US embassy cable - 05RANGOON692

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 RANGOON 000692 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/BCLTV; PACOM FOR FPA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/07/2015 
TAGS: PGOV, PHUM, PREL, BM, Human Rights, NLD 
SUBJECT: BURMA'S RELENTLESS CRACKDOWN CONTINUES AGAINST 
PRO-DEMOCRACY ASPIRANTS 
 
REF: A. RANGOON 345 
     B. RANGOON 332 AND PREVIOUS 
 
Classified By: DCM Ronald K. McMullen for Reasons 1.4 (b,d) 
 
1. (C) Summary: Events in past weeks demonstrate that the 
GOB's appetite for pursuing pro-democracy opponents has not 
abated.  Detentions, interrogations, harsh jail sentences, 
intimidation, and even a custodial death litter the 
landscape.  End Summary. 
 
2. (C) Aung Hlaing Win, a youth member of the National League 
for Democracy (NLD), was arrested on May 1 at a teashop in 
Kamayut Township, Rangoon.  The following day, Shwe Gyoe, his 
father-in-law, filed a missing person report with the local 
police.  (Note: Shwe Gyoe is an ex-political prisoner who was 
released from prison on January 5, 2005.  End Note.)  On May 
10, Military Affairs Service (MAS) officials summoned Shwe 
Gyoe and informed him that Aung Hlaing Win had died in 
custody on the morning of May 7 and had been cremated at noon 
the same day.  The officials offered the family financial 
compensation of approximately $100, but the family refused 
it.  The family has filed a case in court to determine how 
Aung Hlaing Win died and who is responsible. 
 
3. (C) On May 13, U Bo Gyi and U Pe Tin, two NLD members of 
Shwegyin Township were arrested and charged under the Press 
and Publication Act for publishing documents without official 
permission.  On May 27, they were both sentenced to 7 years 
imprisonment.  Following their sentencing they remained in 
police custody and were not transferred to prison.  This 
resulted in difficulty for their lawyers to file appeals 
because they did not have prisoner registration numbers. 
 
4. (C) On May 19, the family members of a prominent, 
Washington-based Burma activist were taken into custody and 
questioned intensively about the activities of the activist. 
Subsequently, a poster with an old photo and personal details 
of the activist were posted in public places in Rangoon. 
Although the family was released after two days, their case 
is not isolated, and families of other suspects continue to 
receive similar treatment. 
 
5. (C) In late May U Saw Hlaing, NLD MP-elect from Indaw 
Township, Sagaing Division, was sentenced to 12 years 
imprisonment for breach of the Press and Publication act.  He 
was not allowed legal representation and the only evidence 
against him was an old computer that the family used to 
produce documents for official purposes.  On June 6, U Kyaw 
Hsan, MP-elect and NLD Chairman of Sagaing Division, was 
sentenced to 7 years imprisonment for allegedly allowing 
smuggled goods to be stored at his residence.  He was 
re-arrested four months after completing a 10-year sentence 
in Insein Prison (ref A.) 
 
6. (C) The wife and three children of MP-elect, U Kyaw Min, 
of the banned National Democracy Party for Human Rights, were 
arrested in May.  U Kyaw Min was arrested earlier in 
mid-March.  The whole family is being charge for alleged 
falsification of information on their identification 
documents.  Their trial is still ongoing and they are not 
allowed to have their own lawyers. 
 
7. (C) On June 7, the family of Hkun Htun Oo, the arrested 
leader of Burma's second largest political party, the Shan 
National League for Democracy, visited Insein Prison for the 
second week in a row.  They were able to receive a note from 
him stating that he is fine and requesting some food and 
medicine.  In late May, the GOB added five more charges 
against Hkun Htun Oo dealing with the illegal handling of 
foreign currency and illegal property ownership.  This brings 
to 10 the number of charges made against him.  Sources say 
the number of witnesses has been reduced in order to speed up 
his trial and a verdict may be handed down soon. 
 
8. (C) Comment: Indications are the GOB may be having 
difficulty proving that Hkun Htun Oo is guilty of association 
with illegal Shan organizations and may be shifting its focus 
more to economic issues.  The GOB obviously feels confident 
it is in a position of strength vis a vis a weak and 
scattered opposition and can act against its opponents with 
near impunity.  For all the GOB's talk of desiring a 
"flourishing democracy" for their country, it continues to 
harass, intimidate, imprison, and even kill the very citizens 
who most ardently support development of democracy in Burma. 
The GOB's actions drown out its words.  End Comment. 
Martinez