MOSQUE RAZED, PARAMILITARIES TRAINED

C O N F I D E N T I A L RANGOON 000897

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/28/2013
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KISL BM
SUBJECT: MOSQUE RAZED, PARAMILITARIES TRAINED


Classified By: CDA, a.i.: RON MCMULLEN FOR REASON 1.5(D)


1. (C) Trouble in Sittwe: Local officials on July 22
reportedly tore down a mosque in Sittwe, 70 miles SE of the
Bangladeshi border, and arrested seven Muslims, one of whom
subsequently died in custody. This information came to us
from Bangladeshi, Pakistani, and UN contacts. Apparently the
mosque's leadership made unauthorized improvements to the
structure, resulting in the decision by local authorities to
tear down the whole building. Buddhist monks and Muslim
shopkeepers also clashed on July 18 in Pyinmana, a small town
between Mandalay and Rangoon, according to local media
reports.


2. (SBU) Paramilitary training: A trusted Burmese contact
claims the USDA-affiliated "Power Ranger" militia is
receiving rudimentary riot-control and military training in
central Burma and elsewhere. "They are being told their
mission is to hold up any attacking Americans long enough for
Russia and China to come to the rescue," he explained.
Chuckling, he added, "The Russians--that's a good one."
Media reports also claim the GOB is training a paramilitary
"Peoples Militia" in Arakan State to assist in putting down
any general uprising.


3. (C) Comment: Muslim-Buddhist troubles have periodically
flared up in Sittwe and elsewhere. We frequently hear
stories of pro-SPDC "fake monks" allegedly inciting violence
against Muslims to deflect anti-regime ire. This does not
seem to be the case in these latest incidents, and, with the
political temperature in Burma quite high, any incident could
quickly get out of hand. A leader of the student rebellion
of 1988 told us recently that he thinks there will be
substantial bloodshed in Burma before year's end. Perhaps
the training of various paramilitary groups indicates the
generals share this view. End Comment.
McMullen