US embassy cable - 03RANGOON1314

C O N F I D E N T I A L RANGOON 001314 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE ALSO FOR EAP/BCLTV; TREASURY FOR OASIA JEFF NEIL; 
USPACOM FOR FPA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/18/2013 
TAGS: PGOV, PHUM, BM, Human Rights, National Convention 
SUBJECT: LATEST ARRESTS INDICATE ZERO TOLERANCE FOR DISSENT 
 
REF: RANGOON 1214 
 
Classified By: COM Carmen Martinez for Reasons 1.5 (B,D) 
 
1. (C) Summary:  The SPDC recently arrested a former U.S. 
Embassy FSN and seven university students for distributing 
pamphlets deemed critical of the regime's "roadmap for 
democracy."  Additional arrests of NLD supporters indicate a 
continued low tolerance for dissent, and the regime was 
likely emboldened by ASEAN's recent endorsement of SPDC 
"progress" toward democracy.  We have several reports that 
military intelligence officers are attempting to pressure 
opposition activists into participating in a reconvened 
National Convention.  End summary. 
 
2. (SBU) According to Embassy sources, SPDC military 
intelligence (MI) agents arrested veteran political activist 
U Win Naing and seven university students o/a September 26 
for distributing leaflets in Rangoon Division that criticized 
Prime Minister Khin Nyunt's seven-point "roadmap for 
democracy."  Authorities released U Win Naing, after 9 hours 
of questioning and released five of the students after six 
days of interrogation.  (Note: U Win Naing is a former BBC 
and VOA stringer and, until 1995, worked at the U.S. Embassy 
in Rangoon as an FSN in the political and economic section. 
End note). 
 
3. (SBU) Embassy sources believe that of the seven students 
arrested o/a September 26, two of them, NLD youth members Han 
Win Aung and Myint Myint San, remain detained at Rangoon's 
Insein Prison where they risk 7-year sentences under Burma's 
"Printing and Publisher's Registration Act of 1962," a law 
that prohibits the unauthorized distribution of published 
materials.  The GOB has made no official mention of the 
arrests or subsequent trials; sources only learned of the 
developments from family members of other political prisoners 
at Insein Prison and from the released activists. 
 
4. (C)  U Win Naing told Emboff that MI officers not only 
interrogated him about his political activities and the 
pamphlet distribution, but also questioned him about the 
SPDC's reconvening of the National Convention.  The MI 
officers asked him, hypothetically, whether he would attend 
the Convention if invited, noting that he could be invited as 
an individual, not as a member of a political party.  U Win 
Naing responded that with "modification to procedures" and 
increased transparency he would consider attending. 
 
5. (SBU) Additional Embassy sources also report that during 
the week of October 13-17, MI authorities detained several 
NLD supporters (NFI) who had participated in a silent protest 
during Aung San Suu Kyi's recent surgery and hospital stay 
(reftel). 
 
6. (C) Comment:  With NLD offices shuttered and the party's 
entire senior leadership in detention or under house arrest, 
the SPDC's low tolerance for political dissent is not 
surprising.  Local democracy activists have very little cover 
for their activities, and ASEAN's recent endorsement of the 
SPDC's "progress" toward democracy gives the regime 
additional confidence to tighten the noose on the dissident 
population.  On October 17, NLD leaders told visiting 
EAP/BCLTV Director that recent NLD detainees had experienced 
interrogation similar to that of U Win Naing.  MI attempts to 
pressure prodemocracy activists into participating in a 
reconvened National Convention provide further evidence that 
the SPDC hopes to select carefully a cast of delegates that 
gives the illusion of broad representation and is primed to 
rubber-stamp a new constitution.  End comment. 
Martinez