A Burmese blogger/poet has been jailed for writing a poem that contained a hidden message that criticized dictator Senior General Than Shwe. Mr. Saw Wai was sentenced to 2 years for his poem entitled 14th February - it was a Valentines day poem published in a popular magazine back in January.  As it turns out, the first word of each line in the poem spelled out a message not about love : “Power Crazy Senior General Than Shwe”

Condemning the imprisonment of the writer and the blogger, Reporters Without Borders, an advocacy group, said: “The authorities have imposed an extraordinarily severe punishment on Nay Phone Latt just for using the internet. This shocking sentence is meant to terrify those who go online in an attempt to elude the dictatorship’s ubiquitous control of news and information and we call for his immediate release. Saw Wai, for his part, is being made to pay for his impertinence and courage as a committed poet. [TimesOnline]

I often take for granted my freedom of speech, as I get to wake up each day and spout off my opinions on a forum for all to read.   But when I read a story like the one above, I can’t help but see my life in a new light.

In support of Mr Saw Wai and another blogger, Nay Phone Latt, who was sentenced to twenty years, takepart with Reporters Without Borders.

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