US embassy cable - 04RANGOON1176

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 RANGOON 001176 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: EAID, ABLD, ASEC, PREL, KPAO, KDEM, ABLD, ASEC, PREL, KPAO, KDEM, BM, BMEAID, Mandalay 
SUBJECT: AMERICAN CENTER ANNEX IN MANDALAY: FREQUENTLY ASKED 
QUESTIONS 
 
 
APP:CMM 
DFT:RKM 
CLEAR:PD:EB, P/E:PM, RSO:AV, MGT:LE, GSO:TF 
 
SECSTATE WASHDC, PRIORITY 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
TAGS: EAID, ABLD, ASEC, PREL, KPAO, KDEM, BM 
SUBJECT: AMERICAN CENTER ANNEX IN MANDALAY: FREQUENTLY ASKED 
QUESTIONS 
 
1.  (SBU) Given the summer-cycle turnover in personnel 
working on Burma issues, we thought it would be helpful to 
provide a quick synopsis of the plan to establish an annex 
of Rangoon's American Center in Mandalay.  This informal 
format provides Embassy Rangoon's perspective on many 
questions frequently asked by those who have not seen all of 
the exchanges on the Mandalay project over the past two 
years.  Embassy Rangoon seeks broad, active support to move 
this project ahead without delay. 
 
Q1:  DO YOU INTEND TO REOPEN CONSULATE MANDALAY? 
 
--Absolutely not.  We plan to use the former Consulate 
facility as an annex or extension of Rangoon's American 
Center.  Mandalay will be a platform to project our Public 
Diplomacy pro-democracy and civil society programs into 
Upper Burma, a location more accessible to Burma's 
politically significant ethnic minorities. 
 
Q2:  WILL FOREIGN SERVICE OFFICERS BE POSTED TO MANDALAY? 
 
--No American direct-hire employees, FSOs or any other 
category, will be posted in Mandalay.  Only grantees and PSA- 
Plus locally engaged staff will work there. 
 
Q3:  WHAT'S THE STATUS OF THE MANDALAY FACILITY? 
 
--Consulate Mandalay, housed in a USG-owned property, was 
closed in 1980.  The facility was thereafter used as a USG 
guesthouse until the mid-1990s.  Contract caretakers funded 
by the State Department have protected and maintained the 
facility since. 
 
Q4:  WHAT SORT OF ACTIVITIES WILL BE UNDERTAKEN THERE? 
 
--The American Center's Public Diplomacy programs provide a 
unique environment for pro-democracy and civil society 
activities, a top U.S. priority in Burma.  Mandalay will 
house English teaching programs (incorporating a strong dose 
of civics, critical thinking, and participatory learning), 
cultural events featuring America's diversity and 
creativity, specialized professional training programs for 
pro-democracy and civil society groups, an information 
resource center providing access to American publications 
and computers, and other programs similar to those offered 
at Rangoon's American Center. 
 
Q5:  HOW WILL THIS BE PAID FOR? 
 
--Most of the ongoing and once-off expenses can be covered 
by the multi-million dollar Burma Earmark funds.  These ESF 
monies currently go to support pro-democracy activities 
inside and (mostly) outside of Burma.  Both Post's PD 
allotment and recycled funds will be used for appropriate 
start-up and recurring costs.  Last month Post recalculated 
the estimated cost of facility make-ready and security 
upgrades.  This new figure, $25,000, is well below an 
earlier estimate of $40,400.  The majority of the costs not 
covered by potential ESF, PD, Post PD allotment, or recycled 
funding would be DS expenses.  Start-up costs for 13 Local 
Guard Force members and their annual recurring expenses 
would be an estimated $85,000 and $68,000 respectively. 
(See following FAQ for other options on funding guards.) 
 
Q6:  WHAT ABOUT SECURITY CONCERNS? 
 
