Burmese artists suffer from political instability

Dozens of artists and celebrities in Myanmar were arrested and wanted. Miss international contest was stuck in a foreign country because of ‘trot’ calling for peace …

Miss Myanmar Peace Han Lay is staying in Thailand after a speech calling for the world to support her people.

The cultural and artistic life is paralyzed. The shadow from the political crisis still lies in the country of these golden towers.

Artists spread the message everywhere

Myanmar is still sinking in days of political instability, a series of areas severely affected, including culture and arts.

All over the newspapers, Burmese artists and celebrities do not appear in splendid costumes, lavish lights or on majestic films, expensive music videos … Thousands of artists fall in. unemployed or having to be lost in foreign countries. Many people took to the streets to call for peace.

CNN said actress Paing Phyo Thu, one of Myanmar’s highest-paid stars, declared to go to the streets to protest against the authorities. She is not even afraid to withdraw her budget to support those who have to quit their jobs to join the protest. Currently, her husband, director Na Gyi, is also running away after being listed as a wanted.

“We want the audience to know that we are always there for them. Knowing that speaking out like this is very dangerous, we have no way back now. We will fight to the end. Whether or not the order has been issued or not, as long as I am alive, I will oppose the military government that is bullying and killing the people, ”said Paing Phyo Thu.

Actress Phyoe Thu regularly participates in marches in Yangon city after the political upheaval took place

Currently, many artists and celebrities have to leave their families to avoid being wanted from the authorities such as: Actor Payeti Oo, director Ko Pauk, actor Lu Min, director Wine, singer Anatga …

The case of Miss Myanmar Peace Han Lay is an example. On the stage of the world level competition, Han Lay made practical calls for the international community to pay attention to the instability problem in his homeland and join hands to help them through the dark period.

A few days later, she was immediately put on the wanted list. Luckily, 9x is supported by the Head of the contest BTC for the cost and job opportunity in Thailand. However, Han Lay still does not stop worrying about relatives back home.

Even worse, many artists were arrested by the military, currently unknown whereabouts. Famous model and actress Paing Takhon was arrested on April 8 for speaking out against the coup. Takhon’s sister told Reuters news agency that the military arrested her brother at 4:30 a.m. at their parents’ home in Yangon. Security forces dispatched eight military trucks and about 50 soldiers to arrest Takhon, not sure where to take the actor. Before that, on April 6, the country’s most famous comedian, Zarganar, was also arrested.

Composing inspiration opposed the coup

Actor Paing Takhon was arrested by the authorities

The news website Coda Story said that while many artists and people took to the streets to call for an end to the violence, the wave of protests still crept through art products, especially music.

A series of rappers day and night produce songs that protest against the coup. “Dozens of tracks by hip-hop artists living in Myanmar and abroad have been uploaded to social media platforms and streaming sites, including Facebook, YouTube and Soundcloud. Music marks a new front in the ongoing information war against the military authorities, ”commented writer Burhan Wazir.

One of the most famous works is “End Game” by Nay Ye Khant, Adjustor, Yung Hugo, GRACEe, D-Vision, Young Yair and EilliE. The work currently has more than 200,000 views on YouTube. The song depicts the current persecution of Myanmar’s dictatorship – the country’s third stage of military rule since its independence from Britain in 1948 – as a war for freedom and democracy. .

Coda Story expressed appreciation for this form of calling. Because, for many years, hip-hop rap has been at the forefront of rallies around the globe. In the US, “Black Lives Matter” has called on dozens of MCs, including Run The Jewels, Meek Mill and Ty Dolla Sign, to release songs highlighting police brutality, racism and inequality. .

In another development, British rappers responded to the knife crime crisis in their own country. Artists in Hong Kong have expressed their support for the pro-democracy movement.

Dr. Jane M. Ferguson, a professor of Southeast Asian history and anthropology at Australian National University in Canberra believes that the pervasiveness of anti-coup rap plays an important role in the protest movement. of Myanmar.

“It offers a creative and fun package that captures the audience’s attention, but it can also ignite support over generations,” she explains.

Not only music, graffiti artist Si Thu Aung, from Mandalay, has been diligently painting walls in towns and cities for the past six weeks. “We have no weapons, we only have art, so we will revolt with our art, until people know our voice all over the world,” said Si Thu Aung. with Coda Story.

Khin Myat Myat Naing, a travel blogger with more than 750,000 wanted followers, said authorities were worried about posts supporting the overturned civilian government. “I will run and do my best for those who have been arrested,” Khin Myat Myat Naing stated on his personal page.