntie, U Thein Sein, 88-generation students and people like U Khun Tun Oo to gathering and and work together in a lily field with smiles. I have been painting this scene in my mind for a long time.
Q: After the invitation extended by the president, some Burmese exiles have come back home. Among them, is the Thee Lay Thee comedy troupe. What’s your opinion on this?
A: I regard them as my own younger brothers. Thee Lay Thee and Godzilla are like my brothers. Now they are not Thee Lay Thee, they are Thee Hna Thee (only two). There are only two thees here. I strongly condemn these thee hna thee and Godzilla attacking and disparaging the exile political organizations. If they continue this, I am ready to sever ties with them.
They had a plan to perform on the 29th of this month. I cannot tell them not to perform. I forbid them using the name Thee Lay Thee. They can use the word Thee Hna Thee. I forbid them using the name “Mya Ponnama” too. If all of Thee Lay Thee is reunited here, they can perform as Thee Lay Thee. But I will say again, if they continue cracking jokes about exile political organizations and tarnishing their image, I will stop my relationship with them. These three people will not be in my history. Now I declare this stand to the whole world again.
Q: The remaining two thees who are still in exile have said in their interviews that they would wait until your release. Now you have been released. What would you like to say to them?
A: I talked with them this morning. I had a lengthy talk with Panthee, Kyethee and dancer Mya Sabe Ngong this morning. I heard their songs. They said that they would come back immediately if I call them. They said they would come today if I call them today. And also they promised that they would come back if I arranged a performance with my friends Ko Metta, Ko Ah Yine, Ko Kinkaung and Ko Ngepyawkyaw. So when I can arrange this performance, I will call back these guys.
Q: Do you have a plan to make a foreign visit? Your entire family is abroad; do you have a plan to visit to them?
A: I don’t have a passport. Every time I applied for a passport to the previous government, it was turned down. So I don’t have a passport. I must a have passport for foreign visit. So I will apply for passport. Meeting with my family is my second priority. My first priority is to study for about 2-3 months. I have asked my writer friends living in foreign countries what I should study. For instance, I want to study subjects related to the media. This is my hobby. And then I want to study public relation subjects. My friends replied that I could study what I want for about 2-3 months in workshops and trainings. Another reason for this is to visit the countries that I have never to. I want to attend training that will last only 2-3 months, not for a long time, which can benefit our country.
Q: Do you think the government will issue a passport this time?
A: I believe they have no reason anymore to ban my foreign visits. Previously, they thought I should not be issued passports, but now I think they will issue a passport to me. I’ll apply for that.
Q: Have you been warned or restricted regarding your activities?
A: No, I don’t have any such warnings. They might think I am not the sort of person who will listen and obey those things. (laughing)
Q: You were given a prison based on charges of communicating with people in exile by using the Internet and e-mail. What’s your opinion on these Internet laws?
A: I must use this tool again. Even though I was given a prison term on these charges, I must use them again. This is an essential tool for communicating with my friends and people living in foreign countries. I must use them.
Q: Now social media like Facebook are well developed. The domestic activists use these sites for dissemination information about their activities. Do you have any plan to use these social network sites too?
A: I’ve just seen Facebook this morning so I need to learn more about it. I can’t say if I will use it or not as I haven’t studied it well. As for G-mail, I will have no difficulties because I used this e-mail all the time. And I saw the film “Social Network: in prison. After seeing this film, I’m very interested in this site, but I have not yet studied the pros and cons of it. So I cannot say yet definitely if I will use it. I went through this site and found some obscene, profane and gallows humour. Some people use profane language in it in attacking each other. So I realized that there were such things on this site too. But I have not yet studied.
Q: If you contests in the election, there will be no one who dares challenge you in your constituency. Do you have any plan to run for election?
A: I have no such plan for the time being. I want to send really competent people to the Parliament who will serve the people. I want to find people like the professional soccer clubs do. In Arsenal football club, they have a scout to hunt for football talent by visiting around the world. I want to be a scout of politics hunting competent politicians for the people. I don’t want to be a parliamentarian. I want to be a political scout hunting political talents to serve for the people.
Q: Now you are free but there are many more political prisoners still in the prisons. What would you like to say to them?
A: I’d like to say to them don’t give up yet, please stand firmly for more time. I shall never forget them. I firmly believe they will come back to their homes soon. I want them to believe this too. I’d like to say the time would come at the end of this year at the latest. I’m determined to materialize this goal with my utmost efforts.
Q: Does the government ban your artistic works?
