US embassy cable - 03RANGOON636

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 RANGOON 000636 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/BCLTV 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/31/2013 
TAGS: PGOV, PINS, PREL, BM, NLD 
SUBJECT: BURMESE GOVERNMENT CRACKS DOWN ON NLD FOLLOWING 
RIOT NEAR MANDALAY 
 
REF: A. (A) RANGOON 635 
 
     B. (B) STATE 146467 
 
Classified By: COM Carmen Martinez.  Reason: 1.5 (d). 
 
1. (C) Summary:  The Chief of Mission delivered reftel B 
demarche to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs today and will 
follow up tomorrow with the Deputy Foreign Minister and the 
Minister of Labor.  In company with Ambassadors from Germany 
and Italy and the British Charge, she also confirmed NLD 
Central Executive Committee members have been effectively 
placed under house arrest. She also visited NLD headquarters 
and confirmed that it had been closed and sealed by the 
regime.  Aung San Suu Kyi reportedly is returning to Rangoon, 
probably in police custody.  Reportedly special facilities 
are being constructed for her in Daukyant, on the outskirts 
of Rangoon, where she may be held once she returns.  We hope 
we are wrong, but it appears that the government is gearing 
up for a prolonged period of repression.  End Summary. 
 
Demarche Delivered 
 
2. (U) The Chief of Mission delivered reftel demarche in 
written form to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs this 
afternoon.  Despite repeated attempts, she was not able to 
reach any MFA officials to deliver the points orally.  We 
will ask for meetings with Deputy Foreign Minister Khin Maung 
Win and Minister of Labor Tin Winn (the former Burmese 
Ambassador to the United States, who briefed reporters on the 
situation on Friday) to make the points in person on Monday. 
The British are doing a parallel demarche. 
 
NLD Offices Closed; Central Committee Members Under House 
Arrest 
 
3. (C) With the Ambassadors from Germany and Italy, and 
Britain's Charge', the Chief of Mission attempted to call on 
NLD Chairman U Aung Shwe and NLD Spokesman U Lwin, but was 
turned away by Burmese police.   Nobody can enter or leave 
the CEC members' houses, and all of their phones have been 
cut off, but the police refused to admit that that 
constituted house arrest (or protective custody.).  The 
Australian Charge' was invited to accompany the group, but, 
surprisingly, was instructed by Canberra to stay away.  The 
Charge also confirmed that NLD headquarters has been closed 
and sealed by the government. 
 
Aung San Suu Kyi Returning to Rangoon 
 
4. (C) According to our police contacts, Aung San Suu Kyi is 
on her way back to Rangoon.  The government offered to fly 
her back, but she chose to return by car, spending the night 
of June 1 in Taungoo.  Most likely, she is traveling in 
police custody.  Reporters in Rangoon tell us that ASSK will 
be detained once she returns.  In fact, signals point to her 
being detained not in her own house, as on every previous 
occasion, but in special government facilities in Daukyant on 
the outskirts of Rangoon. 
 
Events in Depeyin 
 
5. (U) Meanwhile, the government press has provided 
additional details of the riot in Depeyin.  Apparently, a 
convoy of about 40 motorcycles and 9 cars that were 
accompanying ASSK were met by a crowd of about 5,000 anti-NLD 
protesters as they arrived in Depeyin northwest of Mandalay 
at 8 pm on May 30.  Fighting broke out when the NLD convoy 
attempted to break through the crowd.  One vehicle 
(apparently not from the NLD convoy) hit a tree, killing 
four.  Another vehicle (from the convoy) ran into a ditch.  A 
third (not belonging to the NLD convoy) was set on fire, 
allegedly by NLD supporters.  Altogether, four persons were 
killed and fifty wounded in the fighting and auto accidents. 
None of participants in ASSK's main party were hurt, however. 
 Early reports that her vehicle was hit by gunfire also 
appear to have been false. 
 
Comment 
 
5. (C) The situation is serious. The turmoil that has 
surrounded ASSK's latest trip has apparently alarmed the 
government.  In any case, while its statements have had a 
"more in sorrow than anger" tone, particularly in regard to 
Aung San Suu Kyi personally, its actions in placing the 
members of the NLD's Central Executive Committee under house 
arrest, in sealing the NLD's headquarters and township 
offices, and now possibly preparing special detention 
facilities for Aung San Suu Kyi, all suggest that we may be 
in for a prolonged bout of repression. 
 
6. (C) None of this bodes well for UN Special Envoy Razali's 
upcoming visit.  To judge from its recent actions, the 
government is done talking to the NLD.  Unless it relents, 
there is probably little point in a new visit by the UN Envoy. 
Martinez