Generation Wave
{{Short description|Burmese pro-democracy youth movement}}
{{EngvarB|date=November 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2015}}
Generation Wave ({{langx|my|မျိုးဆက်သစ်လူငယ်များ အစည်းအရုံး}}) is a Burmese pro-democracy youth movement founded by Min Yan Naing @ Win Htut, Moe Thwe, hip-hop star Phyo Zeya Thaw, and Aung Zay Phyo.{{cite news |url=http://www.dvb.no/uncategorized/fresh-blood-for-a-new-decade-2/2845 |title=Fresh blood for a new decade |author=Joseph Allchin |date=30 December 2009 |publisher=Democratic Voice of Burma |access-date=8 May 2011 |archive-date=2 March 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110302042006/http://www.dvb.no/uncategorized/fresh-blood-for-a-new-decade-2/2845 |df=dmy }}{{cite news|url=http://www.irrawaddy.org/print_article.php?art_id=18128 |title=Another Birthday behind Bars |author=Alex Elgee |date=26 March 2010 |work=The Irrawaddy |access-date=7 May 2011 |archive-date=5 March 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110305020803/http://www.irrawaddy.org/print_article.php?art_id=18128 |df=dmy }} This movement emerged alongside a collection of pro-democracy groups following the 2007 Saffron Revolution and was situated in the broader context of public disenchantment with the National League for Democracy, the most promising pro-democracy group following the 1990 General Election.Smith, T. J. (2012). Generation Wave: The Burmese Brothers Movement Toward a Rev(nation) (Order No. 1514053). Available from ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global. {{ProQuest|1021864991}} Thus, the Generation Wave served as a continuation and reinvigoration of the pro-democracy movement in Burma as well as a means to inspire youth engagement in political activism.
Background and activism
{{Democracy movements in Burma}}
Generation Wave was founded on 9 October 2007, following the anti-government protests popularly known as the Saffron Revolution. Generation Wave used graffiti and pamphlets to spread messages opposing the State Peace and Development Council, Burma's military government. Phyo Zeya Thaw reportedly developed one of the group's more widespread campaigns, bumper stickers reading "Change New Government" to apply to cars carrying "CNG" stickers (originally for "compressed natural gas"). The group's logo is a "red stencil of a fist giving the thumbs up". In 2009, Generation Wave members recorded a hip-hop album known as "the black album", which they distributed by leaving unmarked copies in Burmese tea shops. The group also circulated anti-government films, including Rambo, in which the titular character battles Tatmadaw (Burmese military) soldiers in Karen State.{{cite news |url=http://www.burmacampaign.org.uk/index.php/news-and-reports/news-stories/Rambo-Draws-World-Attention-to-Forgotten-Crisis-in-Burma |title=Rambo Draws World's Attention to Forgotten Crisis in Burma |date=12 February 2008 |publisher=Burma Campaign UK |access-date=7 May 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110727131325/http://www.burmacampaign.org.uk/index.php/news-and-reports/news-stories/Rambo-Draws-World-Attention-to-Forgotten-Crisis-in-Burma |archive-date=27 July 2011 |url-status=dead |df=dmy }} The film had been banned by the government for portraying the SPDC and its soldiers in a negative light.{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1579082/Banned-Rambo-film-hot-property-in-Burma.html |title=Banned Rambo film hot property in Burma |author=Thomas Bell |date=18 February 2008 |work=The Telegraph |access-date=7 May 2011 |archive-date=3 June 2008 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080603061440/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1579082/Banned-Rambo-film-hot-property-in-Burma.html |df=dmy }}
As of 2009, the group was headquartered in the Thai-Burmese border town of Mae Sot;{{cite news|url=http://www.politicsdaily.com/2009/11/17/burma-journal-the-kids-are-alright-a-democratic-youth-moveme/ |title=Burma Journal: The Kids Are Alright -- a Democratic Youth Movement|author=Alex Wagner|date=17 November 2009 |publisher=Politicsdaily.com|access-date=8 May 2011}} however, its members are required by the group to maintain legal residence in Burma. Membership in the group is restricted to those between 15 and 25 years of age.{{cite news|work=The Jakarta Post |url=http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2010/10/07/generation-wave-a-source-inspiration.html |title=GENERATION WAVE: A source of inspiration |author=Catriona Richards |date=7 October 2010 |access-date=8 May 2011 |archive-date=10 October 2012 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121010045612/http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2010/10/07/generation-wave-a-source-inspiration.html |df=dmy }}
