US embassy cable - 04RANGOON1549

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 RANGOON 001549 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/BCLTV; PACOM FOR FPA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/01/2014 
TAGS: PGOV, PHUM, BM, Human Rights, NLD 
SUBJECT: MORE SORDID TALES OF PRISON LIFE FOR POLITICAL 
DETAINEES 
 
REF: A. RANGOON 1499 AND PREVIOUS 
     B. RANGOON 1488 
     C. RANGOON 1530 
 
Classified By: COM Carmen Martinez for Reasons 1.4 (b,d) 
 
1. (C) Summary:  U Kyaw Hsan, a 72 year-old NLD MP-elect 
released on November 19 after spending nine of the previous 
twelve years at Insein Prison, is already back on the job. 
Our recent encounter with this elderly but energetic activist 
revealed additional evidence that the regime's primary tool 
against political detainees is not necessarily physical 
torture, but taxing solitary confinement.  End Summary. 
 
2. (C) U Kyaw Hsan, an NLD MP-elect from Sagaing Division who 
emerged from Insein Prison on November 19 (ref B), recently 
approached us while we were meeting with NLD leaders (ref C). 
 The 72 year-old party leader (aka Kyaw Sann), who retired in 
1986 as a Lt Colonel in the Burmese Army, had spent nine of 
the previous twelve years as a political prisoner. 
 
3. (SBU) Like some other recently released political 
prisoners (ref A), Kyaw Hsan was freed without conditions. 
Prison officials simply notified him of the SPDC's November 
18 order regarding "irregularities" of the disbanded National 
Intelligence Bureau and drove him home in a prison sedan.  He 
noted that authorities had actually issued him release papers 
in March 2002, but refused to set him free, cruelly 
prolonging his detention indefinitely under Section 10(a) of 
the 1975 "Law to Safeguard the State Against the Dangers of 
Subversive Elements." 
 
4. (SBU) Kyaw Hsan recounted that in January 1992 the 
then-SLORC regime ordered his arrest under Section 5(j) of 
the Emergency Provisional Act for having supported the Nobel 
Peace Prize to Aung San Suu Kyi (ASSK) and for protesting 
ASSK's forced removal from the NLD's Central Executive 
Committee.  The regime released Kyaw Hsan in February 1995 
after three years at Insein Prison, but rearrested him in 
September 1998 to serve the remainder of a ten-year term, 
alleging that he had renewed his "illegal" political 
activities. 
 
5. (SBU) Kyaw Hsan recounted how he had spent six lonely and 
difficult years in solitary confinement.  He said that he was 
not physically tortured while at Insein Prison, but noted 
that the isolation was brutal.  During his solitary 
confinement, his only contact with other human beings was 
twice monthly family visits; however, he was separated from 
family members by thick glass and ten-feet of space and their 
conversations were recorded by prison officials. 
 
6. (SBU) During his first stint at Insein Prison, Kyaw Hsan 
was housed in an annex for political prisoners and other 
"special" detainees.  However, his second and longer prison 
stay was spent in a special ward for political detainees 
where he, and other prisoners, were confined inside isolated 
cells.  He said that authorities never allowed the political 
prisoners to talk with, or to see, each other.  The political 
prisoners only knew that they were not alone at Insein when 
they were grouped together once every six months for visits 
from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).  In 
addition, Kyaw Hsan also had visits from UN human rights 
envoy Pinheiro (twice) and representatives from Amnesty 
International (once) during his 1998-2004 incarceration. 
 
7. (C) Kyaw Hsan appeared to us to be in excellent physical 
health and in high good spirits, joking that, with little to 
do in prison but read religious materials, he had counted his 
detention one minute at a time, "for nine years, two months, 
28 days, and several hours."  He said he had survived his 
"experience in Hell" through meditation and by virtue of 
receiving regular food deliveries from family members.  He 
also expressed gratitude for support from the international 
community, "especially the United States," observing that 
pressure and sanctions had also helped in keeping him alive. 
 
8. (C) Comment:  Our encounter with U Kyaw Hsan took place, 
surprisingly, at NLD headquarters in Rangoon.  Barely days 
out of his lengthy and difficult prison stint, the elderly 
but energetic party leader was back on the job, decked out in 
full NLD regalia.  "The last I knew," he declared, "I was 
still the NLD division leader for Sagaing and I've got work 
to do."  Proving his point, he added in his official capacity 
that the party continued to encourage the United States and 
others to bring the Burma question before the UN Security 
Council.  "I know that the NLD must labor inside the country 
if democracy is going to flourish in Burma", he said, "but we 
also need international support."  End Comment. 
MARTINEZ