Zayar Thaw

Zayar Thaw (Burmese: ေဇယျာေသာ် [zèjà θɔ̀ ], also spelt Phyo Zeya Thaw or
Zayar Thaw
Zeya Thaw, born Kyaw Kyaw ေကျာ်ေကျာ် [tɕɔ̀ tɕɔ̀ ]; 26 March 1981) is a
MP
Burmese politician and former hip-hop artist who was detained for the perceived
anti-government messages of his lyrics. Amnesty International named him a ေဇယျာေသာ်
prisoner of conscience.[1] He is a current member of Pyithu Hluttaw, the Lower
House of the Burmese parliament. He, along with opposition leader Aung San
Suu Kyi, were elected to the lower house on 1 April 2012.

Contents
Early life and education
Hip hop career
Generation Wave activism and arrest
Trial and imprisonment
Release and political career
References

Member of the House of

Early life and education Representatives
Incumbent
Zeya Thaw was born on 26 March 1981 in Yangon, Myanmar to parent Mya
Assumed office
Thaw, a former rector and his wife Khin Win May, a dental doctor. He attended
1 February 2016
high school at BEHS No. 6 Botahtaung. He enrolled at the University of
Pharmacy, Mandalay in 1999 and then switched to distance education at the
Preceded by Sandar Min
Yadanabon University in 2000 and graduated with B.A (English) in 2003. Constituency Zabuthiri Township
Member of the House of
Representatives
Hip hop career In office
In 2000, Zayar Thaw's band Acid released Burma's first hip-hop album. Despite 2 May 2012 – 29 January 2016
predictions of failure by many in the Burmese music industry, the album, Preceded by Tin Aung Myint Oo
Beginning, remained in the number one position of the Burmese charts for more
Succeeded by Tun Thit
than two months.[2] A Democratic Voice of Burma reporter described his music
as blending a "combative, angry style with indigenous poeticism".[3] The band's Constituency Pobbathiri
repertoire has been said to contain many "thinly veiled attacks on the regime".[4] Township
The Independent stated that while the band "focused on the mundane, their lyrics Personal details
inevitably touched on the hardships of life in Burma, drawing them into Born Kyaw Kyaw
dangerous territory."[5] 26 March 1981
Rangoon, Myanmar
Zayar Thaw also became known early on for his social activism. At one concert,
he teamed with poets Saw Wai and Aung Way to raise money for a charity for Nationality Burmese
HIV-positive orphans founded by the comedian Zarganar. Along with fellow Political party National League for
Democracy
rapper Nge Nge, Zayar Thaw also visited Zarganar's orphanages to help teach Spouse(s) Thin July Kyaw
English to the children.[2] Parents Mya Thaw (father)
Khin Win May
Generation Wave activism and arrest (mother)
Alma mater BEHS No. 6
Zayar Thaw is one of four founding members of Generation Wave, a youth
Botahtaung
movement opposed to the State Peace and Development Council, Burma's
Yadanabon
military rulers.[2] The group was founded on 9 October 2007, following the anti-
University
government protests popularly known as the Saffron Revolution, and used
graffiti and pamphlets to spread pro-democracy messages.[2] Zayar Thaw Occupation Musician
reportedly developed one of the group's more widespread campaigns, bumper Politician
stickers reading "Change New Government" to apply to cars carrying "CNG" Website facebook.com
stickers (for "compressed natural gas").[2] The group also circulated anti- /zayar.thaw (https://
government films, including Rambo,[6] in which the titular character battles facebook.com/zaya
Tatmadaw (Burmese military) soldiers in Karen State.[7] The film had been r.thaw)
banned by the government for portraying the SPDC and its soldiers in a negative
light.[8]

As of February 2010, about thirty members of the group had been imprisoned,[9] including Zayar Thaw, who was arrested at a
Yangon restaurant with friends on 12 March 2008.[6] In April, Zayar Thaw's Acid co-founder Yan Yan Chan was also
arrested.[10]

Trial and imprisonment

Zayar Thaw was allegedly beaten during his interrogation.[11] On 20 November 2008, he was sentenced to five years'
imprisonment for breaking State Law and Order Restoration Council Law No. 6/88,[6] "illegal organizing under the Unlawful
Association Act".[12] Amnesty International described this statute as "a vaguely worded law whose sweeping provisions can be
interpreted as making it illegal to set up any kind of organization".[11] He was given an additional year's imprisonment for
possession of foreign currency, as he had been carrying approximately $20 USD in Thai baht, Singapore dollars, and Malaysian
ringgit at the time of his arrest.[11]

Before his sentencing, Zayar Thaw told reporters, "I feel sad, but
not because of my imprisonment... I feel sad for the future of our
country and people when I think about these facts. These words
come from my heart. I wish to say to people, 'Have the courage
to reject the things you don’t like, and even if you don’t dare to
openly support the right thing, don’t support the wrong thing.'
"[6] His sentence was condemned by Amnesty International, who
named him a prisoner of conscience and called for his immediate
release.[1]

