LATEST ARRESTS INDICATE ZERO TOLERANCE FOR DISSENT

C O N F I D E N T I A L RANGOON 001314

SIPDIS

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

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/18/2013
TAGS: PGOV PHUM BM
SUBJECT: LATEST ARRESTS INDICATE ZERO TOLERANCE FOR DISSENT

REF: RANGOON 1214

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


1. (C) Summary: The SPDC recently arrested a former U.S.
Embassy FSN and seven university students for distributing
pamphlets deemed critical of the regime's "roadmap for
democracy." Additional arrests of NLD supporters indicate a
continued low tolerance for dissent, and the regime was
likely emboldened by ASEAN's recent endorsement of SPDC
"progress" toward democracy. We have several reports that
military intelligence officers are attempting to pressure
opposition activists into participating in a reconvened
National Convention. End summary.


2. (SBU) According to Embassy sources, SPDC military
intelligence (MI) agents arrested veteran political activist
U Win Naing and seven university students o/a September 26
for distributing leaflets in Rangoon Division that criticized
Prime Minister Khin Nyunt's seven-point "roadmap for
democracy." Authorities released U Win Naing, after 9 hours
of questioning and released five of the students after six
days of interrogation. (Note: U Win Naing is a former BBC
and VOA stringer and, until 1995, worked at the U.S. Embassy
in Rangoon as an FSN in the political and economic section.
End note).


3. (SBU) Embassy sources believe that of the seven students
arrested o/a September 26, two of them, NLD youth members Han
Win Aung and Myint Myint San, remain detained at Rangoon's
Insein Prison where they risk 7-year sentences under Burma's
"Printing and Publisher's Registration Act of 1962," a law
that prohibits the unauthorized distribution of published
materials. The GOB has made no official mention of the
arrests or subsequent trials; sources only learned of the
developments from family members of other political prisoners
at Insein Prison and from the released activists.


4. (C) U Win Naing told Emboff that MI officers not only
interrogated him about his political activities and the
pamphlet distribution, but also questioned him about the
SPDC's reconvening of the National Convention. The MI
officers asked him, hypothetically, whether he would attend
the Convention if invited, noting that he could be invited as
an individual, not as a member of a political party. U Win
Naing responded that with "modification to procedures" and
increased transparency he would consider attending.


5. (SBU) Additional Embassy sources also report that during
the week of October 13-17, MI authorities detained several
NLD supporters (NFI) who had participated in a silent protest
during Aung San Suu Kyi's recent surgery and hospital stay
(reftel).


6. (C) Comment: With NLD offices shuttered and the party's
entire senior leadership in detention or under house arrest,
the SPDC's low tolerance for political dissent is not
surprising. Local democracy activists have very little cover
for their activities, and ASEAN's recent endorsement of the
SPDC's "progress" toward democracy gives the regime
additional confidence to tighten the noose on the dissident
population. On October 17, NLD leaders told visiting
EAP/BCLTV Director that recent NLD detainees had experienced
interrogation similar to that of U Win Naing. MI attempts to
pressure prodemocracy activists into participating in a
reconvened National Convention provide further evidence that
the SPDC hopes to select carefully a cast of delegates that
gives the illusion of broad representation and is primed to
rubber-stamp a new constitution. End comment.
Martinez