BURMESE MPS-ELECT APPEAL TO SYG ANNAN, PLAN TO

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 RANGOON 000837

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/09/2013
TAGS: PREL PGOV BM NLD
SUBJECT: BURMESE MPS-ELECT APPEAL TO SYG ANNAN, PLAN TO
ANNOUNCE PARALLEL GOVERNMENT

Classified By: COM CARMEN MARTINEZ FOR REASONS 1.5 (B and D).


1. (C) Seventy Burmese MPs-elect (elected in the
junta-annulled 1990 election) have written to UN Secretary
General Kofi Annan informing him that they have asked Senior
General Than Shwe to release the political prisoners and
implement the UN resolutions regarding restoring democracy in
Burma. They also ask the SYG to bring the plight of Burma to
the notice of the Security Council "for necessary action."
Post has forwarded the signed letter, text of which is
included in para 3 below.


2. (S) Many of the MPs-elect signed the letter after meeting
at the funeral last month of an influential senior monk who
"died suddenly." The monk provided assistance, food, and
lodging to MPs-elect when they were in Rangoon, and
occasionally sheltered pro-democracy activists from the
authorities. Over 100 MPs-elect were reportedly willing to
sign the letter, but they decided 35 should not. The
MPs-elect, we are told by a normally reliable source, intend
to declare a parallel government in the next month or two,
and wanted at least some members to be free if the seventy
who signed get arrested.


3. (SBU) Text of the letter follows. Signed original
pouched to EAP/BLCTV July 10th.

Begin Text:

Dear Mr. Secretary-General

Subject: The Disgraceful Situation in Burma after the Crisis
at Da-Ba-Yin Township

In the evening of May 30, 2003 some members of the National
League for Democracy (NLD) including U Tin Oo, Vice Chairman
and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, General Secretary while traveling
on an organizational tour were savagely attacked by a group
of thugs between Kyi village and Da Ba Yin town in Sagaing
Division resulting in several deaths and injuring hundreds of
NLD members. The government has not clarified nor provided
details of the above event.

Moreover, it is learnt that U Tin Oo, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi
and the youths who accompanied them on the journey were
seriously harmed and are also held under detention without
any legal ground.

Hence the undersigned, the representatives who were duly
elected at the Multiparty Election held in 1990, on behalf of
the people of Burma, have sent a letter of protest to Senior
General Than Shwe, Chairman of the State Peace and
Development Council, calling for:-

(1) Immediate release of U Tin Oo, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and
all others who were arrested at the site of the crisis.
(2) Unconditional release of U Aung Shwe, Chairman and other
Central Executive members of NLD who are kept under house
arrest since May 31, 2003.
(3) Reopening of all NLD offices sealed by the government and
resuming of legal political party functions.
(4) Official independent investigation and statement of facts
regarding the events including the number of deaths, wounded,
missing and detained persons.
(5) Compliance and implementation of the Resolutions and
Recommendations of the General Assembly, the Security Council
and other Agencies of the United Nations.

The above demands are made for the people of Burma as well as
for the whole community of the world. We firmly believe that
the current impasse in this country is not only a disgrace to
the Nation but is also becoming a threat to the peace and
security of the whole region.

Attached herewith a copy of the abovementioned letter in
Burmese version with a humble request that the case should be
brought to the notice of the Security Council for necessary
action.

Yours sincerely,

Elected Representatives

The List of Undersigned Parliamentary Members of 1990 General
Election (70 names follow)

End Text.
Martinez