A: They have banned my performances and artistic works since 2006 officially by sending a letter to me. They banned even my name from appearing in journals and media. They ordered me not to use my voice too. Now the news of my release appeared as front-page news in almost all journals with my picture. So I don’t know whether this ban is lifted now or not. I have not yet asked them. They have not yet informed me about this ban order so I don’t know yet about this matter. But I think my art will not be affected by their ban. My art will live forever with me until my death.
Q: What will be your priority area in future: arts, social work and politics?
A: My priority area at the moment is politics. And then arts will follow. The social work will be part of them when I’m working on the politics and art work.
Q: The president who released you from prison was in India on an official tour. What would you like to say to New Delhi, through Mizzima News?
A: I’d like to say him, Mr. President, please eat chapatti, not aloo puri.
Q: Why?
A: It’s included in my answer (laughter). [In Burmese slang, aloo prui means bla bla bla: nonsense, lies and cheating]
(Interview) – Mizzima reporter Myo Thein interviews the popular Burmese comedian Zarganar, who was granted amnesty in the political prisoner release last week. A well-known critic of the military regime, he was arrested while helping victim of Cyclone Nargis. He talks about voting, finding good political candidates, the comedy troupe Thee Lay Thee and performing again.
Answer: During the referendum, was unable to vote. I was in my ward at that time, but my name was not on the electoral roll so I could not vote in the referendum. So I lost my right to vote though I was entitled to the right as a citizen.
 |
| Political activist and well-known comedian Zarganar. Photo:Mizzima |
Q: Why wasn’t your name included on electoral roll?
A: I don’t know. I didn’t have time to ask them because I was arrested as soon as the referendum was finished. I was also preoccupied with Nargis relief work at that time. On the day I realized that my name was not included I just said, “Okay, let it be.”
Q: How would you have voted?
A: I would have cast a “No” vote. (laughing)
Q: After the election, the USDP party won. What did you think about the election?
A: Yes, I could not vote in the election and if these elected parliamentarians do something wrong, I have no responsibility for them because they were not elected by me.
Q: This government is said to be in a transition to democracy. What’s your opinion?
A: I am glad to hear we are transforming to a democratic system. I really believe they are in a transition to democracy. Yes, I believe it, but I want to develop more trust. Now I’m still a skeptic. I still mistrust them. I will trust gradually. The government must do more to get our trust.
For instance, the nearest example is the amnesty. The amnesty has made me skeptical. I can’t trust them now. If the government continues in this way, it will be difficult for us to trust them. If they want our trust, they have to be more transparent and forthcoming. I wish I could see a real change from them.
Q: On the other hand, Suu Kyi and Aung Kyi have met frequently. And then President Thein Sein invited Suu Kyi to Naypyitaw and met with her. Do you think these events as progress and change?
A: It is difficult comment on them because we do not know what they said in the meetings, but meeting with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is good. This is a good sign of progress and change. But I want to add at a bit here because having a meeting is better than no meeting. And also no meeting is better than meeting without results.
Q: Suu Kyi is now having negotiations with the government. Some said Suu Kyi is being exploited by the government. Suu Kyi responded that she was ready to be exploited if it is for the benefit of the country. What do you think about the road she is taking?
A: I must answer this question in two parts. First, I’d like to respond to the criticisms of being exploited. If you put gold in the hands of a monkey, the monkey will not understand the value of the gold. You must put gold in the hands of the goldsmith. Only after that, can the gold will become rings and bracelets. Auntie (Daw Aung San Suu Kyi) is not the type of person who can be exploited. Is the bullion put in the hands of monkey? I don’t think so. If the gold is put in the hands of the goldsmith, you cannot say gold is being exploited. Auntie is not a naïve person.
And the second part is I have no objection in any way to the meeting with President Thein Sein. If there is no meeting, what will you do? What happened after the meeting of President U Thein Sein and Daw Suu? Who suffered for this and who lost for this? There will only be progress. I once said I have been longing for seeing Auntie, U Thein Sein, 88-generation students and people like U Khun Tun Oo to gathering and and work together in a lily field with smiles. I have been painting this scene in my mind for a long time.
Q: After the invitation extended by the president, some Burmese exiles have come back home. Among them, is the Thee Lay Thee comedy troupe. What’s your opinion on this?
A: I regard them as my own younger brothers. Thee Lay Thee and Godzilla are like my brothers. Now they are not Thee Lay Thee, they are Thee Hna Thee (only two). There are only two thees here. I strongly condemn these thee hna thee and Godzilla attacking and disparaging the exile political organizations. If they continue this, I am ready to sever ties with them.
