Yangon (AsiaNews) – Burma’s most famous comedian, Zarganar, was arrested for the second time this month in his home yesterday evening. Anonymous sources close to the artist reported the news to The Irrawaddy. According to the sources so far no formal charges have been laid against him; authorities only said that they wanted to interrogate him but did not specify how long he will be held in custody.
It’s suspected that Zarganar is again in trouble with the authorities for visiting monasteries following his release from his last stay in Insein prison on October 17. He had been arrested on September 25 for giving food and water to protesting monks during the September demonstrations. His release followed a week after the UN approval of a binding declaration which among other things asks the Naypydaw regime to release all political prisoners.
According to the Burmese junta, his implicit support of the bonzi has contributed to increasing popular consensus for the religious and fomenting the anti-government protests which reached their climax on September 26th and 27th. The generals chose to bloodily quash the peaceful protests. Human Rights group’s estimates maintain that there were hundreds of victims, contrary to the 10 declared by the regime. Anonymous sources in the former capital Yangon have denounced the use of crematoriums to hide the real number of victims of the violence used against the Buddhist monks and citizens.