PROVISIONING ASSK, MORE ARRESTS, AND PRISONER

C O N F I D E N T I A L RANGOON 001612 SIPDIS STATE FOR EAP/BCLTV; PACOM FOR FPA E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/03/2014 TAGS: PHUM KDEM BM ASSK NLD SUBJECT: PROVISIONING ASSK, MORE ARRESTS, AND PRISONER RELEASES REF: A. RANGOON 1591 ¶B. RANGOON 1587 ¶C. RANGOON 1552 ¶D. RANGOON-BCLTV EMAIL 12/20/04 Classified By: COM Carmen Martinez for Reasons 1.4 (b,d) PROVISIONING ASSK ¶1. (C) As of December 20, new arrangements for ensuring Aung San Su Kyi's (ASSK) access to food reportedly had been instituted. A designated individual who has served a similar role in the past is to bring food for ASSK and the two women who remain with her in the compound each morning at 0900 hours. Provisions are to be dropped off at the compound gate. No correspondence or communication will be allowed between this individual and anyone at ASSK's residence (i.e., a grocery list). Prior to allowing this arrangement to proceed, a Special Branch Officer located at the compound required the individual buying and transporting ASSK's groceries to fill out a personal history questionnaire identifying his name, address and the names and addresses of family members, this despite his history as having served in this capacity first in 1995 and most recently in the aftermath of the regime-orchestrated May 30th attack on ASSK and her supporters. We anticipate that this new arrangement will proceed without interference. MORE ARRESTS ¶2. (C) Separately, four former NLD members (Ba Tint, Ba Myint, Aung Moe San and Ma Theingi) were arrested in Rangoon on December 19 for being in possession of and/or having written "objectionable material" (NFI). The four individuals all were part of a group of 20 NLD members who were suspended by the NLD Central Executive Committee (CEC) in September after taking part in an unauthorized demonstration outside the UNDP office (ref C). Although there have been prior arrests (two separate) instances in other divisions this month, these are the first arrests of pro-democracy activists in Rangoon. PRISONER RELEASES ¶3. (C) On December 12, 6 NLD youth members (Aung Myo Win, Nyi Nyi Naing, Myo Aung, Soe Than, Aung Myat Min and Soe Moe) were released from Mawlamyaing Prison after serving seven years. Of the 14,218 prisoners the GOB claims it has released in three tranches since November 18, approximately 80 can reasonably be described as security detainees of some sort, including perhaps 50 straightforward political prisoners. MARTINEZ