BURMA'S FORMER POLITICAL PRISONERS PERSEVERE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 04 RANGOON 001375

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STATE FOR EAP/MLS, EAP/PD
STATE PASS TO USAID/ANE:DKENNEDY
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E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/18/2016
TAGS: PHUM EAID KPAO BM
SUBJECT: BURMA'S FORMER POLITICAL PRISONERS PERSEVERE


Classified By: P/E Chief Leslie Hayden for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) Summary: Years in Burmese prisons have not dampened
the will of many political prisoners to work within the
country to promote change. Despite a tough adjustment period
to life on the outside, former prisoners once active in the
pro-democracy movement still hold tightly to their beliefs.
Some remain involved in politics, while others now dedicate
themselves to social welfare projects to help others and
spread pro-democracy messages. Those who have become less
politically active assert their willingness to go back to
prison again if their activities had a good chance of
bringing change to Burma. Post offers the former prisoners
some support; we should do more. End summary.

Adjusting to Life Outside Prison
--------------

2. (C) P/E intern and FSNs interviewed 15 Rangoon-based
former political prisoners in July and August 2006 to get a
picture of their post-prison life in Burma. Most had high
expectations for what life will be like on the outside.
While most expatriates here see Burma as stagnant and
deteriorating, former prisoners considered their country
rapidly transformed since they went to prison. They cited as
an example: City Mart, a chain of relatively modern
supermarkets in Rangoon, which would be considered spartan by
Giant and Safeway shoppers.


3. (C) The reaction of family and friends to their release
has discouraged many of the former prisoners. Older
relatives warn them, "Please don't be bad again or you will
be sent back to prison," a crushing blow to political
activists who believed they went to prison for a just cause
and now are told they did something "bad" by those close to
them. Many of their old friends seem to have forgotten them,
and no one wanted to discuss politics with them. Every
prisoner with whom emboffs spoke still holds tightly to the
beliefs that sent him or her to prison in the first place.
Myat San (PROTECT),a well-known 1988 student activist who
now focuses on social welfare projects, tells his close
friends, "It's OK if you forget about me, but don't forget
the reason I went to prison."


4. (C) Although prison life in Burma is extremely harsh,
several former political prisoners said that outside world
pressure felt even more intense. After three or four months
almost everyone wants to go back to prison, where many were
among activist colleagues and had a status in prison society
above criminal prisoners. Some drew on their prior
experience as political activists to negotiate with prison
authorities and demand rights on behalf of all prisoners. Ko
Jimmy (PROTECT),a former political prisoner who remains
active in politics, said that Burmese prison is like a
microcosm of Burmese society; learning how to deal with
prison authorities taught him new strategies to oppose the
regime. Many developed close connections with other
activists in prison, upon whom they now rely for networking
and moral support.


5. (C) Those prisoners who best adapted to prison life used
the opportunity to learn from others. For example, some
prisoners used their long sentences to master English, taught
clandestinely by fellow inmates. Younger activists housed
with older politicians learned more about the history of the
democracy movement in Burma and the experiences of earlier
activists. One woman sent to prison while in the 9th grade
taught herself how to make greeting cards from dried beans
and seeds, and now plans to start her own greeting card
business on the outside.


6. (C) The Embassy's American Center offers a safe place for
activists to meet one another, reestablish old friendships,
make new connections, and network. Several former prisoners
said that they met fellow activists whom they had not seen

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for years at the American Center. Student activists also use
social occasions, such as wedding ceremonies and funerals of
mutual acquaintances, to network.

Mental Health Care Needed
--------------

7. (C) An informal network of former political prisoners
reach out to their colleagues three to four months after
release, when the pressure of adjusting becomes most intense.
Those who do not receive emotional support in this phase
usually drop out of social contact and do not return to
school or activities beneficial to themselves or society.
According to Dr. Ma Thida, a well-known former prisoner,
those who expected in advance to go to prison because of
their political activities were mentally prepared for the
ordeal and have the easiest adjustment period after prison.
Others suffer from illnesses and injuries sustained in prison
and battle serious depression. A few former prisoners have
committed suicide. When a case is extremely serious, the
network of former prisoners refer their colleague to the only
psychologist in Burma willing to treat political prisoners,
but only in secret.


