BURMA'S RELENTLESS CRACKDOWN CONTINUES AGAINST

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 RANGOON 000692 SIPDIS STATE FOR EAP/BCLTV; PACOM FOR FPA E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/07/2015 TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL BM NLD SUBJECT: BURMA'S RELENTLESS CRACKDOWN CONTINUES AGAINST PRO-DEMOCRACY ASPIRANTS REF: A. RANGOON 345 ¶B. RANGOON 332 AND PREVIOUS Classified By: DCM Ronald K. McMullen for Reasons 1.4 (b,d) ¶1. (C) Summary: Events in past weeks demonstrate that the GOB's appetite for pursuing pro-democracy opponents has not abated. Detentions, interrogations, harsh jail sentences, intimidation, and even a custodial death litter the landscape. End Summary. ¶2. (C) Aung Hlaing Win, a youth member of the National League for Democracy (NLD),was arrested on May 1 at a teashop in Kamayut Township, Rangoon. The following day, Shwe Gyoe, his father-in-law, filed a missing person report with the local police. (Note: Shwe Gyoe is an ex-political prisoner who was released from prison on January 5, 2005. End Note.) On May 10, Military Affairs Service (MAS) officials summoned Shwe Gyoe and informed him that Aung Hlaing Win had died in custody on the morning of May 7 and had been cremated at noon the same day. The officials offered the family financial compensation of approximately $100, but the family refused it. The family has filed a case in court to determine how Aung Hlaing Win died and who is responsible. ¶3. (C) On May 13, U Bo Gyi and U Pe Tin, two NLD members of Shwegyin Township were arrested and charged under the Press and Publication Act for publishing documents without official permission. On May 27, they were both sentenced to 7 years imprisonment. Following their sentencing they remained in police custody and were not transferred to prison. This resulted in difficulty for their lawyers to file appeals because they did not have prisoner registration numbers. ¶4. (C) On May 19, the family members of a prominent, Washington-based Burma activist were taken into custody and questioned intensively about the activities of the activist. Subsequently, a poster with an old photo and personal details of the activist were posted in public places in Rangoon. Although the family was released after two days, their case is not isolated, and families of other suspects continue to receive similar treatment. ¶5. (C) In late May U Saw Hlaing, NLD MP-elect from Indaw Township, Sagaing Division, was sentenced to 12 years imprisonment for breach of the Press and Publication act. He was not allowed legal representation and the only evidence against him was an old computer that the family used to produce documents for official purposes. On June 6, U Kyaw Hsan, MP-elect and NLD Chairman of Sagaing Division, was sentenced to 7 years imprisonment for allegedly allowing smuggled goods to be stored at his residence. He was re-arrested four months after completing a 10-year sentence in Insein Prison (ref A.) ¶6. (C) The wife and three children of MP-elect, U Kyaw Min, of the banned National Democracy Party for Human Rights, were arrested in May. U Kyaw Min was arrested earlier in mid-March. The whole family is being charge for alleged falsification of information on their identification documents. Their trial is still ongoing and they are not allowed to have their own lawyers. ¶7. (C) On June 7, the family of Hkun Htun Oo, the arrested leader of Burma's second largest political party, the Shan National League for Democracy, visited Insein Prison for the second week in a row. They were able to receive a note from him stating that he is fine and requesting some food and medicine. In late May, the GOB added five more charges against Hkun Htun Oo dealing with the illegal handling of foreign currency and illegal property ownership. This brings to 10 the number of charges made against him. Sources say the number of witnesses has been reduced in order to speed up his trial and a verdict may be handed down soon. ¶8. (C) Comment: Indications are the GOB may be having difficulty proving that Hkun Htun Oo is guilty of association with illegal Shan organizations and may be shifting its focus more to economic issues. The GOB obviously feels confident it is in a position of strength vis a vis a weak and scattered opposition and can act against its opponents with near impunity. For all the GOB's talk of desiring a "flourishing democracy" for their country, it continues to harass, intimidate, imprison, and even kill the very citizens who most ardently support development of democracy in Burma. The GOB's actions drown out its words. End Comment. Martinez