SPDC REMOVES ASSK'S PERSONAL BODYGUARDS FROM

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 RANGOON 001587

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EAP/BCLTV

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/14/2014
TAGS: PGOV PINS PREL KDEM BM ASSK
SUBJECT: SPDC REMOVES ASSK'S PERSONAL BODYGUARDS FROM
COMPOUND

REF: A. RANGOON 1530

B. RANGOON 1508 (NOTAL)

Classified By: COM Carmen Martinez for Reasons 1.4 (b,d)


1. (C) Summary: According to the NLD, in the pre-dawn hours
of December 14 GOB police officials required the departure of
ASSK's entire contingent of personal bodyguards from the
compound where she resides under house arrest. In recent
weeks, the GOB has increasingly restricted access to ASSK and
the NLD is concerned that it no longer has the ability to
monitor her status on a daily basis. The NLD plans to issue
a statement holding the GOB fully responsible for ASSK's
health and welfare. We do not see any evidence that ASSK
faces imminent danger, but the departure of her bodyguard is
troubling and should the situation persist, appropriate
Washington interventions and/or statements may be advisable.
End Summary.


2. (C) On December 14 NLD Spokesman U Lwin requested a
meeting to inform us that the GOB had issued orders requiring
the departure of Aung San Suu Kyi's entire personal bodyguard
(a contingent of 13 young, loyal male supporters who are not
NLD members) from the University Avenue compound where she is
held under house arrest.


3. (C) According to U Lwin, the Burmese Police Special Branch
(SB) officers who recently joined military intelligence (MI)
in overseeing the compound have become increasingly rigid
toward ASSK and her supporters (ref B). In late November,
authorities limited ASSK's personal physician to thrice
weekly visits, a reduction from the daily access he has had
since she was placed under house arrest in September 2003
(ref A). In subsequent weeks, the physician has been subject
to random searches and interrogation. More recently (U Lwin
did not specify when),SB officials informed ASSK that she
would have to reduce her personal bodyguard from thirteen
members to six. ASSK refused because, U Lwin explained, the
entire contingent is required to fill shifts for 24-hour
coverage at the compound.


4. (C) In the pre-dawn hours of December 14, SB officers
demanded that the NLD send a mid-level party member to ASSK's
house to escort the members of the bodyguard, who were
present at the time, off the compound. The NLD party member
then drove the bodyguards to a Rangoon bus depot where most
of them continued on to their hometowns (it is illegal to
stay in Rangoon overnight at a private residence without
registering with authorities). GOB security personal,
according to U Lwin, will henceforth prohibit access to the
compound by any members of her personal bodyguard.


5. (C) With the departure of the personal bodyguards, only
two supporters remain inside the compound with ASSK: a
trusted female NLD member who serves as a house manager and
the NLD member's daughter who helps out with housekeeping. A
combination of SB and MI personnel continue to maintain a
presence outside the compound, which sits on the edge of a
small lake in central Rangoon.


6. (C) According to U Lwin, the NLD is drafting a statement,
which the party plans to issue o/a December 16, that
expresses serious concern about the situation at ASSK's
compound and holds the GOB fully responsible for her health
and welfare. The NLD is concerned that with the departure of
ASSK's personal bodyguard, and the restrictions imposed on
her physician, the party no longer has the ability to monitor
her status on a daily basis. In addition to informing the
U.S. mission about the new development, NLD leaders have also
spoken to several other Rangoon diplomats as well as U.N.
Special Envoy Razali's local liaison.


7. (C) Comment: Emboffs have arranged to meet with NLD CEC
members on December 16 for an update on the situation and, in
the interim, we are seeking an opportunity to discuss with
ICRC the need for that organization to press for regular
access to ASSK (as far as we know, the ICRC has not been able
to see ASSK for at least a year). Furthermore, the COM has
previously requested meetings with the Ministers of Foreign
Affairs and Home Affairs, at which we had planned to raise a
number of issues including once again our concerns about
ASSK's prolonged detention. We will renew our requests for
those meetings and, should they materialize, we will also
address the December 14 development at her compound. At this
point, the NLD CEC has not requested assistance or action
from the USG. We do not see any evidence that ASSK faces
imminent danger, but the departure of her bodyguard is
troubling and should the situation persist, we may recommend
appropriate Washington interventions and/or statements. End
Comment.

MARTINEZ