8. (C) Moral support is not enough; many need professional
help. Former political prisoners said mental health is a
bigger obstacle in their return to normal life than physical
ailments, and that the lack of access to mental health care
is a serious concern. The Embassy provided some assistance in
February 2006 when Dr. J.F. Brodlie visited Burma for two
weeks as a U.S. Speaker. He offered group therapy and
individual counseling sessions to former political prisoners
at the American Center, and workshops for health care
professionals at the Muslim Free Clinic. Former prisoners who
attended the group therapy and individual counseling sessions
requested more programs of that nature, particularly
one-on-one sessions with mental health professionals, who
could help evaluate their current mental conditions and
organize programs that would include family members.

Limited Access to Other Healthcare
--------------

9. (C) Most prisoners immediately seek a medical check-up,
but they have few resources and many doctors feel pressure
not to treat political prisoners. One eye specialist, who
quietly treated former prisoners free of charge, was asked to
leave by the owner of the clinic where he worked after his
volunteer services were discovered. The Muslim Free
Hospital, where Dr. Tin Myo Win and former political prisoner
Dr. Ma Thida volunteer, is the only place in Rangoon where
most former political prisoners can receive healthcare.
According to former prisoners, the Muslim Free Hospital only
handles non-complicated health problems and does not offer
any dental or eye care, two of the most common (and
expensive) problems former political prisoners face. Many,
including student leader Min Ko Naing, also suffer from
neurological problems, which require diagnosis by specialists
not available at the Muslim Free Hospital, as well as
expensive medications. As a result, Min Ko Naing relies on
herbal remedies. Many of the former prisoners expressed
apprehension that if regime officials pressured the Hospital
administrators to stop treating former political prisoners,
most would be left without any access to healthcare. The
fear is not unfounded. The Director of the Hospital
regularly gets questioned by police and military officials.


Studying for the Future
--------------

10. (C) The biggest obstacles preventing former political
prisoners from returning to academic studies interrupted by
their imprisonment are tuition costs and the "generation gap"
between former prisoners, many now in their late 30's and
40's, and younger students. Most former prisoners prefer
informal study of English or computers rather than return to

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Burma's state-controlled university system. As almost all
private schools are too expensive for them, the best options
in Rangoon are the Embassy's American Center and the British
Council. As word of the programs spread, more former
prisoners enrolled. Several former political prisoners said
that they only went back to class when they learned that
their friends were as well. In so doing they hope to prevent
the "generation gap" between them and younger students from
becoming too wide to bridge.


11. (C) The American Center offers more than just English
classes. We also teach about the fundamental concepts of
democracy and human rights, as well as providing critical
thinking and debating skills. The former prisoners would
like to form a network of activists to document and address
human rights abuses inside Burma. At their request, Post
will use visiting U.S. Speaker Richard Claude, an expert in
human rights training, to develop teaching materials and case
studies that can be used for continuing training on human
rights at the American Center and by the activists in their
communities.


12. (C) Several former prisoners attend classes at the
American Center taking advantage of scholarship programs for
former prisoners. Former political prisoner and student
leader Min Ko Naing told emboffs that political prisoners get
little respect from others in society, which contributes to
their low self-esteem. One woman who was imprisoned for seven
years said her scholarship from the American Center gave her
confidence and the feeling that her sacrifices were
recognized in a way they had not been by her friends and
family. As word has spread of the scholarships, we have
received allegations that the scholarships have been awarded
to those closely connected to prominent student or NLD
leaders rather than the most in need. Many current American
Center students encourage us to expand the scholarship
program, while acknowledging the need for screening to keep
out regime informers.


