Myanmar’s junta has arrested a hip-hop artist over a video posted on social media complaining about a shortage of electricity and saying life was better under the democratically elected government the military overthrew.
Rapper Byu Har, the son of prominent Myanmar musician Naing, posted the video on Facebook in which he calls the “electricity minister” and calls the incumbent, whom he could not name, a “fool.” The proper name of the ministry is Ministry of Electric Power and the minister of electric power is Thaung Han.
“I want to tell the electricity minister who is wearing that fancy uniform and the electricity ministry employees that you are all stupid fools,” he said in the video. “Even under the old woman’s (Aung San Suu Kyi) rule, not only did we have enough electricity without power outages, but her rule even lowered the rate of electricity bills.”
The country is currently experiencing power shortages and residents have told the FRG Burmese Service that many areas of Yangon, where Byu Har lives, receive power for only 10 hours a day: five in the morning and another five in the afternoon and the night. However, some areas of the city, such as the area where military retirees live, have full power.
“They can’t supply us with enough electricity. You can barely supply us every five hours. Even that is not safe,” Byu Har said.
In addition to criticizing Myanmar’s power ministry, Byu Har also had choice words for the junta’s leader, Senator General Min Aung Hlaing.
“The guy who runs the country is also a stupid incompetent,” he said. “You guys have no (expletive removed) ability at all. Even if a fool like me were to rule this country, I promise we would have enough electricity without power outages. … I’m cursing you because I don’t have electricity. I understand? If you want to arrest me, just come.”
A source close to the family confirmed the arrest to RFA, saying Byu Har is being held at the North Dagon Police Station in eastern Yangon. His father, Naing Myanmar, was not available for comment.
Byu Har and others like him are brave to speak the truth on a public forum like Facebook, human rights lawyer and legal analyst Kyee Myint told RFA.
“Everything they say is true, but it’s a headache for people who don’t want to hear such criticism,” Kyee Myint said. “They do not criticize to get to power or to ruin the country. They criticize it to help the country improve.”
He said that criticizing the board for the shortage of electricity was an example of strength and love for the country.
“But the arrest of the junta for such criticism indicates that the country is failing and the rule of law is not working either,” Kyee Myint said.
Translated by Myo Min Aung. Edited by Eugene Whong and Matt Reed.
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