US embassy cable - 03RANGOON444

UNCLAS RANGOON 000444 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/PD KFOSTER, EAP/BCLTV JGLAZEROFF, PLEASE PASS 
TO USAID CWEGMAN, TFERRARA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KPAO, EAID, BM, NGO, ASSK 
SUBJECT: FUNDING EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY FOR OPPOSITION 
YOUTH 
 
 
1.  Summary:  In three separate meetings in recent months, 
democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi (ASSK) has raised the issue 
of providing educational opportunity to opposition youth who 
are denied the right to attend Burmese universities and 
denied passports to travel abroad for study.  She has 
appealed for some way to provide "correspondence courses" so 
that these youth can continue to work toward a degree at a 
recognized institution of higher learning.  Post endorses 
this idea as being worthy of support and suggests Department 
investigate a grant arrangement with a university or 
education NGO to administer a correspondence program. 
 
2.  Apparently fearful of the political power of an organized 
student body, which manifested itself in political uprisings 
in 1988, 1990, 1994, and 1996, the military regime has 
succeeded in effectively destroying Burma's university 
system.  Universities were closed for six out of the last ten 
years.  Campuses were relocated to distant suburbs so 
students would have less time to congregate together.  Now 
"distance learning," the Ministry of Education's latest 
affront to education, allows students to attend classes two 
weeks a semester after months of "self study."  At the same 
time the regime degraded the university system, they built up 
a system of degree institutions for the military, to which 
their own children are ensured entrance. 
 
3.  However, there is no place in either side of the two tier 
system for political dissidents.  Younger political prisoners 
arrested in 1996 and recently released on the occasion of a 
visit from a UN envoy have learned that they may not return 
to their studies to complete their university degree. 
(Several of them have been admitted to English classes at the 
American Center free of charge to give them some possibility 
for self-improvement.)  Children of dissidents are also 
denied places at university as punishment for their parents' 
misdeeds.  Former political prisoners are also denied 
passports.  They may not go abroad even if they had the 
economic wherewithal to afford overseas study. (Oppression by 
the regime ensures they do not.) 
 
4.  ASSK has asked us, if students may not go to the 
university, to find a way to bring the university to them. 
Post suggests the department investigate a grant to a 
university or educational NGO to administer a program of 
correspondence (not/not internet-based distance learning) 
courses leading to an undergraduate degree at an accredited 
institution for opposition-affiliated youth who are denied 
other educational opportunities. 
 
5.  Post Public Affairs Section could assist the grant 
program in the following ways: 
-- assist program (or university) administrator with 
identifying candidate students; 
-- offer students use of the American Center Library and 
reference service; 
-- offer students limited use of personal computers to 
complete assignments; 
-- offer occasional writing labs and discussion sessions for 
student participants; 
-- facilitate mailing of course material and assignments via 
diplomatic pouch. 
 
6.  Post estimates that the program may require a full-time 
administrator at first, possibly dropping to half-time after 
the program is established.  If not resident in Rangoon, the 
administrator would probably need to travel to Rangoon for 
extended periods.  Post estimates that perhaps five qualified 
candidates could be found for the first semester, and 
possibly more.  They should be fully funded for at least a 
half-time courseload.  If it were possible to also fund a 
small stipend, students could dispense with working and might 
be able to handle a full courseload.  Even $100 a month could 
pay all living expenses.  It would be desireable to secure 
out-year funding, if possible, so that the course of study 
would not be interrupted. 
 
7.  ASSK has also appealed to the British Embassy, which has 
expressed interest in collaborating with Embassy Rangoon, in 
the same way we have collaborated on other training programs. 
 They are seeking funding to sponsor two students.  Their 
political officer suggested that the Open University in 
London might be able to tailor a course of study for the 
Burmese students.  Post would be open to any solution that 
satisfied the need for higher education, whether it involves 
a U.S. institution or an English one. 
Martinez