BURMA: NEW ARRESTS ON CAMPUS

C O N F I D E N T I A L RANGOON 001134 SIPDIS COMMERCE FOR ITA JEAN KELLY TREASURY FOR OASIA JEFF NEIL USPACOM FOR FPA E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/15/2013 TAGS: PHUM PINS BM SUBJECT: BURMA: NEW ARRESTS ON CAMPUS Classified By: COM Carmen Martinez for Reasons 1.5 (B,D) ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: Post has received information that Rangoon police arrested seven university students on July 14 for attempting to reopen the Rangoon University Student Union and are holding them in Insein prison The Junta's repressive actions at the smallest signs of student political activity indicates its continued fear of organized dissent on campuses and its continued willingness to use strong tactics to instill fear in other students. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (C) On September 13 Pol Off learned from a reliable source that the Burmese police had arrested seven Rangoon-area university students on July 14 for trying to reopen the Rangoon University Student Union, which had been de-registerd and dynamited by former dictator General Ne Win in July, 1962. The students were held incommunicado until September 12 when the Special Branch of the Police Intelligence Wing notified the parents of the arrested students of their pending prosecutions. The students remain in Rangoon's Insein prison, waiting for their trials to start. ¶3. (C) The GOB plans to prosecute the students under Section Five of the Emergency Provisions Act of 1950, which prohibits spreading false news or undermining the Union. They are also being charged under the Press and Publication Acts which prohibit circulating uncensored documents, and the Organization Acts which prohibit the reforming of a banned organization. Their trials are expected to begin within a week, will likely be short and result in guilty verdicts with immediate sentencing of 7-20 years. The arrested student's names are: Aung Gyi, 19, 2nd yr law major, Dagon Univ Nann Shin Mong, 19, 2nd yr law major, Dagon Univ Myo Than Tun, 19, 2nd yr econ major, Ywathargyi Univ Myo Min Thu, 19, 1st yr chemistry, Dagon Univ Zaw Min Lwin, 19, 1st yr chemistry, Dagon Univ Aug Ko Oo, 19, 1st year, Institute of Nautical Science Kyaw Maung, 20, 3rd yr econ, Ywathargyi Univ Martinez