--Mandalay is classified as a low-threat city in the 
Security Environment Threat List and the American Center 
annex is a Public Office Facility.  This means that 
relatively modest physical security standards apply.  These 
include standard features such as solid doors, adequate 
exterior lighting, grilled first-floor windows, Mylar, and 
other moderate requirements.  Some sort of guards or 
caretakers are needed to screen visitors and vehicles. 
Whether the guards/caretakers need to be part of the 
embassy's Local Guard Force or could be contract guards 
hired by the grantee (and paid for by the grantee, as could 
be stipulated in a draft grant) is open to discussion. 
 
Q7:  WHY DO THIS NOW? 
 
--Burma's military dictatorship has in recent years 
successfully closed down or neutered most aspects of normal 
civil society.  The National League for Democracy (NLD) and 
the democratic ethnic minority parties are on the ropes. 
Mandalay can provide space to nourish and develop democratic 
leaders and organizations likely to play a key role in 
Burma's future.  Upper Burma is home to a wide range of pro- 
democracy political parties and is an important base of 
support for the NLD.  In Mandalay, the country's second 
largest city, our numerous interlocutors constantly request 
the kind of programs envisioned for this facility.  The 
building is available, the bulk of the funding is available, 
the need is great, and the longer we wait, the greater the 
chances that the dimly flickering flame of hope may be 
extinguished. 
 
Q8:  WILL THE GOVERNMENT OF BURMA OBJECT? 
 
--The British recently opened a branch British Council 
library and information center in Mandalay.  They did so 
without fanfare or explicit GOB permission.  The GOB did not 
object when the American Center expanded its off-site 
Rangoon compound into a neighboring building for English 
teaching.  The GOB informally allows a large number of 
language institutes, training centers, and even schools 
(such as the USG-supported International School Yangon) to 
function, despite a formal GOB monopoly on such activities. 
 
Q9:  WHAT DOES AUNG SAN SUU KYI THINK ABOUT THIS? 
 
--Burma's democracy champion and Nobel Peace laureate told 
us, prior to her most recent arrest, that she supports the 
idea.  She is a co-founder of an ongoing specialized 
democracy-training program undertaken at the American Center 
in Rangoon.  She has nominated candidates for scholarships 
in our English Language training and has actively followed 
students' progress.  She tells us that members of her party 
who live upcountry find it difficult to travel to Rangoon to 
participate in Public Diplomacy activities, given the great 
distances and limited infrastructure. 
 
Q10:  WHAT WOULD BE THE REACTION ON THE HILL FROM MEMBERS 
AND STAFFERS WHO FOLLOW BURMA ISSUES? 
 
In January 2004, Embassy Rangoon COM, PAO, and P/E Chief 
provided detailed briefings on the proposed project to 
senior Senate staff member Paul Grove and senior House staff 
members James McCormick and David Killion, and received a 
positive and encouraging response.  Subsequently, Paul Grove 
contacted the COM to advise her that he had briefed Senator 
McConnell and that the project had the "green light". 
 
Q11:  HOW CAN ONE HELP?  PROMPT ACTION NEEDED 
 
--Any assistance in moving this project promptly through the 
bureaucratic maze would be greatly appreciated, e.g., 
quickly clearing the Mandalay Decision Memo (that will go 
from EAP to M) and urging others to do likewise.  We seek 
immediate approval for this project with the understanding 
that Post will work closely with concerned parties on the 
implementing details.  Embassy Rangoon stands ready to 
answer any questions or provide any clarifications desired. 
We have had positive reactions to our briefings conducted 
for key Hill staffers and senior Department officials.  Post 
has encouraged visitors to go to Mandalay to inspect the 
facility; approximately twenty have done so since we first 
initiated this project in 2002. 
 
--How to best support Burma's beleaguered democracy 
movement?  Extra funding to decreasingly relevant exile 
political groups probably won't help much.  Establishing a 
platform for our effective Public Diplomacy programs in 
Mandalay will. 
MARTINEZ