Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
03RANGOON1519
2003-11-25 04:28:00
SECRET
Embassy Rangoon
Cable title:  

RANGOON INCIDENTS/ANOMALIES

Tags:  ASEC PREL BM 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
S E C R E T RANGOON 001519 

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR DS/IP/EAP, DS/ICI/CI

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/25/2013
TAGS: ASEC PREL BM
SUBJECT: RANGOON INCIDENTS/ANOMALIES


Classified By: RONALD K. MCMULLEN, DEPUTY CHIEF OF MISSION, REASON 1.5(
C).

S E C R E T RANGOON 001519

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR DS/IP/EAP, DS/ICI/CI

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/25/2013
TAGS: ASEC PREL BM
SUBJECT: RANGOON INCIDENTS/ANOMALIES


Classified By: RONALD K. MCMULLEN, DEPUTY CHIEF OF MISSION, REASON 1.5(
C).


1. (U) The following are incidents of hostile intelligence
service activity reported by Embassy officers in recent weeks.


2. (S/NF) On November 11 the Deputy Chief of Mission
hosted an event at his residence for the official Amcit
community. Military Intelligence (MI) officers questioned
two drivers as they waited outside the DCR compound.
According to one driver, MI used intimidation tactics and was
more aggressive than in previous encounters. In particular,
the MI officers asked about the purpose of the event, who was
in attendance, the position and title of the attendees,
residential addresses, and phone numbers.


3. (S/NF) On November 18 Post learned that MI officers
were using a copy of an Embassy in-country travel itinerary
to identify and question contacts visited on a domestic
orientation trip. MI even questioned an individual listed on
the itinerary with whom Emboffs did not meet. We do not know
how, or if, MI officers obtained a copy of the actual
itinerary or information contained in the itinerary. The
document was created on the State Department unclassified
email system and forwarded between various sections within
the Embassy for revision. The document was also faxed over
local telephone lines to Shan State in advance of the trip.
It is also possible that MI pieced together the information
from phone calls made from Post to Shan State.


4. (S/NF) Foreigners and diplomats are regularly
surveilled in Burma. The Government of Burma (GOB)
aggressively targets western events, hotels, meeting areas,
popular restaurants and maintains a heightened state of
paranoia. Intelligence collection is the regime's primary
mechanism for maintaining internal control and monitoring
political opposition. These activities occur throughout the
country wherever foreigners are found.


5. (SBU) RSO Rangoon has repeatedly cautioned employees
about operational security and the aggressive intelligence
collection efforts of the GOB. RSO encourages employees to
immediately report any incidents of surveillance,
questioning, and photographing including harassment of
dependents and domestic staff. RSO reviews the required
contact reporting policies set forth in 12 FAM 262 with all
newly assigned personnel. RSO does not feel that the
above-mentioned incidents are the result of heightened
hostile intelligence service activity, but are more likely
indicative of the GOB's normal targeted efforts against the
United States.
Martinez