They had a plan to perform on the 29th of this month. I cannot tell them not to perform. I forbid them using the name Thee Lay Thee. They can use the word Thee Hna Thee. I forbid them using the name “Mya Ponnama” too. If all of Thee Lay Thee is reunited here, they can perform as Thee Lay Thee. But I will say again, if they continue cracking jokes about exile political organizations and tarnishing their image, I will stop my relationship with them. These three people will not be in my history. Now I declare this stand to the whole world again.
Q: The remaining two thees who are still in exile have said in their interviews that they would wait until your release. Now you have been released. What would you like to say to them?
A: I talked with them this morning. I had a lengthy talk with Panthee, Kyethee and dancer Mya Sabe Ngong this morning. I heard their songs. They said that they would come back immediately if I call them. They said they would come today if I call them today. And also they promised that they would come back if I arranged a performance with my friends Ko Metta, Ko Ah Yine, Ko Kinkaung and Ko Ngepyawkyaw. So when I can arrange this performance, I will call back these guys.
Q: Do you have a plan to make a foreign visit? Your entire family is abroad; do you have a plan to visit to them?
A: I don’t have a passport. Every time I applied for a passport to the previous government, it was turned down. So I don’t have a passport. I must a have passport for foreign visit. So I will apply for passport. Meeting with my family is my second priority. My first priority is to study for about 2-3 months. I have asked my writer friends living in foreign countries what I should study. For instance, I want to study subjects related to the media. This is my hobby. And then I want to study public relation subjects. My friends replied that I could study what I want for about 2-3 months in workshops and trainings. Another reason for this is to visit the countries that I have never to. I want to attend training that will last only 2-3 months, not for a long time, which can benefit our country.
Q: Do you think the government will issue a passport this time?
A: I believe they have no reason anymore to ban my foreign visits. Previously, they thought I should not be issued passports, but now I think they will issue a passport to me. I’ll apply for that.
Q: Have you been warned or restricted regarding your activities?
A: No, I don’t have any such warnings. They might think I am not the sort of person who will listen and obey those things. (laughing)
Q: You were given a prison based on charges of communicating with people in exile by using the Internet and e-mail. What’s your opinion on these Internet laws?
A: I must use this tool again. Even though I was given a prison term on these charges, I must use them again. This is an essential tool for communicating with my friends and people living in foreign countries. I must use them.
Q: Now social media like Facebook are well developed. The domestic activists use these sites for dissemination information about their activities. Do you have any plan to use these social network sites too?
A: I’ve just seen Facebook this morning so I need to learn more about it. I can’t say if I will use it or not as I haven’t studied it well. As for G-mail, I will have no difficulties because I used this e-mail all the time. And I saw the film “Social Network: in prison. After seeing this film, I’m very interested in this site, but I have not yet studied the pros and cons of it. So I cannot say yet definitely if I will use it. I went through this site and found some obscene, profane and gallows humour. Some people use profane language in it in attacking each other. So I realized that there were such things on this site too. But I have not yet studied.
Q: If you contests in the election, there will be no one who dares challenge you in your constituency. Do you have any plan to run for election?
A: I have no such plan for the time being. I want to send really competent people to the Parliament who will serve the people. I want to find people like the professional soccer clubs do. In Arsenal football club, they have a scout to hunt for football talent by visiting around the world. I want to be a scout of politics hunting competent politicians for the people. I don’t want to be a parliamentarian. I want to be a political scout hunting political talents to serve for the people.
Q: Now you are free but there are many more political prisoners still in the prisons. What would you like to say to them?
A: I’d like to say to them don’t give up yet, please stand firmly for more time. I shall never forget them. I firmly believe they will come back to their homes soon. I want them to believe this too. I’d like to say the time would come at the end of this year at the latest. I’m determined to materialize this goal with my utmost efforts.
Q: Does the government ban your artistic works?
A: They have banned my performances and artistic works since 2006 officially by sending a letter to me. They banned even my name from appearing in journals and media. They ordered me not to use my voice too. Now the news of my release appeared as front-page news in almost all journals with my picture. So I don’t know whether this ban is lifted now or not. I have not yet asked them. They have not yet informed me about this ban order so I don’t know yet about this matter. But I think my art will not be affected by their ban. My art will live forever with me until my death.
Q: What will be your priority area in future: arts, social work and politics?
A: My priority area at the moment is politics. And then arts will follow. The social work will be part of them when I’m working on the politics and art work.
Q: The president who released you from prison was in India on an official tour. What would you like to say to New Delhi, through Mizzima News?
A: I’d like to say him, Mr. President, please eat chapatti, not aloo puri.
Q: Why?
A: It’s included in my answer (laughter). [In Burmese slang, aloo prui means bla bla bla: nonsense, lies and cheating]
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