With the recent opening and changes in Burma, apparently Generation Wave is now 'above ground' in Rangoon (Yangon), and they recently announced a restructuring and change of name to "Generation Wave Institute." Said director MIn Yan Naing in March 2013: "Our aim is to register as an organisation, because we don’t want to be an illegal organisation – but during the [registration] process I was told to promise that I wouldn’t work with politics. But that is impossible, because all of our work is concerned with politics.”{{cite news|url=http://www.mmtimes.com/index.php/national-news/5409-myanmar-s-generation-wave-institute-looks-to-train-mps.html |title=Myanmar's Generation Wave Institute looks to train MPs |author=Maria Danmark |date=21 March 2013 |work=The Myanmar Times |access-date=1 May 2013 |archive-date=13 October 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141013044147/http://www.mmtimes.com/index.php/national-news/5409-myanmar-s-generation-wave-institute-looks-to-train-mps.html |df=dmy }}
Government response
As of February 2010, about thirty members of the group had been imprisoned,{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8518137.stm |title=Burma's youth rapping for change |author=Rachel Harvey |date=24 February 2010 |work=BBC News |access-date=7 May 2011 |archive-date=18 October 2010 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101018210119/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8518137.stm |df=dmy }} including Phyo Zeya Thaw, who was arrested at a Yangon restaurant with friends on 12 March 2008.{{cite web|url=https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:elD48Vpaw3kJ:www.fbppn.net/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/Zayar_Thaw_updated_29June09.pdf+Zayar+thaw+AAPP&hl=en&gl=us&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEEShKj5EAUwNvhS8TgWkCItbnbL7neJnxI1MUDU0gQCvV349q_xJBEufb2nsMGJ74qTlH9dsbtrpS_-sAI3Sk5fQmxD4HkmSywBoSDMEEK6t5wnyLClFWq5xp_Cj49Ire2b9w5HJ7&sig=AHIEtbShPsRNV_Xy7Un_jusqrH3bX2j6rw|title=AAPP Case No. 0062|publisher=Assistance Association for Political Prisoners|access-date=7 May 2011}} In April, Phyo Zeya Thaw's Acid co-founder and fellow movement member Yan Yan Chan was also arrested, reportedly along with his longtime girlfriend and future wife, Chilli.{{cite web|url=http://www.ashinmettacara.org/2008/04/yan-yan-chan-arrested.html |title=Yan Yan Chan Arrested |author=Ashin Mettacara |date=18 April 2008 |publisher=Ashinmettacara.org |access-date=8 May 2011 |archive-date=4 September 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110904120835/http://www.ashinmettacara.org/2008/04/yan-yan-chan-arrested.html |df=dmy }}{{cite news |url=http://irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=11455 |title=Popular Burmese Rap Performer Arrested |author=Min Lwin |date=18 April 2008 |work=The Irrawaddy |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110605230446/http://irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=11455 |archive-date=5 June 2011 |url-status=dead |access-date=8 May 2011 |df=dmy }} On 20 November 2008, Phyo Zeya Thaw, Aung Zay Phyo, Arkarbo, Thiha Win Tin, Wai Linn Phyo and Yan Naing Thu were sentenced to five years' imprisonment apiece for breaking State Law and Order Restoration Council Law No. 6/88, "illegal organizing under the Unlawful Association Act".{{cite news |url=http://www.mizzima.com/news/breaking-and-news-brief/1334-5-generation-wave-activists-sentenced.html |title=5 Generation Wave activists sentenced |date=20 November 2008 |publisher=Mizzima News |access-date=8 May 2011 |archive-date=19 January 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110119104756/http://www.mizzima.com/news/breaking-and-news-brief/1334-5-generation-wave-activists-sentenced.html |df=dmy }} 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 organisation".{{cite web|url=http://www.amnestyusa.org/iar/pdf/ZayarThawCaseSheet.pdf|title=MYANMAR: Hip-Hop Artist and Student Activist Jailed for Peaceful Protest|publisher=Amnesty International|access-date=8 May 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110429092801/http://www.amnestyusa.org/iar/pdf/ZayarThawCaseSheet.pdf|archive-date=29 April 2011|url-status=dead}} Yan Yan Chan was released without charges on 7 January 2009.{{cite news|url=http://www.mizzima.com/news/inside-burma/1512-detained-hip-hop-singer-yan-yan-chan-released.html |title=Detained Hip Hop singer Yan Yan Chan released |author=Than Htike Oo |date=7 January 2009 |publisher=Mizzima News |access-date=8 May 2011 |archive-date=19 January 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110119175738/http://www.mizzima.com/news/inside-burma/1512-detained-hip-hop-singer-yan-yan-chan-released.html |df=dmy }}
On 13 January 2012, many imprisoned Generation Wave members were released as part of a mass presidential pardon.{{cite news|url=https://www.dvb.no/news/live-burma-prisoner-amnesty-khin-nyunt-interview/19688 |title=Burma prisoner amnesty – Hla Hla Win walks |date=13 January 2012 |publisher=Democratic Voice of Burma |access-date=13 January 2012 |archive-date=18 January 2012 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120118063703/https://www.dvb.no/news/live-burma-prisoner-amnesty-khin-nyunt-interview/19688 |df=dmy }}
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20120323185941/http://www.gwave-network.co.cc/index.html Generation Wave website]
- [http://observers.france24.com/content/20100901-generation-wave-youths-challenge-burmese-junta-burma-graffiti Gallery of Generation Wave graffiti]