BURMA: NLD VERIFIES POLITICAL PRISONER RELEASES

UNCLAS RANGOON 000799

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

STATE FOR EAP/BCLTV, DRL; PACOM FOR FPA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL BM NLD
SUBJECT: BURMA: NLD VERIFIES POLITICAL PRISONER RELEASES

REF: A. RANGOON 21

B. RANGOON 10

C. 04 RANGOON 1571


1. (SBU) SUMMARY: On July 6 the GOB implemented another
prisoner release. National League for Democracy (NLD)
sources say up to 410 prisoners were released from 11 prisons
around the country. The NLD has reported 260 political
prisoners among the released, though we can verify only 114
names. The political prisoners include NLD members, Buddhist
monks, and some Karen National Union (KNU) members. NLD
MP-elect, U Sein Hla Oo, is believed to be the most prominent
prisoner released so far. An embassy employee interviewed
two NLD political prisoners who were released this week and
found one of them in poor condition. Embassy employees
waited outside Insein Jail in Rangoon on July 7, but did not
notice any unusual activity. Burma may be attempting to set
itself up to become the next ASEAN chair. END SUMMARY.


2. (SBU) On July 6, GOB authorities quietly released
prisoners from at least 11 prisons all over Burma. According
to NLD sources, 410 prisoners were released. Of these, 260
are reported to be political prisoners with nearly half of
them being released from Insein Prison in Rangoon. However,
the NLD has so far only been able to list the names of 114
political prisoners who are known to be released, so further
verification is needed.


3. (U) The released political prisoners include NLD members,
Buddhist monks, and KNU members. The most prominent
political prisoner released so far is U Sein Hla Oo, an NLD
MP-elect from Insein Constituency. He was a key NLD
strategist before he was arrested eleven years ago in 1994.
Though initially sentenced to seven years imprisonment, his
sentence was extended by four years in 2001.


4. (SBU) An Embassy employee met two NLD political prisoners
who were released on July 5 from Thayet Prison in central
Burma. They had no clue they were to be released until they
received orders that morning to pack their personal effects.
One of them appeared to be very thin and frail. Another
released prisoner reports that he did not have to agree with
any "conditions" for release, but they were read out to him.
He was informed that he was being released under the Penal
Code 401, Section 2, dealing with "remission of sentences."


5. (SBU) Poloff and an FSN waited around Insein Prison's main
gate for an hour on the morning of July 7, but did not notice
any unusual activity. There were no large crowds of
relatives, but there were a few media stringers and an FSN
from another embassy sitting in a tea stall across the street
watching for developments.


6. (SBU) COMMENT: Why now? It is not possible to know for
sure, and the GOB has not made any official announcement
about the prisoner releases. However, the fact that the
ASEAN summit meeting takes place in Vientiane, Laos in two
weeks is not lost on the NLD and other observers in Rangoon.
With Burma slated to take over the ASEAN chair next year, the
SPDC is under pressure to make a decision this month on
whether to take its rotation or not. The release of
prisoners, a high percentage of whom are political prisoners,
may be a GOB attempt to "come clean" by demonstrating that it
is moving "step-by-step" toward democracy and thereby enable
its fellow ASEAN members "in good conscience" to let Burma
assume its scheduled rotation as the next ASEAN chair. END
COMMENT.
Martinez