Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
04RANGOON882
2004-07-13 09:53:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Rangoon
Cable title:  

SENIOR GOB OFFICIAL DISCUSSES TIP AND DRUG ISSUES,

Tags:  PREL PGOV PHUM SNAR BM NLD 
pdf how-to read a cable
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 RANGOON 000882 

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EAP/BCLTV; PACOM FOR FPA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/11/2014
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM SNAR BM NLD
SUBJECT: SENIOR GOB OFFICIAL DISCUSSES TIP AND DRUG ISSUES,
THE NLD, AND THE NATIONAL CONVENTION


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

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 RANGOON 000882

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EAP/BCLTV; PACOM FOR FPA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/11/2014
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM SNAR BM NLD
SUBJECT: SENIOR GOB OFFICIAL DISCUSSES TIP AND DRUG ISSUES,
THE NLD, AND THE NATIONAL CONVENTION


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


1. (C) Summary: Minister of Home Affairs Colonel Tin Hlaing
says that while the SPDC gives "regular" consideration to
releasing ASSK, the GOB will not repeat a 1995 "mistake" of
freeing the NLD leader that led to the collapse of the
National Convention. The Minister, while cordial, criticized
our recent TIP report on Burma, dismissed concerns over
forced labor, cited unspecified progress in fighting
corruption, and underscored GOB expectations that the UWSA
will cease poppy cultivation in 2005. The COM urged greater
dialogue on TIP issues, called for an unambiguous statement
on the free association of Burmese citizens with the ILO, and
pressed for the release of ASSK and U Tin Oo. End Summary.


2. (U) On July 9 COM and P/E chief called on the Minister for
Home Affairs, Colonel Tin Hlaing, and exchanged views on a
variety of human and drug trafficking issues as well as
Burma's National Convention. On June 16 COM had provided
several relevant GOB and SPDC officials with copies of the
annual TIP report and requested an opportunity to discuss
trafficking issues. To date, Tin Hlaing is the only senior
official to respond to our request.

TIP: Tears at Tier 3
--------------


3. (SBU) Col Tin Hlaing said he was "greatly discouraged" to
read the TIP report on Burma, complaining that the
conclusions were biased and that the global report had placed
too much emphasis on countries of origin. He lamented that
Burma remained a Tier 3 country while numerous countries with
inferior plans of action and legislative efforts had earned
Tier 2 rankings.


4. (C) Tin Hlaing said that the GOB had prepared, with PM
Khin Nyunt's blessing, a new law on human trafficking.
However, UN agencies had advised the GOB not to issue the new
legislation before allowing experts to review and comment.
Tin Hlaing said that the GOB had "hastily" issued money
laundering legislation last year and was now facing "hiccups"
with FATF and the international community. Therefore,

according to the Minister, the GOB plans to "go slow" on the
trafficking legislation, but will have the new law in place
by October when Burma hosts a regional "Inter-Ministerial,
Inter-Country Consultation on Human Trafficking."


5. (SBU) The COM observed that while the GOB had improved
cooperation with UN agencies and NGOs, Burma's Tier 3
designation was primarily a result of forced labor practices.
The COM also noted that although the GOB had issued a
comprehensive statement on June 26 detailing trafficking
convictions and sentences, this information was provided too
late for the TIP report--more than a week after publication
of the report and months after initial Embassy requests for
updates on TIP-related actions. "You can't give us too much
information," the COM said, urging Tin Hlaing to strive for
greater dialogue with the USG on trafficking issues.

Clarify the ILO Issue
--------------


6. (C) Minister Tin Hlaing alleged that the practice of
forced labor had declined considerably in Burma in the
absence of major military offensives against ethnic insurgent
groups. He claimed that the Burmese Army (BA) is training
battalions to use pack animals instead of humans and the BA
is also constructing roads to remote border areas, thereby
reducing the need for forced portering. He also said that
the GOB held a weekly meeting at the Ministry of Defense to
review child soldier issues and had recently invited UNICEF
to visit and inspect army recruitment centers.


