Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06RANGOON1287
2006-09-08 06:40:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Rangoon
Cable title:
RESPONSES ON CHIN NATIONAL LEAGUE FOR DEMOCRACY
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C O N F I D E N T I A L RANGOON 001287
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EAP/MLS; PACOM FOR FPA; PRM/A:TRUSCH AND
S/CT:TKUSCHNER
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/07/2016
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREF PTER BM
SUBJECT: RESPONSES ON CHIN NATIONAL LEAGUE FOR DEMOCRACY
REF: A. SECSTATE 133124
B. RANGOON 820
Classified By: PolOff Dean Tidwell for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L RANGOON 001287
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EAP/MLS; PACOM FOR FPA; PRM/A:TRUSCH AND
S/CT:TKUSCHNER
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/07/2016
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREF PTER BM
SUBJECT: RESPONSES ON CHIN NATIONAL LEAGUE FOR DEMOCRACY
REF: A. SECSTATE 133124
B. RANGOON 820
Classified By: PolOff Dean Tidwell for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (C) SUMMARY: Post has no evidence that Chin National
League for Democracy (CNLD) has ever planned or engaged in
violence to achieve its objectives, nor that it poses any
threat to the United States. The CNLD is an ethnic political
party with no armed faction. The CNLD has held discussions
with the Chin National Front (CNF) (ref B) on common
political objectives and played a mediator role between the
CNF and the ruling State Peace and Development Council
(SPDC). END SUMMARY.
2. (C) The CNLD is a political party based in Chin State with
ties to the National League for Democracy. In Burma's last
general election in 1990, the CNLD won three seats. Unlike
the CNF, the CNLD has no armed wing and its policy is to
achieve its goals through nonviolence. Post has no
information that the CNLD ever engaged in hijacking,
sabotage, violent attacks, or attempted to acquire or use
weapons of mass destruction.
3. (C) Post has no information on any links between the CNLD
and USG-designated terrorist groups, nor do we have any
information to suggest that the CNLD poses any threat to the
security of U.S. nationals or to the security of the United
States or its allies.
CNLD CONTACTS AND BACKGROUND
4. (C) Information for this cable came from two contacts
resident in Rangoon: 1) Chin MP-elect Pu Chin Sian Thang,
President of the Zomi National Congress political party, and
a member of the Committee Representing the People's
Parliament and the United Nationalities Alliance; and 2)
Salai Ceu Maung, General Secretary of the CNLD, who founded
the Peace and Tranquility Commission that mediates between
the CNF and the SPDC.
5. (C) Salai Ceu Maung founded the CNLD in 1989 and
established party offices in fourteen townships. The party's
main goals were to establish a federal union and to give
ethnic Chins the right of self-determination. It also
campaigned for townships with predominantly Chin populations
in Sagaing and Magway Divisions to align with Chin State.
The CNLD won three seats in Falam and Mindat townships during
the 1990 elections. The SPDC deregistered the CNLD in 1992,
along with several other ethnic political parties.
RELATIONS BETWEEN THE CNLD AND THE CNF
6. (C) Salai Ceu Maung is the older brother of Salai Khua
Uklian, commander-in-chief of the Chin National Army, the
armed wing of the CNF. Salai Ceu Maung was also a classmate
at Yangon Arts and Science University in the 1980s with key
leaders of the CNF. The CNLD and the CNF came into existence
after the regime crushed the 1988 pro-democracy
demonstrations. The two groups share common objectives, but
Salai Ceu Maung chose a nonviolent political approach. Since
1994, Salai Ceu Maung has worked through his Peace and
Tranquility Commission to try to broker peace between the
SPDC and the CNF. The two sides are reportedly close to
formal agreement.
VILLAROSA
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EAP/MLS; PACOM FOR FPA; PRM/A:TRUSCH AND
S/CT:TKUSCHNER
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/07/2016
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREF PTER BM
SUBJECT: RESPONSES ON CHIN NATIONAL LEAGUE FOR DEMOCRACY
REF: A. SECSTATE 133124
B. RANGOON 820
Classified By: PolOff Dean Tidwell for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (C) SUMMARY: Post has no evidence that Chin National
League for Democracy (CNLD) has ever planned or engaged in
violence to achieve its objectives, nor that it poses any
threat to the United States. The CNLD is an ethnic political
party with no armed faction. The CNLD has held discussions
with the Chin National Front (CNF) (ref B) on common
political objectives and played a mediator role between the
CNF and the ruling State Peace and Development Council
(SPDC). END SUMMARY.
2. (C) The CNLD is a political party based in Chin State with
ties to the National League for Democracy. In Burma's last
general election in 1990, the CNLD won three seats. Unlike
the CNF, the CNLD has no armed wing and its policy is to
achieve its goals through nonviolence. Post has no
information that the CNLD ever engaged in hijacking,
sabotage, violent attacks, or attempted to acquire or use
weapons of mass destruction.
3. (C) Post has no information on any links between the CNLD
and USG-designated terrorist groups, nor do we have any
information to suggest that the CNLD poses any threat to the
security of U.S. nationals or to the security of the United
States or its allies.
CNLD CONTACTS AND BACKGROUND
4. (C) Information for this cable came from two contacts
resident in Rangoon: 1) Chin MP-elect Pu Chin Sian Thang,
President of the Zomi National Congress political party, and
a member of the Committee Representing the People's
Parliament and the United Nationalities Alliance; and 2)
Salai Ceu Maung, General Secretary of the CNLD, who founded
the Peace and Tranquility Commission that mediates between
the CNF and the SPDC.
5. (C) Salai Ceu Maung founded the CNLD in 1989 and
established party offices in fourteen townships. The party's
main goals were to establish a federal union and to give
ethnic Chins the right of self-determination. It also
campaigned for townships with predominantly Chin populations
in Sagaing and Magway Divisions to align with Chin State.
The CNLD won three seats in Falam and Mindat townships during
the 1990 elections. The SPDC deregistered the CNLD in 1992,
along with several other ethnic political parties.
RELATIONS BETWEEN THE CNLD AND THE CNF
6. (C) Salai Ceu Maung is the older brother of Salai Khua
Uklian, commander-in-chief of the Chin National Army, the
armed wing of the CNF. Salai Ceu Maung was also a classmate
at Yangon Arts and Science University in the 1980s with key
leaders of the CNF. The CNLD and the CNF came into existence
after the regime crushed the 1988 pro-democracy
demonstrations. The two groups share common objectives, but
Salai Ceu Maung chose a nonviolent political approach. Since
1994, Salai Ceu Maung has worked through his Peace and
Tranquility Commission to try to broker peace between the
SPDC and the CNF. The two sides are reportedly close to
formal agreement.
VILLAROSA