REFUGEE REFERRAL FOR MR. ZAW MIN AND FAMILY

C O N F I D E N T I A L BANGKOK 006908 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/15/2016 TAGS: PREF PHUM TH BM SUBJECT: REFUGEE REFERRAL FOR MR. ZAW MIN AND FAMILY Classified By: POLITICAL COUNSELOR SUSAN SUTTON, REASON 1.4 (B,D). ¶1. (U) This is an action request. See para. 9. ¶2. (C) Post is referring Burmese citizen, Mr. Zaw Min, for resettlement to the United States through the Department's Refugee Resettlement Program. Biographical information follows: Name: Zaw Min D/POB: September 22, 1964; Khalot Village, Twontay Township, Rangoon Division, Burma Nationality: Burmese Gender: Male Persecution Claim -------------- ¶3. (C) Mr. Zaw Min (ZW) is a former political prisoner who was jailed from 1991 - 2005 for his political activities. Currently, he is one of the leaders of the 88 Generation Students group. Burmese authorities recently tried to detain him in Rangoon shortly aftev other leaders of this group were arrested, but he had departed on a previously scheduled trip to Thailand. ¶4. (C) ZW led university student demonstrations in 1988 in protest of Burmese police and soldier attacks on students in Rangoon. He and other student leaders established an organization called the "Progressive University Students" and ZW was General Secretary of that organization. He went into hiding in April 1988 after learning that Burmese military intelligence (MI) was looking for him. MI arrested him in June 1988 and he was interrogated and tortured. After serving a one month sentence, he was released in July 1988. ¶5. (C) He participated in the planning and organization of the August 8, 1988 student uprising in Rangoon and Mandalay. He was made an Executive Committee member of the All Burma Student's Union Federation (ABSUF) when that organization was founded on September 3, 1988. He remained active in political activities and was arrested on August 20, 1989 and interrogated for 17 days. ¶6. (C) In December 1991, ZW was arrested for his involvement in a campaign demanding Aung San Suu Kyi's release so she could travel to Norway to receive the Nobel Prize. As a result of torture, he lost hearing in his left ear. On March 25, 1992, he was sentenced to 20 years in prison. The sentence was later reduced to 13 years. While in prison he was subjected to serious torture. ¶7. (C) ZW was released from prison on March 6, 2005. On an individual basis, he began visiting and offering support to the families of political prisoners not yet released. He also engaged in other political activities. On September 6, ZW and other former student leaders formed the 88 Generation Students Group. This organization works to promote democracy and national reconciliation in Burma through legal and non-violent means. Despite considerable harassment and surveillance by government authorities, ZM and other members of the group have continued their activities. On September 27, 2006, Burmese authorities detained three of the 88 Generation Students Group's top leaders. Two other leaders were detained one week later. ZW left Burma on September 28, 2006 to attend a previously-scheduled training session in Thailand. Shortly thereafter, Burmese authorities went to his house in search of him. On November 6, all five of the 88 Generation leaders who had been detained were charged under the 1950 Emergency Provision Act, a catch-all law the regime uses to prosecute those who annoy them. Need for Resettlement to the U.S. -------------- ¶8. (C) Given that ZW would likely be detained and charged if he were to return to Burma, he is requesting U.S. resettlement for himself and his wife and daughter. There is no durable solution available to him in Thailand. ¶9. (C) Post strongly supports this referral. Please provide guidance on whether post should take further steps in processing this case for U.S. resettlement. ¶10. (U) This message was cleared with Embassy Rangoon. BOYCE