7. (C) The COM observed that the GOB's poor human rights and
labor practices had delayed implementation of the ILO's Plan
of Action. She raised the recent case of three individuals
convicted of treason for having contact with the ILO and
urged the GOB to issue a statement clarifying that
association with the ILO is not a punishable act. Tin Hlaing
claimed that the judge in the ILO case had made an "error,"
but that the courts had subsequently reduced the sentences
and excluded mention of the ILO. The COM pressed back and
said that reducing the death sentences did not address the
larger problem that contact by Burmese citizens with the ILO
was understood to be a criminal offense. "You must clarify
this issue with an unambiguous public statement," urged the
COM.

Drugs: Shortcomings and Goings
--------------


8. (SBU) The COM raised a recent GOB announcement regarding
supervision of controlled precursor chemicals. Minister Tin
Hlaing said that a law on precursor chemicals is already in
place, but explained that his Ministry had recently issued
related guidelines to improve implementation. He said that,
given recent success in reducing poppy cultivation and opium
production, the GOB now placed greater emphasis on stimulants
(ATS) and precursor chemicals.


9. (C) The COM asked Tin Hlaing about the GOB's reaction
should the United Wa State Army (UWSA) not adhere to its
deadline to cease poppy cultivation in 2005. The Minister
grew defensive and declared that the Wa would keep their word
and the GOB fully expected cultivation to end by September

2005. He said the GOB's most significant concern was that
drug syndicates would continue to operate along the border
area, with a greater focus on ATS. In this regard, Burma
hoped to achieve improved cooperation with China and Thailand
on counter-ATS activities.


10. (C) We noted to Tin Hlaing that Burma has made gains in
reducing poppy cultivation and establishing drug-related laws
and regulations, adding that we hoped to repeat a successful
joint opium yield survey again in 2005. However, we told the
Minister, the GOB needed to address significant shortcomings
in combating corruption and enforcing existing
narcotics-related legislation--including taking action
against drug kingpins such as Wei Hsueh Kang. Tin Hlaing
claimed, but did not offer details, that the GOB had taken
"serious action" against corruption, including the recent
arrest of Bao Yu Yi, the notorious younger brother of UWSA
leader Bao Yu Chen (Note: To our knowledge, the GOB played no
role in the arrest. End note). Tin Hlaing also claimed that
the GOB could do nothing about Wei Hsueh Kang "because he is
no longer in the country."

National Conventioneers Take a Break
--------------


11. (C) Tin Hlaing said that the National Convention had
adjourned on July 9 because "delegates need a break after two
months of exchanging views," but would reconvene in October
or November. COM asked if there was a possibility for the
NLD to participate when the NC reconvened and Tin Hlaing
replied, "we would consider such a request, because we don't
want them entirely out of the process."


12. (C) COM pressed for the release of NLD leaders ASSK and U
Tin Oo, observing that Tin Hlaing has previously told her,
the COM, that he "doesn't like putting Burmese people into
jail." The Minister replied that the SPDC gives serious
consideration to releasing the two NLD leaders and regularly
discusses international community views on this issue.
However, he added, "we must consider internal implications
(of their release). We will not repeat our mistake (of 1995)
when we released ASSK and delegates subsequently withdrew
from the National Convention (leading to the collapse of the
Convention)."

Comment
--------------


13. (C) We are hopeful that Tin Hlaing's response to our
request for a discussion on TIP issues may lead to a more
regular dialogue at senior GOB levels on human and drug
trafficking. Nonetheless, the paltry efforts to rectify
problems associated with the ILO cases, as well as the tardy
June 26 clarification provided on TIP actions, give us every
indication that the GOB's modus operandi will continue to be
"too little, too late" on many of these issues.


14. (C) Tin Hlaing played a key role in negotiations with
ASSK leading up to the reconvening of the National Convention
in May and has first-hand knowledge of the various
compromises that the NLD was willing to make in order to join
the Convention process. However, he also knows that SPDC
Chairman Than Shwe nixed an arrangement leading to ASSK's
release. Tin Hlaing's observations that the SPDC will not
repeat the 1995 "mistake" underscores that the regime likely
intends to keep ASSK and U Tin Oo under house arrest for the
foreseeable future. End Comment.
Martinez