Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
02RANGOON1570
2002-12-10 08:39:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Rangoon
Cable title:
ONLY 75 OF 115 POLITICAL PRISONERS RELEASED
how-toThis record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
C O N F I D E N T I A L RANGOON 001570
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EAP/BCLTV
CINCPAC FOR FPA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/04/2012
TAGS: PHUM BM NLD
SUBJECT: ONLY 75 OF 115 POLITICAL PRISONERS RELEASED
REF: RANGOON 1510
Classified By: COM CARMEN M. MARTINEZ FOR REASON 1.5(D).
C O N F I D E N T I A L RANGOON 001570
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EAP/BCLTV
CINCPAC FOR FPA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/04/2012
TAGS: PHUM BM NLD
SUBJECT: ONLY 75 OF 115 POLITICAL PRISONERS RELEASED
REF: RANGOON 1510
Classified By: COM CARMEN M. MARTINEZ FOR REASON 1.5(D).
1. (C) On November 19, the State Peace and Development
Council (SPDC) announced the release of 115 political
prisoners, and the UN Secretary General immediately welcomed
the announcement. As of December 10, however, it appears
that only 75 of these 115 political prisoners have been
released. NLD Secretary U Lwin told Poloff that he could
account for only 50 NLD members and one student from another
political party that had been released, and "maybe about 20
other releases." The NLD Political Prisoners Support
Committee (PPSC),which offers legal and financial support to
families of all political prisoners, can account for only 75
releases from the 115. The PPSC said it has verified this
information with the International Committee for the Red
Cross.
2. (C) Several of the political prisoners released after
the November 19 announcement told Poloff that they were
required to sign an agreement accepting the conditions of
Section 401 of the penal code. Under this section, the
prisoners are subject to serving the remainder of their
current sentences if they are rearrested for any reason. The
prisoners reported that some of their fellow prisoners
refused to sign the 401 agreement and that this may have been
the reason they were not released. U Lwin opined that
political prisoners who are close to the end of their
sentences are more willing to sign the agreement than those
who have several years to go. Those with long sentences do
not want the fear of an automatic long sentence hanging over
them, he said. Others choose not to sign on principle.
There were some political prisoners released just after talks
with Aung San Suu Kyi began who were not required to sign the
Section 401 agreement, but apparently all are now required to
sign.
Martinez
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EAP/BCLTV
CINCPAC FOR FPA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/04/2012
TAGS: PHUM BM NLD
SUBJECT: ONLY 75 OF 115 POLITICAL PRISONERS RELEASED
REF: RANGOON 1510
Classified By: COM CARMEN M. MARTINEZ FOR REASON 1.5(D).
1. (C) On November 19, the State Peace and Development
Council (SPDC) announced the release of 115 political
prisoners, and the UN Secretary General immediately welcomed
the announcement. As of December 10, however, it appears
that only 75 of these 115 political prisoners have been
released. NLD Secretary U Lwin told Poloff that he could
account for only 50 NLD members and one student from another
political party that had been released, and "maybe about 20
other releases." The NLD Political Prisoners Support
Committee (PPSC),which offers legal and financial support to
families of all political prisoners, can account for only 75
releases from the 115. The PPSC said it has verified this
information with the International Committee for the Red
Cross.
2. (C) Several of the political prisoners released after
the November 19 announcement told Poloff that they were
required to sign an agreement accepting the conditions of
Section 401 of the penal code. Under this section, the
prisoners are subject to serving the remainder of their
current sentences if they are rearrested for any reason. The
prisoners reported that some of their fellow prisoners
refused to sign the 401 agreement and that this may have been
the reason they were not released. U Lwin opined that
political prisoners who are close to the end of their
sentences are more willing to sign the agreement than those
who have several years to go. Those with long sentences do
not want the fear of an automatic long sentence hanging over
them, he said. Others choose not to sign on principle.
There were some political prisoners released just after talks
with Aung San Suu Kyi began who were not required to sign the
Section 401 agreement, but apparently all are now required to
sign.
Martinez