Victor zara: A hero who fought against the totalitarians with a guitar of hope

 
Resistance's Tune never followed the restrictions of  the state, culture, religion, language's boundary.  Resitance's tune  was always similar all over the world.  When resistance starts, people of all class utter  the same words from their heart. But resistance doesnt start from nowhere. Its need to be leaded and guided by someone who can sacrifice anything for it . For a better society, for a society where people have their rights to live without being oppressed.  Now a days almost every side of the world people are being oppressed by the tyrinnical rulers , people are starving, people are facing society's class discrimination, youths are suffering from unemployment . But sadly now a days we dont see those influencers , leaders to influence people for a better a society. Silly songs, meaningless  lyrics are being poduced just to keep people busy and no one to think about the real problems. But there was a time when the world saw some real heroes , real influencers who had the ability to influence people by their creative thoughts, works and skills.

The great rebel singer, Fighter Victor Zara of Chile was one of them. It was the late fifties, Zara left his high-ranking job and returned to the city of Lonken. Zara got involved into the folk song movement of chile.  That movemenet changed his life into a new dimension .After visiting Cuba, Russia, he joined communist politics. By that time, his songs had spread throughout Latin America, in Cuba too. Working class people started loving his songs, and very quickly it spreaded  all over the country. Zara got huge popularity. His first album was released in 1966. In one word, the album became superhit.


He then teamed up with Eduardo and Julio Carrasco to form the music group 'Quillapayun' ('Three Beards'). Not only writing songs, he was the director of this small music group. Beral album too. But in that sense, Zara did not do any commercial exhibition. Rather wanted to stick to the ground. He used to lead in mass music.

Meanwhile, in 1969, an inhuman incident occurred. Chilean police force indiscriminately opened fire on illegal settlers in the city of Puerto Monte. Zara roared in protest. Wrote 'Prejuntas por Puerto Monte' (Some Questions on the Puerto Monte Massacre). The movement continued with that song. But the situation didn't change .Zara understood very well that only a change of ruler can bring prosperity to the country. He joined with Salvador Ayende, head of the Communist Party 'Popular Unity Coalition'. His song vinceremos changed whole poltical situation of chile in that time.

Ayende won with 57 percent of the vote. A socialist government was established in Chile. But that government did not last long. On September 11, 1973 a military coup overthrew the Chilean parliament. The Communist Radio Center was destroyed in the bombing. Dictator Pinose ascended the throne. The hand behind that coup was the US, the so called holder of democracy.

Zara chose the path of protest again. And because of that, he was arrested in the day after the military coup. Captured in Chile's National Stadium he was accompanied by his wife and another five thousand  people who participated in the protest. Zara wrote a new song while sitting in prison named
"Manifesto".

“My guitar is not for the ruler Weaving the way to touch the sky in song I will sing this song forever…”

Army personnel forced him to sit on a chair inside the stadium. His favorite guitar was placed on the front table. Zara's finger was first bruised with the butt of the gun. After that, they ordered  "now you sing that song"!

Zara stood up with unbearable pain. He started singing songs what he wrote for their party , for the people of the country. surprising  Pinochet army, five thousand voices in the stadium joined in that song. Then there was a sudden sound of gunshots. Zara's body was riddled with 46 bullets of the dictator. His mutilated body was dumped in a mass grave.  Zara sacrficed his life for a better world, a better society.  He  will be remembered forever to his fans, to the people who wants a better society, to the people who all are fighting against the Totalitarian rulers.

>>Shaikh Rafid Karim