Zayar Thaw’s Voice

Ko Zayar Thaw was born Kyaw Kyaw on 26 March 1981. He is a well-known  hip-hopper in Burma and together with Yan Yan Chan founded hip-hop band Acid, which released Burma’s first hip-hop album Beginning in 2000. After the 2007 Saffron Revolution, Zayar Thaw and others founded Generation Wave.

Generation Wave is a youth movement which uses stickers, pamphlets, music and grafitti to peacefully oppose the military regime in Burma. In 2008, Zayar Thaw was arrested and sentenced to six years in prison, for ‘forming an illegal organisation’ and  the ‘illegal possession of foreign currency’ (upon his arrest, he had a few US dollars in his pockets…). He was released in May 2011, as part of an amnesty for prisoners by the regime. Many members of his organisation Generation Wave are currently still in prison. We had contact with Zayar Thaw shortly after his release.

Can you tell us something about your arrest and what happened afterwards?

“While we, six friends, were discussing and having meals in Gold Feather Restaurant at Sayarsan Road in Rangoon, some Military Security Agents from Unit (1), headed by Capt X,  suddenly came in and arrested us without any warrant. They took us to the nearest Police Station at Bahan Township. Then in the evening, I was blindfolded and taken to an unknown place for interrogation. After the violent and bloody interrogation that lasted a few days, I was taken to Insein Prison via the Bahan Township Police Station. I received my verdict at Insein Prison and was then transferred to Kawthaung Prison.”

How were you treated, were you tortured?

“At the interrogation centre, they –  I don’t know who they are and what they are –  tortured me and beat me while asking many unreasonable questions and so, there was some bloodshed. However, I do not want to go into detail on that, because, I don’t want to bear any grudges against those who brutally treated me.”

How did you survive your time in prison, what kept you going?

“The way of life and staying in Burmese prisons is very hard, very difficult and, I would like to say, very bad. Prison has its own rules and regulations that every prisoner must follow. Whatever hardship we faced in prison, we the prisoners of conscience including me, tried to go through these days by firmly holding on to our own beliefs and convictions and also focus on our destination. We strongly believe that our destination will be attained one day. That belief always motivates us to overcome these hard days in prison.”

Did you know that human rights organisations campaigned for your release? And is there anything you want to say to these people who were active for you?

“During my family visits, we were allowed to talk about our family affairs only. I did not know about these campaigns for my release. When I was released, I got some information about that from my colleagues. I deeply appreciate their kindness upon me. May I request you to convey my appreciation to these people.
I also want to show my gratitude in person, and to have contact with them in the future. Please let me know their addresses. Although I have been released, there are many artists and musicians still behind bars. I would like to do something for their release in collaboration with your help as well as with our friends abroad.”

How do you see the future of Burma?

“Our country has been ruled by a political dictatorship for more than half a century up until now. We, people of various nationalities, desire to make a CHANGE. I myself have tried and have been trying to create awareness of our people to visualize their existing unhealthy socioeconomic conditions and low standard of living, so as to be activated and willing to achieve the betterment of their lifestyle. I am determined to march along with my beloved people including other nationalities to reach our desired goals with our faithful beliefs and convictions, and so I am sure that we will definitely reach our goal in the near future.”

How do you see your own future?

“As a noble citizen of Burmese nationality, my future is the people’s future as well as their desire. We are trying to construct a new democratic country with our faithful belief and conviction, using our own hands collaboratively to achieve a better and brighter future for our new generation.”

Did you hear anything about the elections last year? And about Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s release?

“In prison, we can only read government-run newspapers and censor-passed journals and
magazines. We can only have limited information through these limited media. So I heard about last year’s  elections only as news facts, not in detail.”

“I read about the release of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi on her due course from house arrest in the available newspapers and journals.”

What can human rights organisations or people outside Burma do to improve the human rights situation in Burma?

“First of all, I want organisations like human rights ngo’s to give certain pressure upon the existing governing authorities, for the release of all political prisoners in Burma, with the basic human rights background. Because I accept this as the basic and most urgent need of our country. Secondly, please try to expose the current events in violation of human rights, strategically done by our governing bodies upon the Burmese Nationalities, to international governments and the people inside our country as well. And last, but not the least, I am afraid to say that when the International Bodies (Amnesty International, ICRC (International Committee of the Red Cross), ILO International Labour Organisation), Freedom House etc.) and Institutions handle the Burmese Affairs, they usually recommend as “being criticized, being blamed on that, being proposed, and being warned”. We, the activists in the country, want you all to take more specific decisions and actions like “decided to do something on that purpose, with some regulations and bye-laws, and act effectively.”

How do you view politics as a singer / artist?

“A person whoever or whatever he may be, if he lives in a country and/or dwells in that country, he would be a citizen of that country and has the right to see, to feel and to expose his beliefs to the others, especially when he sees and feels the unlawful things in front of him.”

Do you want to be a politician or a singer or both?

“I decided to create some music as my hobby for my audience and also to keep on observing my country’s affairs on politics as well as socioeconomic aspects for the betterment of my people.”

What influenced you to get involved in politics?

“I exposed the people’s voices and their noises, which built up cumulatively in our hearts forming to be our utmost desires. So I exposed these feelings on behalf of them.”

What do you think about the other artists who are reluctant to get involved in politics?

“I accept that artists are professionals. If somebody bans or forbids or controls him in the creation of his arts, his and his family’s life have been broken into pieces and cannot survive. The government uses this strategy, to control the artists to keep them away from politics. That is why we, as active artists, fight for the oppression of human’s birth right for everybody including the artists.”

Do you have a message for the people outside your country?

“I would like to say thank you all for your interest and long lasting support for our activities to get democracy. Our way to fight for it is not over yet. May I request you to continue your support and allow me to say that we are looking forward to get more specific and effective support for our way to democracy.”

What can we as normal people do for the people in Burma?

“I like to say to the people from abroad that we are fighting for the attainment of basic human birth rights which you all already have.  i.e. we want to survive at a normal standard of lifestyle for every citizen. We also want to live peacefully and safely while we are trying to manage the promotion of our own lifestyles and standard of living, like you. But we are still fighting to attain that sort of life.
Thus, you have to keep in mind that although you all are staying peacefully and safely in your normal family lives, there is a country, in a certain part of the world, where the people are still fighting for the chance to live simply like you. Please convey this message to others who are not well acquainted to our existing sufferings. Thank you very much.”