13. (C) Of the fifteen former prisoners emboffs interviewed,
only Myat San (PROTECT) decided to return to his university
and complete his degree studies interrupted in 1988. He said
that a military intelligence officer follows him to and from
class every day. On the first day of classes, the class
professor and many younger students asked why he had been
away from school for so long, assuming he had been abroad.
When they realized he had been a political prisoner, they
asked him if he had ever worked with Bo Aung Kyaw, who was a
famous student activist in the 1920s. In his view, the
question was a telling sign about the level of ignorance
young Burmese have of their own history today. In Myat San's
opinion, the authorities allowed him to return to school
because they feel confident that the older student activists
have no influence over the younger generation. All four of
the four former political prisoners with whom we had in-depth
discussions about education agreed that the regime would
allow them to return to Burmese universities if they wished,
an indication the regime confidently believes it has the
upper hand over the students.

"Lost" Activists
--------------

14. (C) An important segment of former political prisoners
have been overlooked: the low income workers, including
street vendors and tri-shaw drivers, who played an essential
role in the pro-democracy uprising in 1988. Daily wage
workers, they said, actively supported the pro-democracy
movement and were included in almost every political trial in
the late 1980's and early 1990's. While the low-income
workers did not have leadership roles, they disseminated
information, helped with grassroots organizing, and supported
student activities. The former prisoners estimated that at
least 20 percent of political prisoners came from this
low-income group; students and opposition politicians made up

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60 percent of political prisoners; middle class professionals
comprised about 5-10 percent; and the balance were monks.
These low-income workers/political prisoners have not
received the support that the political activists. While
most still hold true to their political beliefs, their main
concern is survival. According to former prisoners, some
low-income former prisoners leave the country soon after
release to become migrant workers in Thailand.

The Former Prisoner's Role in Society
--------------

15. (C) Most former political prisoners through inner
strength and the support of their fellow political prisoners
have successfully handled the pressures of life after prison.
Several prisoners attributed this to "good luck," as well as
friends and associates who encouraged them and informed them
about new educational opportunities. Some have returned to
opposition politics; others focus on helping others through
apolitical social welfare projects; a few combine both.
Those who avoid direct involvement in politics at this time
explained that their involvement in community development
projects, such as volunteer teaching or working with HIV/AIDS
patients, enable them to build up trust with the public and
spread the message of democracy in a more low-key way. Many
maintain ties with activists directly involved with political
issues and said they would be willing to join them if the
timing were right. While they did not want to go back to
prison for something "small," they would gladly do so if
their activities had a good chance of bringing democratic
change to Burma.


16. (C) Former prisoners provided several examples of the
types of programs that would benefit themselves and society.
They are interested in learning more about computers, as well
as programs on NGO management, conflict resolution, community
organizing, and human rights. Several suggested a very basic
human rights program be developed for a broader audience.
The students said that one problem in getting people in Burma
to stand up and defend their rights is that many do not know
what their rights are or how to ask. In prison, they said,
some student prisoners studied the jailers' manual to learn
their rights, and then demanded that prison authorities
respect them. One former prisoner said that she was recently
riding on a Rangoon city bus that was traveling too fast. No
other passengers were willing to act, and some were laughing
or ignoring the dangerous situation. The former prisoner was
angry and told the driver to slow down or she would report
him to his superiors; he promptly did. "The laughing
passengers," she said, "are symbolic of what is wrong with
Burma. People are not afraid when they should be, and they
are afraid when they shouldn't be. On the bus, people faced
a real danger, but they were more afraid of speaking up to a
person in a position of authority than of getting in an
accident."


15. (C) COMMENT: Many political activists in Burma emerge
from prison ready pick up where they left off, and some have
returned to the front-lines in the battle for democracy. The
regime's intimidation tactics keep most Burmese fearful and
reluctant to get anywhere near politics or political
activists. Yet there are many who lost everything once,
endured torture in prison, who will risk their futures to
bring about peaceful change. Our programs at the American
Center have provided some low-key training and opportunities
to network. The regime watches the American Center closely,
yet permits our programs to continue. We should do more:
bring in psychiatric experts; bring in more speakers on their
priority topics; provide medicine to those in need; and
develop broader-based programs on human rights that activists
can use inside Burma. End comment.
VILLAROSA