UNION DAY WRAP UP

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 RANGOON 000206

SIPDIS

STATE ALSO FOR EAP/BCLTV;
USPACOM FOR FPA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/12/2014
TAGS: PREL PGOV BM NLD
SUBJECT: UNION DAY WRAP UP


Classified By: COM Carmen Martinez for Reasons 1.5 (B,D)


1. (C) SUMMARY: The GOB celebrated Burma's 57th Union Day
with an official ceremony in Rangoon's People's Square,
attended by high-level SPDC officials and their faithful
minions. Diplomats were invited to a low-key MOFA event
co-hosted by the Myanmar Asean Women's Friendship
Association. The NLD held a morning observance at a local
pagoda and then, in defiance of local authorities, marched in
formation to the party's de facto national headquarters. The
leading ethnic democracy coalition, the United Nationalities
Alliance (UNA),hosted a commemorative dinner that attracted
cease-fire groups and the NLD CEC. END SUMMARY.

NLD: At the Pagoda, in the Street, and on the Stump


2. (C) The NLD began its parallel Union Day commemoration on
February 12 with a morning religious ceremony at the Sasana
Gonyi Monastery, on the grounds of ASSK's favorite Rangoon
pagoda. The five released members of the NLD's Central
Executive Committee (CEC),representatives from the Committee
to Represent the People's Parliament, U.S. and British
diplomats, and about 400 NLD members attended the ceremony.


3. (C) At noon, all of the NLD members queued in pairs and
marched peacefully several miles to CEC member U Than Tun's
residence -- the NLD's de facto national headquarters. A
truckload of military intelligence agents, police officers,
and a local township SPDC official closely followed the
procession, but did not interfere. OCMI photographers
stationed every 50 meters along the route thoroughly
documented the march with their long lenses.


4. (C) Upon the procession's arrival at U Than Tun's
residence, CEC member U Soe Myint called for the release of
ASSK and other detained NLD leaders and demanded that the GOB
allow the five CEC members to meet ASSK at the earliest
opportunity. MP-elect U Khun Myint Tun from Thaton Township,
Mon State, read out the NLD's Union Day statement, calling
for "the unity of all ethnic nationalities" and reiterating
NLD policies of equality, autonomy, and cultural freedom.

Ethnics: Dinner With the UNA


5. (C) On the evening of Union Day, Shan Nationalities
League for Democracy (SNLD) Chairman Hkun Htun Oo hosted a
dinner for the ethnic democracy coalition, the United
Nationalities Alliance (UNA). The event was attended by
about 75 representatives from Kachin, Kayah, Karen, Chin
Zomi, Mon, Burman, Rahkine, and Shan political parties, as
well as political veterans, the NLD CEC, NLD MP's-elect, and
U.S. Embassy representatives. Notably, this was the first
time that major cease fire groups such as the KIO and the
NMSP attended a political function with elected
representatives of the political parties.


6. (SBU) The UNA distributed a statement calling for the
release of political prisoners and a tripartite dialogue
among the SPDC, the NLD, and ethnic groups as called for by
the UNGA. The ethnics talked about a "second Panlong
agreement," referring to the 1947 agreement reached between
General Aung San and the ethnic minority groups. A Kachin
representative commented that the SPDC will go forward with
the road map and those who do not participate will be left
behind.

Government: A Ceremonial Hoist


7. (C) The GOB held its official Union Day ceremony by
hoisting the union flag at City Hall and holding an ethnic
parade for selected guests at the People's Park. Among those
invited were core USDA members and representatives of the
election commission and sundry National Convention
committees. In typical fashion for major national holidays,
members of the general public were prohibited from attending
and security was tight. Rangoon Division's SPDC military
commander read a statement from SPDC Chairman Senior General
Than Shwe urging support for the regime's road map. The
Chairman himself later hosted a state dinner and
uncharacteristically skipped his uniform and wore a
traditional longyi and a traditional Burmese headdress.

6. (C) COMMENT: The NLD road march from the pagoda and the
public reading was a brave pushing-of-the-envelope, and it
was good to see that the SPDC may be giving the NLD a tiny
bit more latitude to operate. However, it would be worse for
the democracy movement if the now-free CEC members were again
imprisoned. The well attended UNA dinner highlights the
level of cooperation ethnic nationalities have with each
other and with the cease-fire groups and the NLD. END
COMMENT.
Martinez