ASSK WILL REMAIN HOSPITALIZED FOR AT LEAST A WEEK

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 RANGOON 001171

SIPDIS

STATE ALSO FOR EAP/BCLTV; TREASURY FOR OASIA JEFF NEIL;
USPACOM FOR FPA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/21/2013
TAGS: PREL PGOV BM ASSK
SUBJECT: ASSK WILL REMAIN HOSPITALIZED FOR AT LEAST A WEEK

REF: RANGOON 1167 AND PREVIOUS

Classified By: COM Carmen Martinez for Reasons 1.5 (B,D)


1. (C) Summary: According to Aung San Suu Kyi's personal
physician, the detained leader is "doing extremely well"
after three days of post-operative recovery, although he
expects her to remain in the hospital for at least another
seven days. He has cleared her medically to receive
visitors, and believes that Indonesian Special Envoy Alatas
will see her this week. Although SPDC military intelligence
personnel exert full control over the doctor's meetings with
diplomats, and will not allow us to see ASSK, his reports are
credible that she is receiving good care. End summary.


2. (C) P/E chief met on September 20 and again on September
22 with ASSK's personal physician, Dr. Tin Myo Win, for
updates on her recovery from gynecological surgery on
September 19. SPDC military intelligence (MI) arranged and
supervised our meetings with the doctor, which also included
diplomats from the British Embassy, at the Asia Royal Cardiac
Hospital. Dr. Tin Myo Win reported that ASSK was making a
"remarkable" recovery from her operation, and on September 21
was already able to eat solid foods provided by friends and
supporters. On September 22, her third day of post-operative
recovery, ASSK was able to stand and walk around her 9th
floor room, which her physician says has a view of the
Shwedegon Pagoda, Rangoon's most prominent and revered
landmark. Dr. Tin Myo Won said that ASSK would remain at the
hospital and under his care for at least another week until
her stitches are removed and she has recovered from what he
described as "quickly scheduled, semi-emergency surgery."


3. (C) At our meeting on September 20, Dr. Tin Myo Win said
that ASSK was aware he would be briefing U.S. and British
diplomats and she asked him to deliver a brief message that
read: "In accordance with her own decision, ASSK will take
care of her own expenses, but I must add the authorities have
been most helpful." The physician told us that Embassy
gifts of flowers and baked goods, as well as a message from
her London-based son Alexander via the British Embassy, had
been delivered to ASSK (after being photographed by MI
officers). However, according to the physician, MI handlers
blocked delivery of our package that included recent
newspapers and magazines. Large crowds of up to 200 NLD
supporters gathered at the hospital on Saturday and Sunday
seeking information on ASSK's condition and Dr. Tin Myo Win
said that they were deeply concerned over rumors that ASSK
had cancer, but that after preliminary tests he was "99
percent certain" that tissue removed during the operation was
non-malignant.


4. (C) Dr. Tin Myo Win said that as a result of ASSK's speedy
recovery, he had medically cleared her to receive visitors as
of Monday September 22. He said that MI would not allow
diplomats to see her, but would possibly accept a visit from
one local relative or supporter. In response to our inquiry,
the physician said he believed ASSK would also be allowed to
receive Indonesian Special Envoy Ali Alatas, who arrived in
Rangoon on September 21.


5. (C) Summary: Dr. Tin Myo Win has provided us with the
only available independent verification that ASSK is
recovering successfully from her surgery. We have no reason
to doubt his reports. That said, we have only been able to
meet with him in recent days under the watchful eye of
military intelligence operatives who, per their usual
treatment of Western diplomats in Burma, videotaped and
photographed our encounters with the doctor in an automotive
repair shop across the street from the hospital. Despite the
secrecy surrounding her surgery and her continued detention,
however, the SPDC has, by all appearances, allowed ASSK to
obtain proper medical care. The Rangoon rumor mill now has
it that the regime has no choice but to transfer her to house
arrest for longer term rest and recuperation, and not return
her to detention at a Rangoon military compound. On this
political issue, however, her doctor will not speculate. End
Summary.
Martinez