US embassy cable - 04RANGOON205

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 RANGOON 000205 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE ALSO FOR EAP/BCLTV; CINPAC FOR FPA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/16/2014 
TAGS: PGOV, PHUM, BM, NLD, Human Rights 
SUBJECT: SPDC TRANSFERS IMPRISONED NLD VICE CHAIRMAN TO 
HOUSE ARREST 
 
REF: A. RANGOON 91 AND PREVIOUS 
     B. RANGOON 199 
     C. MURPHY/OPCENTER 2/15/04 TELCON 
 
Classified By: COM Carmen Martinez for Reasons 1.5 (b,d) 
 
1. (C) Summary:  The Burmese regime has transferred 77 
year-old NLD Vice Chairman U Tin Oo from a remote prison cell 
in northwest Burma to house arrest in Rangoon.  All NLD 
members detained for direct participation in the May 2003 NLD 
convoy have now been released from prison.  However, along 
with U Tin Oo, senior NLD leaders ASSK, U Aung Shwe, and U 
Lwin remain under house arrest (neither of the latter two 
were part of the convoy).  Some of those released may have 
been re-arrested in recent weeks and many NLD members rounded 
up in the aftermath of the convoy attack linger in prison 
cells.  U Tin Oo's transfer, after more than eight months of 
prison internment, is a positive development and a likely 
product of an ongoing dialogue between the regime and ASSK. 
However, USG and international pressure played a role and we 
will continue to press the regime for the full release of all 
NLD detainees and all political prisoners.  End Summary. 
 
2. (SBU) According to NLD and GOB sources, over the weekend 
of February 13-14 regime authorities transferred National 
League for Democracy (NLD) Vice Chairman U Tin Oo from a 
prison cell in remote northwest Burma to his residence in 
central Rangoon.  After a two-day journey in the custody of 
security officials, he arrived at his home at about 6:00 p.m. 
on Saturday February 14 where he now remains under house 
arrest. 
 
3. (C) Emboffs visited U Tin Oo's house on the morning of 
Sunday February 15.  Security was tight at the house, with 
numerous armed soldiers and plainclothes military 
intelligence agents on the scene.  A mid-level officer from 
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was also present.  He 
indicated that central authorities had expected U.S. mission 
representatives to make an early visit to U Tin Oo's house 
and subsequently directed MOFA to dispatch an officer to run 
interference with any diplomats who sought a meeting with the 
NLD leader. 
 
4. (C) Officials on the scene at U Tin Oo's house denied our 
request to see the NLD leader or his wife.  We offered that a 
quick opportunity to say hello, even in the presence of 
authorities, could address local speculation that U Tin Oo is 
in poor health.  The MOFA official agreed with the merits of 
the proposal, but pleaded that he was "just doing his job" 
and had strict orders to bar any visitors from seeing U Tin 
Oo or entering the residential compound.  MI agents at the 
house asserted that U Tin Oo had arrived the evening before 
and the agents claimed that he was in good health. 
 
5. (SBU) Authorities originally arrested U Tin Oo during the 
night of May 30-31, 2003 following a premeditated attack on 
NLD General Secretary Aung San Suu Kyi (ASSK) and her convoy 
in southern Sagaing Division.  U Tin Oo and ASSK were 
co-leaders of the month-long convoy that visited NLD party 
offices and supporters throughout central and northern Burma. 
 U Tin Oo has spent the eight and a half intervening months 
in a prison cell in Kale (Kalay), located in remote northwest 
Sagaing Division.  Over the past few months authorities had 
already released all other NLD members also detained on May 
30-31 and imprisoned with U Tin Oo at the Kale prison (reftel 
a and b). 
 
6. (SBU) According to official GOB figures, corroborated by 
the NLD, all NLD members detained for direct participation in 
the May 30 convoy (approximately 151 individuals) have now 
been released from prison and only U Tin Oo and ASSK remain 
under house arrest.  However, dozens or perhaps several 
hundred NLD party members and supporters detained during a 
nationwide crackdown in the aftermath of the convoy assault 
may still linger in prison cells without official charges. 
NLD Chairman U Aung Shwe and NLD Secretary/Spokesman U Lwin, 
who did not participate in the May 2003 convoy, also remain 
under house arrest in Rangoon.  According to several sources, 
authorities may have also re-arrested a handful of the 
released convoy participants in recent weeks. 
 
7. (C) Comment:  U Tin Oo's transfer to house arrest is a 
positive development.  His family, deeply concerned over his 
isolation in Sagaing Division and the impact of the attack 
and detention on his health, is extremely relieved to have 
him home.  We suspect that the transfer is the product of an 
ongoing dialogue between the regime and ASSK.  However, USG 
and international concern and pressure clearly played a 
significant role and we will continue to press the regime for 
the full release of the entire NLD leadership as well as the 
country's 1,300 political prisoners.  End Comment. 
Martinez