US embassy cable - 02RANGOON1633

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 RANGOON 001633 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/BCLTV 
CINCPAC FOR FPA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/04/2012 
TAGS: PGOV, PHUM, BM, ASSK, Human Rights 
SUBJECT: AUTHORITIES ATTEMPT TO BLOCK ASSK IN RAKHINE STATE 
 
 
Classified By: COM CARMEN M. MARTINEZ FOR REASON 1.5(D). 
 
1. (C)  Summary:  Authorities have attempted to block 
citizens from greeting Aung San Suu Kyi over the last four 
days as she toured Rakhine State in western Burma.  ASSK has 
commended those who have turned out for their bravery and 
scolded authorities for threatening instead of serving the 
people.  The orders to interfere with the visit appear to 
have come from the USDA (under Senior General Than Shwe) 
while military intelligence (under Secretary One Khin Nyunt) 
claims to have no role in these activities.  This appears to 
be an indication of potentially significant differences 
within the regime on how best to manage ASSK's growing public 
support.  The remaining five days of the trip may give an 
idea of which approach will hold sway.  End Summary. 
 
2.  (U)  NLD Secretary U Lwin told Poloff that authorities 
have taken actions over the last four days to block citizens 
from turning out to see Aung San Suu Kyi as she tours Rakhine 
State in western Burma.  He said citizens were warned to not 
show any support for ASSK when she passed through their 
towns, and fire brigade, police, and Union Solidarity and 
Development Association (USDA) members turned out to 
discourage anyone who defied the warnings.  (Note:  The USDA 
is a mass organization under the regime's control.  End Note) 
 Still, according to U Lwin, the people did turn out, in 
crowds ranging from an estimated 10,000 to 50,000 people, 
surprising even the NLD in their determination to see ASSK. 
When authorities reacted with riot police and fire trucks, 
ASSK intervened, leaving her vehicle, climbing atop a fire 
truck, and angrily chiding the authorities for threatening 
the people they were supposed to be serving.  She commended 
the people for their bravery in exercising their rights to 
come and listen to her, saying that she continues to work 
with the government and the people for positive change in the 
country. 
 
3.  (C)  U Lwin said he provided the above information to 
press reporters on December 19 at the request of ASSK, who 
was becoming frustrated with the continued harassment by 
authorities.  He said he had received daily updates from ASSK 
on the three previous days on efforts to block her visit and 
had transmitted these concerns to Military Intelligence in 
Rangoon to no avail.  On the fourth day, when yet another 
incident occurred, ASSK said it was time for U Lwin to make 
the harrassment known to the press.  She also asked that he 
convey to Military Intelligence reports that USDA Central 
Executive Committee Member (and Minister for Post and 
Telecommunications, and Hotels and Tourism) Thein Zaw had 
come to Rakhine State just prior to her visit and given 
instructions that citizens were not to show any support for 
ASSK.  Interestingly, when U Lwin told Brigadier General Than 
Tun, MI's interlocutor with the NLD, about the planned press 
conference and Thein Zaw's activities, Than Tun responded 
that MI was doing all it could to facilitate ASSK's travels, 
that he did know or have control over what Thein Zaw was 
doing, and that U Lwin should go ahead with the press 
conference.  U Lwin said he intentionally chose not to 
mention Thein Zaw by name to the press but that they know 
that the USDA is playing a leading role in obstructing the 
visit. 
 
4.  U Lwin attested that MI has been very responsive to the 
NLD's requests for support during ASSK's travel.  He noted 
that they have held roads open for her late at night and 
waived document checks at normal checkpoints.  He said that 
Thein Zaw's actions to prevent citizens from seeing ASSK 
appear to be coming from the USDA hierarchy, which ultimately 
leads to the Patron of the organization, Senior General Than 
Shwe.  While U Lwin did not want to speculate on the 
significance of MI's effort to distance itself from USDA's 
actions in Rakhine State, he did acknowledge that it appeared 
to represent a split in how different elements of the SPDC 
are reacting to ASSK's travel. 
 
5.  We spoke to three NLD Members of Parliament-elect from 
Mandalay Division about this incident; all thought it was 
extremely positive as it highlighted ASSK's determination to 
stand up to repressive measures.  They added that her 
admonition to local authorities not to thwart democracy and 
the peoples' will would resonate well with many public sector 
employees.  When we asked about potential fallout from the 
SPDC, they opined (perhaps naively) that ASSK cannot now be 
detained or fettered without risking a major reaction.  One 
of the MPs-elect said the NLD's statements citing overzealous 
local authorities as the cause of the problem might give the 
SPDC a way to play down the incident, should they choose to 
do so. 
 
6.  Comment:  Tens of thousands of people in an "ethnic" 
state reportedly cheering on ASSK as she faced down security 
authorities cannot be a comforting image to the generals in 
Rangoon.  The apparent lack of communication and coordination 
between the USDA hierarchy (under Senior General Than Shwe) 
and the MI hierarchy (under Secretary One Khin Nyunt) may be 
a telling indicator of differing strategies for dealing with 
ASSK and her popular appeal.  As the rest of the trip plays 
out (she is expected to be on the road for about 5 more days) 
we may get a better idea of whether these differences are 
fundamental or superficial.  End Comment. 
Martinez