NLD LEADERS UNDERTAKE PETITION DRIVE

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 RANGOON 000924 SIPDIS FOR EAP E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/20/2014 TAGS: PREL PGOV BM NLD SUBJECT: NLD LEADERS UNDERTAKE PETITION DRIVE REF: A. RANGOON 923 ¶B. STROTZ-MARTINEZ/MURPHY 7/20/04 E-MAIL Classified By: COM Carmen Martinez for Reasons 1.4 (b,d) ¶1. (C) Summary: According to NLD CEC members, the party quietly launched a petition drive on July 19 to secure signatures on a letter to the SPDC demanding that the regime release ASSK and U Tin Oo from house arrest, allow all party offices to reopen, and free all political prisoners. To date, 66 MPs-elect and 456 other individuals have signed petitions although party leaders do not know, or will not reveal, what they will do with the petitions when the project is complete. The CEC has invited NLD divisional and township leaders to expand the campaign through Burma, but the party says that success is uncertain given that all interior NLD offices remain shuttered. NLD Chairman U Aung Shwe apologized for announcing the petition drive to the press before informing the U.S. and other supportive countries about the effort and committed to achieving better communications. End Summary. ¶2. (C) On July 21, COM and P/E chief called on NLD Chairman U Aung Shwe and Secretary/Spokesman U Lwin to discuss overnight international press reports that claimed the NLD had launched a petition campaign for signatures on an open letter to the SPDC. According to the press reports, the NLD had kicked off the campaign at the party's July 19 Martyrs' Day commemorative event (ref A). However, Emboffs were present at that function and observed no petition-related activities. ¶3. (S) U Aung Shwe acknowledged that the NLD had undertaken, with ASSK's blessing, a new campaign to garner signatures on a petition demanding that the SPDC release ASSK and U Tin Oo from house arrest, allow all party offices to reopen, and free all political prisoners. However, the NLD CEC leaders said that they had only informed party members about the petition campaign during a closed-door session at party headquarters on July 19 after the departure of diplomats and other invited guests. "We needed to keep this effort confidential until the very last minute," explained U Aung SIPDIS Shwe, suggesting that the NLD did not want the SPDC to thwart their efforts. ¶4. (S) According to the NLD CEC leaders, they have provided two petition books for signatures: one for Members-elect of Parliament and another for general party members and the 
public. On the afternoon of Martyrs' Day, about 200 individuals signed the books at NLD headquarters. To date, 66 MPs-elect have signed the first book and 456 individuals have signed the second. U Aung Shwe said that the CEC had invited NLD divisional and township leaders to expand the effort throughout Burma, although he added that he was unsure how they would succeed given that all interior NLD offices remain shuttered. ¶5. (S) According to the NLD CEC members, the party does not know what it will do with the two petition books. When we queried whether the NLD would deliver the books to the SPDC or otherwise publicize the results of the campaign, U Lwin replied, "we're not sure." He added that the regime has to date done nothing to impede party members and others from going to NLD headquarters to sign the petitions. ¶6. (S) COM also asked the party leaders about the recent convening of the Committee to Represent the People's Parliament (ref A). U Aung Shwe, requesting that his information remain confidential, said that the CRPP is preparing a report on next steps for the pro-democracy movement. However, he added that the NLD did not know what the paper would address or when it would be completed. P/E chief noted local rumors that NLD rank and file members were demanding more action from the NLD CEC. U Aung Shwe acknowledged that some members were frustrated and pressing for a more proactive stance, but he dismissed them as "just a few individuals." ¶7. (S) COM asked the two NLD leaders if they desired a statement of support or other assistance for their petition drive. U Aung Shwe demurred, but replied "feel free to let Washington know about our campaign and that we plan to continue the effort until the end of August." Comment: Help Us Help You -------------- ¶8. (S) Low-level NLD sources claim that the petition campaign was actually the initiative of regional NLD party members and that the CEC reluctantly took ownership at the last minute. U Aung Shwe and U Lwin, however, insisted to us that the CEC had launched the effort and that ASSK was fully on board. ¶9. (S) The COM took the opportunity to once again urge the CEC members to communicate more closely with the U.S. Embassy, noting that she and several other Emboffs had met with them on four separate occasions in the past six days and heard nothing from them about their petition effort (ref A). "Help us help you," she said, noting that NLD supporters in Congress and elsewhere in the U.S. frequently look to the State Department to ascertain the validity of press reports on NLD developments inside Burma. U Aung Shwe apologized, repeating the party's desire to keep their effort confidential but acknowledging that party leaders had talked SIPDIS with journalists before talking with U.S. and others who support NLD efforts to pursue reconciliation and democracy. He and U Lwin committed to keeping the U.S. informed on future developments and said they "fully appreciated that the U.S. Embassy has closely supported the NLD ever since 1988." End Comment. Martinez