Skip to: Content
Skip to: Site Navigation
Skip to: Search

September 6, 2008 1:40:13 AM CDT

Learn about Newser Points »

« Back to the grid | Next story »

Burma Arrests Activist Linked to Cyclone Aid

Posted Jun 5, 08 6:58 AM CDT in World 

(Newser) – The Burmese junta has arrested a leading activist who led a private aid program for victims of last month's Cyclone Nargis. Zarganar, a top comedian in Burma who was also arrested during September's protests, was taken away by secret police last night, Reuters reports. The junta continues to block aid to millions of survivors, and today four American warships abandoned efforts to provide aid.

Police also seized Zarganar's computer and several banned films, including the latest Rambo movie, which features US Vietnam vets taking on Burma's military rulers on behalf of Christian ethnic Karen rebels, Reuters notes.

Source Reuters

0 comments | Print E-mail | Digg Seed this on Newsvine Add this link to Del.icio.us StumbleUpon

Related Newser Stories

  • Out of the Cyclone, Seeds of Change in Burma

    Aug 23, 08 6:51 AM CDT
    Out of the Cyclone, Seeds of Change in Burma In the wake of the ruling junta's efforts to waylay foreign aid following May's Cyclone Nargis, Burmese citizens—including former political prisoners—created a grass-roots relief effort to help the embattled populace. In doing so, writes George Packer in the New Yorker, they may have created the catalyst for long-awaited political change in a once-prosperous nation impoverished by its military rulers. More »

  • Burma Indicts Dissident Comedian

    Aug 7, 08 9:54 AM CDT
    Burma Indicts Dissident Comedian A popular comedian who became one of the most prominent critics of Burma's military government has been formally charged with several political offenses. Zarganar, who had been leading a citizen effort to aid victims of Cyclone Nargis, has been indicted on five counts, including unlawful association and creating public unrest. More »

  • Burma Aid Delays Less Deadly Than Feared

    Jun 18, 08 5:13 AM CDT
    Burma Aid Delays Less Deadly Than Feared Delays in getting help to cyclone survivors in Burma's Irrawaddy Delta have not caused the catastrophe initially feared, according to aid workers. Hardy villagers have managed to survive on fish and coconuts, helped by aid from private Burmese citizens and monks, reports the New York Times. Expected massive outbreaks of disease have not occurred—but aid workers warn that many are still at risk. More »

  • Activist Suu Kyi Should be Flogged: Burma Junta

    Jun 11, 08 4:35 AM CDT
    Activist Suu Kyi Should be Flogged: Burma Junta Official media controlled by Burma's junta said today that Aung San Suu Kyi, the democracy leader and Nobel laureate, deserves to be flogged "as in the case of naughty children." Editorials in several Burmese newspapers accused Suu Kyi of being in the pay of rebel guerrillas and foreign governments, Reuters reports. The victor of Burma's 1990 democratic election has been under house arrest for 13 of the last 19 years. More »

  • Burmese Comedian Bust Not Funny: UN

    Jun 10, 08 5:00 AM CDT
    Burmese Comedian Bust Not Funny: UN The UN's human rights official in Burma expressed concern over the arrest of a popular Burmese comedian who’d been helping cyclone survivors, the AP reports. The comedian, known as Zarganar, was nabbed Wednesday by authorities after traveling to the hard-hit Irrawaddy Delta to donate supplies, a relative said. He had led an aid group of 400 and  had criticized the government in foreign interviews. More »

Pigs scavenge for food on Chaungtha beach in the Irrawaddy Delta region 157 km (98 miles) west of Yangon, Myanmar, Tuesday, June 3, 2008. The village at Chaungtha beach was spared damage with only debris...   (AP Photo)
Zarganar, Burma's most popular comic, known for his jibes against the military regime and recently for helping cyclone victims, has been taken from his home by police.   (AP Photo)
Men unload fish from a small boat outside Pathein in the Irrawaddy Delta region, Myanmar, Wednesday, June 4, 2008.   (AP Photo)
Trishaws sit unused on an empty Chaungtha beach in the Irrawaddy Delta region, Tuesday, June 3, 2008.   (AP Photo)
The village on Chaungtha beach in the Irrawaddy Delta region of Myanmar, Tuesday, June 3, 2008, shows the debris washed up after Cyclone Nargis. Chaungtha beach is known as a popular tourist spot for...   (AP Photo)
« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow
Our editors also recommend:

Threads (1 of 2)

Tags

Burma  • Myanmar  • Cyclone Nargis  • cyclone  • junta  • emergency aid


Loading...

Premium Articles from HighBeam

Find more articles like this

Today's Most Popular


Other World Stories

What is Newser?

2008 Codie Finalist

Newser gives you more news in less time. We search for the best and most important stories all over the web, read them for you, and deliver concise and sharp summaries—along with links to the full text. Newser provides a way to stay on top of an ever-expanding horizon of news and opinion—politics, sports, business, trends, technology, personalities, crimes, and controversies. Newser keeps you not just better informed, but, with our signature graphic interface and smart condensed format, more enjoyably informed.

Learn more »