to perform for General Ne Win, head of the country's military junta for three decades. Instructed not to tell political jokes, Zarganar emerged with a plaster over his mouth. The dictator laughed but Zarganar was warned against repeating the gag. It's a request he's subsequently ignored throughout his career as a comic, poet, playwright, filmmaker and as the Burmese people's 'loudspeaker'.Arrested and imprisoned three times, kept in solitary confinement, beaten, his teeth pulled out, Zarganar was ultimately banned from performing in public and participating in entertainment-related work. He sent his wife and children to live abroad. Then in 2008, after organising disaster relief aid for the victims of Cyclone Nargis, he publicly criticised the Burmese government's indifference to its citizens' suffering in interviews with foreign media. For this, he was arrested and sentenced to 59 years in prison, later reduced to 35 years on appeal.
from Chortle: Jailed for his jokes
~~~~~~~~~~~
No comments :
Post a Comment