ACTIVISTS ARRESTED ON ANNIVERSARY OF DEPAYIN

C O N F I D E N T I A L RANGOON 000695

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EAP/BCLTV; USPACOM FOR FPA
COMMERCE FOR ITA JEAN KELLY

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/31/2014
TAGS: PHUM PGOV BM ASSK NLD
SUBJECT: ACTIVISTS ARRESTED ON ANNIVERSARY OF DEPAYIN


CLASSIFIED BY: CDA A.I., RONALD K. MCMULLEN FOR REASONS 1.4 (B,D)


1. (C) SUMMARY: ON THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE
REGIME-ORCHESTRATED ATTACK ON THE NLD AT DEPAYIN ON MAY 30,
2003, THE REGIME ARRESTED AT LEAST NINE VERIFIED AND POSSIBLY
DOZENS MORE YOUTHS INVOLVED IN DISTRIBUTING COPIES OF THE UN
UNIVERSAL DECLARATION ON HUMAN RIGHTS. THE NLD HELD
RELIGIOUS SERVICES IN RANGOON AND MANDALAY TO COMMEMORATE THE
ATTACK, BUT IN GENERAL THE ANNIVERSARY PASSED UNOBSERVED BY
THE GENERAL POPULATION. END SUMMARY


2. (C) THE BURMESE REGIME ARRESTED AT LEAST NINE VERIFIED
AND POSSIBLY DOZENS MORE OF THE 43 PRO-DEMOCRACY YOUTHS WHO
WERE HANDING OUT BURMESE-LANGUAGE COPIES OF THE UN UNIVERSAL
DECLARATION ON HUMAN RIGHTS ON MAY 30 IN AN ORGANIZED
COMMEMORATION OF THE ONE-YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE REGIME'S
ATTACK ON AUNG SAN SUU KYI AND HER NLD RETINUE AT DEPAYIN.
THE 34 YOUTHS STILL NOT ACCOUNTED FOR ARE EITHER IN HIDING OR
HAVE ALSO BEEN ARRESTED BY THE AUTHORITIES. MOST OF THE
YOUTHS ARE NLD MEMBERS, WHO REPORTEDLY HANDED OUT THE
LEAFLETS WITHOUT THE KNOWLEDGE OR PERMISSION OF THE NLD
CENTRAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE. THE DEMONSTRATORS HAD NOTIFIED
THE UNDP RESIDENT REPRESENTATIVE BY LETTER ON MAY 28 THAT THE
2003 ATTACK WAS A VIOLATION OF SECTION 20, PARA ONE OF THE
DECLARATION, AND THAT THEY WERE GOING TO HELP THE UN'S
MISSION IN BURMA BY DISTRIBUTING THE PAMPHLETS.


3. (C) TWO U.S. EMBASSY LOCAL STAFF WITNESSED SEVERAL OF THE
ARRESTS AND REPORTED THAT THE MI OFFICERS BADLY BEAT TWO OF
THE YOUTHS, HITTING THEM IN THE FACE AND BODY DESPITE
REPEATED ENTREATIES FROM THE YOUTHS TO STOP. FOUR BYSTANDERS
CAUGHT READING THE PAMPHLETS WERE ALSO ARRESTED AND TAKEN TO
A POLICE STATION, BUT WERE LATER RELEASED. THE NLD YOUTHS
WERE ALL WEARING KACHIN LONGYIS (OFTEN WORN BY PRO-DEMOCRACY
ACTIVISTS OF ANY ETHNICITY) AND TEE SHIRTS WITH A PICTURE OF
UNIFORMED GENERAL AUNG SAN WITH THE TITLE "INDEPENDENCE
LEADER" ON THE FRONT AND "FREEDOM FROM FEAR" WRITTEN ON THE
BACK IN BURMESE.


4. (C) THE NLD OFFICIALLY OBSERVED THE DEPAYIN ANNIVERSARY
WITH A PRIVATE RELIGIOUS SERVICE FOR ABOUT 100 MEMBERS AND
SUPPORTERS IN A NORTHERN RANGOON SUBURB AND FOR ABOUT 100
MORE AT A BUDDHIST MONASTERY IN MANDALAY. IN A SEPARATE
INCIDENT, POLICE ARRESTED ONE WOMAN IN THE PARK ACROSS THE
STREET FROM THE EMBASSY ONLY A FEW MINUTES AFTER SHE BEGAN
CHANTING PRO-NLD SLOGANS AND CALLING FOR THE RELEASE OF ASSK
AND U TIN OO.


5. (C) THE REGIME HAD BEEN ON A HEIGHTENED SECURITY ALERT
FOR THE ENTIRE WEEK LEADING UP TO THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE
ATTACK, POSTING SEVERAL ADDITIONAL NATIONAL ARMED POLICE
COMPANIES IN COMBAT GEAR AT FIVE LOCATIONS IN RANGOON.
ACCORDING TO THE ORGANIZER OF THE EVENT, THUREIN AUNG, WHO
WENT UNDERGROUND SHORTLY AFTER THE ARRESTS, THE FOLLOWING IS
A PARTIAL LIST OF THOSE ARRESTED:


1. MYO THAN HTET (NLD TAMWE)

2. MYINT KYAW OO (NLD SHWE PYI THAR TOWNSHIP)

3. MYO MIN WAI (NLD SHWE PYI THAR TOWNSHIP)

4. MYO MIN SOE (NLD KAMAYUT TOWNSHIP)

5. NE SOE (NLD SHWE PYI THA TOWNSHIP)

6. KYAW KYAW (NLD DAGON MYO THIT TOWNSHIP)

7. THAN WIN AUNG (NLD DAGON MYO THIT TOWNSHIP)

8. MYO MIN (NLD MAYANGONE TOWNSHIP)

9. MYO MIN MAUNG (NLD KUNCHANGONE TOWNSHIP)


6. (C) COMMENT: THE REGIME HAS BEEN VERY SENSITIVE TO ANY
PUBLIC MENTION OF THE DEPAYIN ATTACK, AND WAS EVIDENTLY QUITE
PREPARED TO GO TO GREAT LENGTHS TO PREVENT ANY SMALL CORE OF
NLD SUPPORTERS FROM SPARKING A GENERAL DEMONSTRATION AGAINST
THE REGIME. THAT THE REGIME WOULD ARREST ANYONE FOR HANDING
OUT A UN PUBLICATION ON HUMAN RIGHTS AGAIN UNDERLINES THE
MORAL TURPITUDE OF THIS GOVERNMENT. END COMMENT.
MCMULLEN