Mon singer forced to sing Burmese song at gunpoint

IMNA
May 17, 2006

In a bizarre situation a famous Mon singer was forced to belt out a Burmese song at gunpoint by a military officer at a stage show during a social event last month, according to sources close to the singer.

Captain Aung Myeit Myo from Infantry Battalion No (31) pointed a gun at Nai Zahan Mon, a leader of Mon Music Bank called Gita Mon during the state's show, the Pagoda festival in Kawzar town, southern Mon State, Burma.

“If you do not sing the song, you will have to bring all women musicians to meet me,” Aung Myeit Myo told Nai Zahan Mon during the show.

Zahan Mon refused to let the captain meet the women singers, and sang the Burmese song instead in the final round although he apologized many times for not singing the Burmese song earlier.

“We musicians felt sad that they frightened us with a gun and forced us to sing a Burmese song. We sang in tears,” Jae Toi Nai, a video director said.

The leader of Gita Mon Nai Zahan Mon was terrorized into singing a Burmese song and all the people who watched the show were dissatisfied. The Gita Mon singers sang two Burmese songs on the show to overcome the problem.

The SPDC recognizes that southern Burma is a black area so there is no law and the Burmese troops can do what they want.  ¶ 5/18/2006 06:59:00 PM