Catch and Release
"Can you catch that bird for me? I want to release it to get some good merit!"
In this cartoon, JMP offers a sharp commentary on the performative nature of the Burmese military’s so-called acts of “merit.” The lady’s request to catch the bird so she can “release it for good merit” is laden with irony, mirroring the military’s symbolic gestures of releasing political prisoners on special occasions-- innocent people who it locked up for months, if not years, not unlike catching a bird that was once free.
The bird symbolizes freedom that is not inherently granted but controlled and commodified. The woman’s statement reflects the hollow nature of the military’s practice of periodically releasing prisoners—not as a genuine act of mercy or reform, but as a staged performance to create an illusion of benevolence and gain public or international favor. Just as the woman seeks “merit” through the simple act of releasing a bird, the military seeks similar rewards by releasing prisoners without addressing the deeper injustices that put them in jail.
The cartoon underscores the futility of these symbolic gestures, showing how both the bird’s and the prisoners' freedom are subject to the whims of those in power. JMP subtly criticizes the superficiality of such acts, where the release is not a result of compassion or respect for rights but a calculated maneuver. It’s a powerful statement on how actions that appear benevolent on the surface often serve to maintain control rather than to truly liberate.