US embassy cable - 04RANGOON535

C O N F I D E N T I A L RANGOON 000535 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/BCLTV; USPACOM FOR FPA 
COMMERCE FOR ITA JEAN KELLY 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/27/2014 
TAGS: PHUM, PGOV, BM, NLD, Human Rights 
SUBJECT: GOB RELEASES MORE POST-DEPAYIN PRISONERS 
 
REF: RANGOON 199 
 
Classified By: COM Carmen M. Martinez for Reasons 1.4 (B,D) 
 
1.  (C) On April 25 the GOB released 24 more of the estimated 
250 pro-democracy activists arrested across Burma in the 
government crackdown immediately following the May 30, 2003 
attack on the National League for Democracy (NLD) convoy at 
Depayin.  Four other NLD members, including an MP-elect, who 
had been arrested the week prior to the Depayin attack, were 
also released on April 25.  Though the GOB has been releasing 
a handful of post-Depayin prisoners every month or so (ref) 
NLD sources estimate over 100 of them are still in detention. 
 
 
2.  (U) Since the approximately 250 activists (both NLD 
members and NLD supporters) were arrested on the fringes of 
the Depayin attack, and as they were not part of the official 
NLD convoy on May 30, their numbers were not included in the 
official NLD and UN list of 135 people arrested at Depayin. 
Of the "official" 135, all have been released except for Aung 
San Suu Kyi and U Tin Oo, who both remain under house arrest 
in Rangoon. 
 
3.  (C) COMMENT:  Some of the newly released activists (10 
from Mandalay prison and 17 from Shwebo prison) had received 
sentences ranging from two years or to nine years in prison 
for various fabricated criminal offenses.  Releasing them 
after less than a year served may be a sign the GOB is 
attempting to entice the NLD to join the National Convention. 
 The regime may be hopeful that the releases will help to 
remove festering reminders of the May 30 attack in advance of 
the May 17 opening of the National Convention.  END COMMENT. 
Martinez