SPDC TRANSFERS IMPRISONED NLD VICE CHAIRMAN TO

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 RANGOON 000205 SIPDIS STATE ALSO FOR EAP/BCLTV; CINPAC FOR FPA E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/16/2014 TAGS: PGOV PHUM BM NLD SUBJECT: SPDC TRANSFERS IMPRISONED NLD VICE CHAIRMAN TO HOUSE ARREST REF: A. RANGOON 91 AND PREVIOUS ¶B. RANGOON 199 ¶C. MURPHY/OPCENTER 2/15/04 TELCON Classified By: COM Carmen Martinez for Reasons 1.5 (b,d) ¶1. (C) Summary: The Burmese regime has transferred 77 year-old NLD Vice Chairman U Tin Oo from a remote prison cell in northwest Burma to house arrest in Rangoon. All NLD members detained for direct participation in the May 2003 NLD convoy have now been released from prison. However, along with U Tin Oo, senior NLD leaders ASSK, U Aung Shwe, and U Lwin remain under house arrest (neither of the latter two were part of the convoy). Some of those released may have been re-arrested in recent weeks and many NLD members rounded up in the aftermath of the convoy attack linger in prison cells. U Tin Oo's transfer, after more than eight months of prison internment, is a positive development and a likely product of an ongoing dialogue between the regime and ASSK. However, USG and international pressure played a role and we will continue to press the regime for the full release of all NLD detainees and all political prisoners. End Summary. ¶2. (SBU) According to NLD and GOB sources, over the weekend of February 13-14 regime authorities transferred National League for Democracy (NLD) Vice Chairman U Tin Oo from a prison cell in remote northwest Burma to his residence in central Rangoon. After a two-day journey in the custody of security officials, he arrived at his home at about 6:00 p.m. on Saturday February 14 where he now remains under house arrest. ¶3. (C) Emboffs visited U Tin Oo's house on the morning of Sunday February 15. Security was tight at the house, with numerous armed soldiers and plainclothes military intelligence agents on the scene. A mid-level officer from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was also present. He indicated that central authorities had expected U.S. mission representatives to make an early visit to U Tin Oo's house and subsequently directed MOFA to dispatch an officer to run interference with any diplomats who sought a meeting with the NLD leader. ¶4. (C) Officials on the scene at U Tin Oo's house denied our request to see the NLD leader or his wife. We offered that a quick opportunity to say hello, even in the presence of authorities, could address local speculation that U Tin Oo is in poor health. The MOFA official agreed with the merits of the proposal, but pleaded that he was "just doing his job" and had strict orders to bar any visitors from seeing U Tin Oo or entering the residential compound. MI agents at the house asserted that U Tin Oo had arrived the evening before and the agents claimed that he was in good health. ¶5. (SBU) Authorities originally arrested U Tin Oo during the night of May 30-31, 2003 following a premeditated attack on NLD General Secretary Aung San Suu Kyi (ASSK) and her convoy in southern Sagaing Division. U Tin Oo and ASSK were co-leaders of the month-long convoy that visited NLD party offices and supporters throughout central and northern Burma. U Tin Oo has spent the eight and a half intervening months in a prison cell in Kale (Kalay),located in remote northwest Sagaing Division. Over the past few months authorities had already released all other NLD members also detained on May 30-31 and imprisoned with U Tin Oo at the Kale prison (reftel a and b). ¶6. (SBU) According to official GOB figures, corroborated by the NLD, all NLD members detained for direct participation in the May 30 convoy (approximately 151 individuals) have now been released from prison and only U Tin Oo and ASSK remain under house arrest. However, dozens or perhaps several hundred NLD party members and supporters detained during a nationwide crackdown in the aftermath of the convoy assault may still linger in prison cells without official charges. NLD Chairman U Aung Shwe and NLD Secretary/Spokesman U Lwin, who did not participate in the May 2003 convoy, also remain under house arrest in Rangoon. According to several sources, authorities may have also re-arrested a handful of the released convoy participants in recent weeks. ¶7. (C) Comment: U Tin Oo's transfer to house arrest is a positive development. His family, deeply concerned over his isolation in Sagaing Division and the impact of the attack and detention on his health, is extremely relieved to have him home. We suspect that the transfer is the product of an ongoing dialogue between the regime and ASSK. However, USG and international concern and pressure clearly played a significant role and we will continue to press the regime for the full release of the entire NLD leadership as well as the country's 1,300 political prisoners. End Comment. Martinez