Myanmar Sentences Comedian To 45-Year Sentence For Helping Cyclone Victims

A secret court run by Myanmar's military leadership on Friday sentenced a prominent Burmese comedian and activist to 45 years in prison, continuing a recent crackdown on dissidents.

The comedian, U Maung Thura, 47, better known by his stage name Zarganar, or the Tweezers, was detained in June after he organized a private assistance effort to help victims of the May cyclone, which killed more than 130,000 Burmese. With aid organizations and Western governments, he criticized Myanmar's handling of the disaster.

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Comments

[slaxx]

just when we think we have it bad....

[sociocanuck]

I suggest a comedian prisoner exchange. We get this guy out, and instead reward him for his humanitarian efforts, they get to jail Howie Mandel in his place. No particular reason. Just to be rid of him.

[angryliberal]

They can have Dennis Miller too.

[TRYKER]

Someday, our govt will act to overturn these unlawful military dictators and bring peace....some day...after we get over invading countries and decimating their people and infrastructure and bombing everything that moves.
Some day, when Peace is the operative word coming from Washington DC, rather than "buy our arms now".
Our new President has a deep interest in civil rights, human rights, constitutional reform, lets hope he is able to get right into it and start laying out the map to progress, loud and clear.

[JulieSA]

"Someday, our govt will act to overturn these unlawful military dictators and bring peace"

So we should invade Burma? Their government isn't listening to reason, you know. they don't care what the rest of the world thinks.

[neocon666]

Bush is somewhere saying to himself: "Why didn't I think of that?".

[DMcD]

This kindhearted soul gets treated like this and Bush/Cheney go off into the sunset , pampered and protected at taxpayer expense for the rest of their miserable lives -------- where's the Kharma.

[JulieSA]

What evidence do you have of that? If that were true, Rosie O'Donnell would be in Gitmo.

[Myshkin57]

Things like this make you realize things could have gotten much worse here. At least we're gonna get things going the right way before we're at that point.

[likwitfaded]

Who's laughing now?

[KickerBoard]

Are you implying you're satisfied at the fate of this man? What an inappropriate, tasteless and smug comment.

[Internaut]

No, likwitfaded was just asking the voices in his head if any of them laughed. Because he heard them loud and clear that time.

[notb observer]

Too bad all our troops are busy fighting a war based on lies in Iraq. One amphib group could easily have liberated this little country in a matter of hours, and for once we would have been actually greeted as liberators.

[nellie]

Don't be too sure.

[johnvndonut]

greeted as libereators? for sure? small country? no. one amphib group? of course not but the victory would be swift....

[Internaut]

The best solution is not armed conflict, as Afghanistan and Iraq have shown. Political and economic pressure have the best chance to effect change there. And a few tons of scooter pies. The Burmese love scooter pies.

[JulieSA]

So you'll be holding Obama to that standard, I trust? You'll be urging him to invade Burma? He takes office in 59 days. Start writing to him. Go for it. Better contact Harry and Nancy, and your own congresspeople too.

[JulieSA]

Our amphib groups are not busy in Iraq. In fact they were used to provide aid to Indonesia after the tsunami, hurricane relief in New Orleans, and they were stationed off Burma for cyclone relief, but Burma would not let them in.

Amphib groups are available. You can't blame this on Iraq, and after Jan 20, you Dems are completely in charge. Contact the President-elect, and ask him to do this, if you think it's the right thing. Go for it.

[TimmySlagle]

I know that calling it Myanmar makes you feel NPR and intelligent, but Myanmar is the name given by the ruling junta.

It is still recognized by our State Department and the exiled government as Burma

[Internaut]

And President Bush thinks Burma is ruled by the King of Siam.

[JulieSA]

Don't make stuff up. Laura Bush has been the most vocal person in the US speaking out against the junta. If you cared about the situation, you'd know that.

[MajorKong]

That junta is a nasty piece of work.

[Orida]

Wow! This is awful, but sounds familiar ... kind of like the Bush Administration and its secret, extra-judicial tribunals.

[JulieSA]

Yes. I hear there's a secret comedian prison out in the Texas desert somewhere.

[DannyEastVillage]

Mr President! As champions of democracy and the free world, why don't we overthrow these tyrants so the Burmese people can enjoy democracy and freed...huh? Do they have...oh. Oil? Oil fields? Uh, no, I don' think there are any oil fields in Myan....Mr President? Hello? Mr President...??

[shengirl]

They have possibly the best rubies in the world. Does that count?

[Internaut]

No, their best export is Lily Thai.

[Sparty1]

DannyEastVillage,

I think you got the gist of it.

[JulieSA]

No, you're both wrong.

[JulieSA]

Don't be so ignorant. They do have oil and natural gas.

[skitter]

Larry Wilmore??

[Bafun]

Myamar has no oil so it is not worth to free these people from their dictators.

[TimmySlagle]

You should check your facts, before you start spitting out the talking points:

http://www.indexmundi.com/burma/oil_production.html

[situationcritical]

I love how you republicans have been permanently defanged.

[DMGMD]

Yes, they rank 88th in the world between such important oil producing giants such as Finland and Albania with 7700 bbl/day in oil production. Compare that to U.S. oil production of 8,322,000 bbl/day. OK, so not "no" oil, how about not enough oil to give a rats posterior about? http://www.indexmundi.com/g/r.aspx?t=100&v=88&l=en

[Waitaminute]

I think the way governments treat their citizens, should determine how the world treat that country.

[tbone99]

but the people are the country

[hippynanainblingland]

Really?!! So, according to your statement, Americans are, or have been, Bush's government, no? He wasn't elected even once, much less twice. Stolen elections, remember?

[manndan]

Tough room.

[sloreader]

ba dump dump

[lisakaz2]

The charge? Geez, this needs AI's attention.