US embassy cable - 04RANGOON923

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 RANGOON 000923 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/BCLTV; PACOM FOR FPA; COMMERCE FOR ITA - JEAN 
KELLY 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/20/2014 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, BM, NLD 
SUBJECT: NLD AND GOB GO THROUGH THE MOTIONS ON MARTYRS' DAY 
 
Classified By: COM Carmen Martinez for Reasons 1.4 (b,d) 
 
1. (C) Summary:  The GOB and the NLD marked Martyrs' Day on 
July 19 with separate, low-key events.  The GOB, per its 
tradition, took all necessary measures to ensure a quiet and 
subdued holiday.  At NLD headquarters, opposition parties 
held a brief event for several hundred supporters, members, 
and diplomats and issued a statement criticizing the SPDC for 
ignoring the 1990 election results and for using "irrelevant 
excuses" to retain military control.  Meanwhile, NLD CEC 
members told Emboffs that on July 15 the NLD convened the 
Committee to Represent the People's Parliament (CRPP) for the 
first time in over 14 months and to date there have been no 
repercussions.  The SPDC, it appears, has succeeded in 
placing sufficient limits on the democracy movement and does 
not feel threatened by the occasional party event or meeting. 
 End Summary. 
 
2. (SBU) The GOB and the NLD marked Burma's 57th Martyrs' Day 
on July 19 with separate, low-key events commemorating the 
1947 assassination of independence leader Aung San and 
members of his cabinet.  The GOB version was a "ceremony," 
devoid of emotion or public participation, where officials 
and diplomats delivered wreaths and paid respects at the 
Soviet-style Martyrs' Mausoleum in central Rangoon.  Security 
was extremely tight at the mausoleum, a "public" monument 
that has been generally closed to visitors since a 1983 
bombing orchestrated by North Korean agents that targeted the 
visiting ROK cabinet. 
 
3. (U) At NLD headquarters, opposition parties held a brief 
event for about 200 hundred supporters and political party 
members.  Some 25 diplomats were in attendance (including 
COMs from the U.S., UK, French, and German embassies as well 
as other diplomats from local UN missions and the Australian, 
Italian, and Japanese embassies).  In addition to an NLD 
statement read by party chairman U Aung Shwe, representatives 
from the Shan State Kokang National Democratic Convention 
Party, the Veteran Politicians, and the Kaman National League 
for Democracy (Arakan) delivered supporting speeches. 
 
4. (U) The NLD statement criticized the SPDC for ignoring the 
1990 legislative election results and for using "irrelevant 
excuses" to retain military control of the country, 
admonishing the generals to be honest with the Burmese people 
and admit "we are holding on to power because we do not wish 
to relinquish it."  The NLD acknowledged that a 
constitutional convention is a "true national need," but 
rejected the regime's current National Convention as one that 
did not result from consultations between the SPDC and the 
political parties that were victorious in 1990. 
 
5. (SBU) Curiously, while the NLD paid homage to founding 
father Aung San, the party made no reference to his daughter, 
NLD General Secretary Aung San Suu Kyi, or to NLD Vice 
Chairman U Tin Oo, both of whom remain under house arrest. 
(Note: CNN International broadcast a Martyrs' Day story on 
July 20, reporting incorrectly that ASSK had "declined" to 
attend events commemorating her father or to pay respects at 
the Mausoleum.  End Note.) 
 
6. (C) Meanwhile, as the NLD's official function was taking 
place, several small groups of NLD members attempted to enter 
the nearby Martyrs' Mausoleum to pay their respects.  GOB 
security forces would only allow entrance to NLD members who 
removed party insignia, such as NLD pins, badges, and 
traditional jackets.  Several dozen party members complied 
and entered the monument grounds, while government soldiers 
blocked several dozen others who refused to obey.  (Note: 
NLD leaders, who described the NLD members as acting 
individually and not officially on behalf of the party, later 
told the COM and P/E chief on July 21 that military 
intelligence agents had closed down a nearby tea shop where 
NLD members had congregated after being turned away from the 
mausoleum, although there were no arrests.  End Note.) 
 
7. (C) On July 16, prior to Martyrs' Day, Emboffs met 
privately with NLD CEC members U Aung Shwe and U Lwin to 
discuss party activities and plans for Martyrs' Day and 
beyond.  Although they said that they were in communication 
with ASSK on an "almost daily" basis, the CEC members 
described the party as being in a "wait and see" mode with no 
plans for immediate action.  However, they did reveal that 
the CRPP (Committee to Represent the People's Parliament) had 
convened the day before, on July 15.  Twelve of the CRPP's 
fourteen surviving members attended the meeting (minus ASSK 
and U Tin Oo) and discussed the National Convention and other 
political developments.  According to U Lwin, the CRPP made 
no substantive decisions, but did agree to meet again and/or 
issue a statement on September 16, the 6th anniversary of the 
founding of the CRPP. 
 
8. (C) Comment:  The GOB, per its tradition, took all 
necessary measures to ensure that Martyrs' Day was a quiet 
and subdued holiday.  The NLD, though critical of the regime, 
was considerably restrained, given in particular that ASSK 
and U Tin Oo remain under house arrest and all party offices, 
except for headquarters, remain shuttered.  As for the 
Committee to Represent the People's Parliament, this was the 
first meeting since the May 2003 Depeyin attack.  The SPDC 
has in the past perceived CRPP activities as provocation and 
frequently responded with arrests and other forms of 
harassment.  To date, the NLD and other political party 
leaders report no repercussions from the July 15 meeting. 
The SPDC, it appears, has succeeded in placing sufficient 
limits on the democracy movement and does not feel threatened 
by the occasional party event or meeting.  End Comment. 
Martinez