After years of rigid censorship, Burma’s cartoonists relished the opportunity to depict and satirize government figures and policies. Many cartoons were by students, others the more polished work of professional cartoonists. All were inspired by a shared sense of freedom and the prospect of democratic change. To protect identities, all signatures have been deleted.

Cartoon Comment 01
"For 26 years we’ve had to live with our eyes and our mouths
shut - only now do we have freedom to speak and see"



Burma after 26 years of military socialist rule

"Take hold of it gently or it will break"


The army is not our enemy

Pointing BSPP finger: "Soldier, the muzzle of your gun is aiming
the wrong way"
Soldier: "I’m a democracy soldier"
People’s Will [holding sign]: Down with the one-party system


The country under the Burma Socialist Programme Party (BSPP)




[If] the Tatmadaw and the people
Join hands in sincerity
The first rays of democracy
Will blaze forth



"The one- party system has plunged the whole country into a disastrous state of poverty, ignorance and fear where detention, torture and killing are the order of the day"

KHIN MAUNG LATT

FORMER NEWSPAPER EDITOR, IN OPEN LETTER OF AUG 27 TO DR. MAUNG MAUNG

one party leaders

King of Hell to BSPP bosses
[plunging into the ‘Cauldron for Eliminating Evildoers’]:
"Come on, come on! I’ve been waiting 26 years for you lot"

 



1) "Don’t say puppet Maung Maung, puppet Maung Maung "
2) "Look carefully! Where are the strings? There aren’t any"
3) "Please believe me: I’m not a puppet who dances when the strings are pulled"


Ne Win [left] pulls strings of San Yu, Sein Lwin and Dr. Maung Maung
at rostrum of BSPP People’s Assembly




Democracy desire

 Soldier lags behind as the student, worker,
farmer, lawyer and doctor all cry "Democracy!"

Guns and saboteurs
"We are arranging for all your requirements to be taken care of" [government’s specter of violence and sabotage looms]



The military dictator sinks into the quicksand
of democracy demands




The people open the book of
democracy, kept shut by BSPP

"Despite
oppression
and torture,
the desire
for democracy
cannot be
quenched
and can only
become a
stronger,
brighter
flame. No
dictatorship,
however
harsh,
however cruel,
can extinguish
this blazing fire"

U NU




"Is that the cost of living rate?"
"No! It’s the rising death toll"


The people pointing, ask: "Who are you?"
[MI = Military Intelligence]



GENERAL STRIKE

The one-party system ‘vulture’ versus the strikers’ democracy ‘dove’

Burma Broadcasting Service

"And now here is the (incorrect) news
(broadcast under duress)"



The general strike sends the BSPP figure [composed of initials
of its Burmese name] sprawling



"To restore the rule of law and local peace and tranquillity, demonstrators and rioters have been gently shot dead with small guns in a lawful manner"



1)" The students have been on hunger strike for 36 hours"
2) "Aunty, aren’t you people going to join in?"
3) "Young man, we’ve been on a hunger strike for 26 years already"


Behind the smiling face of state television



The growing strike sees off the BSPP




 

 

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