US embassy cable - 04RANGOON199

C O N F I D E N T I A L RANGOON 000199 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE ALSO FOR EAP/BCLTV; 
USPACOM FOR FPA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/12/2014 
TAGS: PGOV, PHUM, BM, Human Rights, NLD 
SUBJECT: SPDC STILL ARRESTING NLD MEMBERS 
 
REF: RANGOON 91 
 
Classified By: COM Carmen Martinez for Reasons 1.5 (B,D) 
 
1. (SBU) SUMMARY:  Despite talk of a "new year of 
transition," the SPDC has perpetuated old habits by 
continuing to arrest NLD members for conducting peaceful 
political activities.  These latest arrests, over a dozen 
total, stand in contrast to reports of an on-going dialogue 
between ASSK and the SPDC aimed at the short-term objective 
of releasing all remaining post-Depeyin NLD prisoners.  END 
SUMMARY. 
 
2. (C) According to Embassy and National League for Democracy 
(NLD) sources, the SPDC's Office of the Chief of Military 
Intelligence (OCMI) has arrested numerous NLD members in 
recent weeks.  On January 4, MI agents in Rangoon Division 
arrested U Myint Aye, NLD Chairman of Kyimaingdaing Township, 
and U Tin Maung Kyi, a local youth organizer.  The two were 
reportedly rounded up for the illegal distribution of over 
3,000 Burmese language copies of the Universal Declaration of 
Human Rights, originally provided by the UNDP.  The NLD 
believes that OCMI's "Unit 7" interrogated the two men and 
then transferred them to Rangoon's Insein Prison, before 
releasing them to NLD CEC member U Nyunt Wei in early 
February. 
 
3. (C) Sources also indicate that OCMI arrested NLD youth 
leader Myint Ngwe in Yenanchaung Township (Magwe Division) on 
January 21 for the unauthorized distribution of leaflets on 
HIV/AIDS.  On January 30 and 31, respectively, OCMI arrested 
Maung Maung Kyaw Aye, NLD Secretary of Dabnon Township and U 
May, NLD Chair of Htantapin Township (Rangoon Division), for 
unknown reasons. 
 
4. (SBU) On February 11, OCMI arrested seven NLD members in 
Bogalay Township (Irrawaddy Division) for allegedly planning 
NLD party ceremonies to commemorate Union Day on February 12. 
 MI agents picked up one of the seven members when he 
returned from Rangoon to Bogalay with the NLD's Union Day 
statement. 
 
5.  (C) COMMENT:  The SPDC made loud noises in mid-January to 
draw attention to their release of 26 NLD members imprisoned 
in connection with the May 2003 attack on ASSK and her NLD 
convoy.  The act was gratuitous, as none of those released 
had ever been officially charged, but led some observers to 
believe that the regime was beginning to ease up on the 
pro-democracy movement.  Old habits die hard, however, and 
these latest arrests are further indication that the SPDC has 
little intention of giving the NLD any genuine breathing room 
to function as a political party.  END COMMENT. 
Martinez