US embassy cable - 03RANGOON1171

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 RANGOON 001171 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE ALSO FOR EAP/BCLTV; TREASURY FOR OASIA JEFF NEIL; 
USPACOM FOR FPA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/21/2013 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, BM, ASSK 
SUBJECT: ASSK WILL REMAIN HOSPITALIZED FOR AT LEAST A WEEK 
 
REF: RANGOON 1167 AND PREVIOUS 
 
Classified By: COM Carmen Martinez for Reasons 1.5 (B,D) 
 
1. (C) Summary: According to Aung San Suu Kyi's personal 
physician, the detained leader is "doing extremely well" 
after three days of post-operative recovery, although he 
expects her to remain in the hospital for at least another 
seven days.  He has cleared her medically to receive 
visitors, and believes that Indonesian Special Envoy Alatas 
will see her this week.  Although SPDC military intelligence 
personnel exert full control over the doctor's meetings with 
diplomats, and will not allow us to see ASSK, his reports are 
credible that she is receiving good care.  End summary. 
 
2. (C) P/E chief met on September 20 and again on September 
22 with ASSK's personal physician, Dr. Tin Myo Win, for 
updates on her recovery from gynecological surgery on 
September 19.  SPDC military intelligence (MI) arranged and 
supervised our meetings with the doctor, which also included 
diplomats from the British Embassy, at the Asia Royal Cardiac 
Hospital.  Dr. Tin Myo Win reported that ASSK was making a 
"remarkable" recovery from her operation, and on September 21 
was already able to eat solid foods provided by friends and 
supporters.  On September 22, her third day of post-operative 
recovery, ASSK was able to stand and walk around her 9th 
floor room, which her physician says has a view of the 
Shwedegon Pagoda, Rangoon's most prominent and revered 
landmark.  Dr. Tin Myo Won said that ASSK would remain at the 
hospital and under his care for at least another week until 
her stitches are removed and she has recovered from what he 
described as "quickly scheduled, semi-emergency surgery." 
 
3. (C) At our meeting on September 20, Dr. Tin Myo Win said 
that ASSK was aware he would be briefing U.S. and British 
diplomats and she asked him to deliver a brief message that 
read: "In accordance with her own decision, ASSK will take 
care of her own expenses, but I must add the authorities have 
been most helpful."   The physician told us that Embassy 
gifts of flowers and baked goods, as well as a message from 
her London-based son Alexander via the British Embassy, had 
been delivered to ASSK (after being photographed by MI 
officers).  However, according to the physician, MI handlers 
blocked delivery of our package that included recent 
newspapers and magazines.  Large crowds of up to 200 NLD 
supporters gathered at the hospital on Saturday and Sunday 
seeking information on ASSK's condition and Dr. Tin Myo Win 
said that they were deeply concerned over rumors that ASSK 
had cancer, but that after preliminary tests he was "99 
percent certain" that tissue removed during the operation was 
non-malignant. 
 
4. (C) Dr. Tin Myo Win said that as a result of ASSK's speedy 
recovery, he had medically cleared her to receive visitors as 
of Monday September 22.  He said that MI would not allow 
diplomats to see her, but would possibly accept a visit from 
one local relative or supporter.  In response to our inquiry, 
the physician said he believed ASSK would also be allowed to 
receive Indonesian Special Envoy Ali Alatas, who arrived in 
Rangoon on September 21. 
 
5. (C) Summary:  Dr. Tin Myo Win has provided us with the 
only available independent verification that ASSK is 
recovering successfully from her surgery.  We have no reason 
to doubt his reports.  That said, we have only been able to 
meet with him in recent days under the watchful eye of 
military intelligence operatives who, per their usual 
treatment of Western diplomats in Burma, videotaped and 
photographed our encounters with the doctor in an automotive 
repair shop across the street from the hospital.  Despite the 
secrecy surrounding her surgery and her continued detention, 
however, the SPDC has, by all appearances, allowed ASSK to 
obtain proper medical care.  The Rangoon rumor mill now has 
it that the regime has no choice but to transfer her to house 
arrest for longer term rest and recuperation, and not return 
her to detention at a Rangoon military compound.  On this 
political issue, however, her doctor will not speculate.  End 
Summary. 
Martinez