Release and political career In December 2011, US Secretary of State Hillary

Clinton met with Zayar Thaw, along with other civil
He served his sentence at Kawthaung prison and was released on society representatives. (Clicking on a person's face will
17 May 2011.[6][13] In August 2011, Zayar Thaw was banned by take you to an article about the person.)

the Mingala Taungnyunt Township Police Station from

performing at a stage show on Kandawgyi Lake's Hmyawzin
Island.[14]
He is a member of the National League for Democracy. In the 2012 Myanmar by-elections, he contested the Pobbathiri Township
constituency for a seat in the House of Representatives, the country's lower house, and won the seat that Tin Aung Myint Oo
vacated in 2011.[15]

In the 2015 Myanmar general election, he contested the Zabuthiri Township constituency and won a House of Representatives
seat.

References
1. "Myanmar, Unlock the Prison Doors!" (http://www.amnestyusa.org/pdf/POC%20List.pdf) (PDF). Amnesty
International. Retrieved 17 April 2011.
2. Alex Elgee (26 March 2010). "Another Birthday behind Bars" (http://www.irrawaddy.org/print_article.php?art_id=1
8128). The Irrawaddy. Retrieved 7 May 2011.
3. Joseph Allchin (30 December 2009). "Fresh blood for a new decade" (http://www.dvb.no/uncategorized/fresh-blo
od-for-a-new-decade-2/2845). Democratic Voice of Burma. Retrieved 8 May 2011.
4. "Junta imprisons Yan Yan Chan" (http://www.thefirstpost.co.uk/burma,,junta-imprisons-pop-star,25495).
thefirstpost.co.uk. 18 April 2008. Retrieved 8 May 2011.
5. "Burma jails comedian for 45 years" (https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/burma-jails-comedian-for-4
5-years-1029913.html). The Independent. 22 November 2008. Retrieved 12 May 2011.
6. "AAPP Case No. 0062" (https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:elD48Vpaw3kJ:www.fbppn.net/wp-conten
t/uploads/2008/03/Zayar_Thaw_updated_29June09.pdf+Zayar+thaw+AAPP&hl=en&gl=us&pid=bl&srcid=ADGE
EShKj5EAUwNvhS8TgWkCItbnbL7neJnxI1MUDU0gQCvV349q_xJBEufb2nsMGJ74qTlH9dsbtrpS_-sAI3Sk5fQm
xD4HkmSywBoSDMEEK6t5wnyLClFWq5xp_Cj49Ire2b9w5HJ7&sig=AHIEtbShPsRNV_Xy7Un_jusqrH3bX2j6rw).
Assistance Association for Political Prisoners. Retrieved 7 May 2011.
7. "Rambo Draws World's Attention to Forgotten Crisis in Burma" (http://www.burmacampaign.org.uk/index.php/new
s-and-reports/news-stories/Rambo-Draws-World-Attention-to-Forgotten-Crisis-in-Burma). Burma Campaign UK.
12 Feb 2008. Retrieved 7 May 2011.
8. Thomas Bell (18 February 2008). "Banned Rambo film hot property in Burma" (https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/
uknews/1579082/Banned-Rambo-film-hot-property-in-Burma.html). The Telegraph. Retrieved 7 May 2011.
9. Rachel Harvey (24 February 2010). "Burma's youth rapping for change"
(http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8518137.stm). BBC News. Retrieved 7 May 2011.
10. Min Lwin (18 April 2008). "Popular Burmese Rap Performer Arrested" (http://irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=114
55). The Irrawaddy. Retrieved 8 May 2011.
11. "MYANMAR: Hip-Hop Artist and Student Activist Jailed for Peaceful Protest" (http://www.amnestyusa.org/iar/pdf/
ZayarThawCaseSheet.pdf) (PDF). Amnesty International. Retrieved 8 May 2011.
12. "5 Generation Wave activists sentenced" (http://www.mizzima.com/news/breaking-and-news-brief/1334-5-genera
tion-wave-activists-sentenced.html). Mizzima News. 20 November 2008. Retrieved 8 May 2011.
13. "ြပည်သ့ နာကျင်၊ခံစားမကိ အ ပညာဖန်တီးချင်တယ်" (http://www.mizzimaburmese.com/interview/8042-2011-07-28-04-33-
26.html). မဇ ိမသတင်းဌာန (in Burmese). 29 July 2011. Retrieved 7 August 2011.
14. Phanida (4 August 2011). "Hip-hop singer Zay Yar Thaw forbidden to perform in charity show" (http://www.mizzim
a.com/news/inside-burma/5724-hip-hop-singer-zay-yar-thaw-forbidden-to-perform-in-charity-show.html). Mizzima
News. Retrieved 7 August 2011.
15. "Generation Wave Celebrates 6th Anniversary" (http://www.irrawaddy.org/burma/generation-wave-celebrates-6th-
anniversary.html). The Irrawaddy. 2013-10-10. Retrieved 2014-04-08.

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