BURMESE AIDS ACTIVIST PHYU PHYU THIN TIRED OF

C O N F I D E N T I A L RANGOON 001178 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR EAP AND IO; PACOM FOR FPA E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/20/2017 TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM SOCI BM SUBJECT: BURMESE AIDS ACTIVIST PHYU PHYU THIN TIRED OF HIDING REF: RANGOON 742 Classified By: Pol Officer Sean O'Neill for Reasons 1.4 (b) & (d) ¶X. (C) Summary. HIV/AIDS activist Phyu Phyu Thin wants to come out of hiding to resume her work. She will likely be arrested if she does so. Pro-democracy activist Htin Kyaw is not missing as some media has reported, but is being held in a Rangoon police station and is continuing his huger strike. NLD spokesman U Myint Thein has been diagnosed with stomach cancer and would like to go to Singapore for treatment, but must acquire a passport first. End Summary. ¶X. (C) HIV/AIDS activist Phyu Phyu Thin recently told NLD spokesman U Myint Thein that she would like to come out of hiding to continue her work with AIDS patients. She expressed concern for her patients and pointed out that three have died since she went into hiding at the end of August. Additionally, her family said she would like to attend a memorial service on December 16 to commemorate her father's death one month ago. U Myint Thein and other opposition members were worried authorities would arrest her as soon as she re-emerges and have been discussing ways to pressure the regime to let her continue her work. Several of her remaining AIDS patients pledged to issue a statement asking the regime to allow her to resume her charitable work. Although Phyu Phyu Thin was not openly involved in the September protests, authorities have sought her arrest because of her affiliation with 88GS. ¶X. (C) Htin Kyaw's lawyer, U Aung Thein, told us that a Mizzima News report that the pro-democracy activist is missing are false. U Aung Thein confirmed the detained activist was being held in Pabedan Township Police Station and is awaiting trial on December 18 on charges of inciting public disturbance. If convicted, Htin Kyaw could be sentenced to as much as two years in prison. U Aung Thein reported that his client was in poor health due to a hunger strike that he started two weeks ago. University students and fellow detainees Nay Lin and Zin Lin Aun as well as human rights activist Myo Thant recently joined Htin Kyaw's hunger strike to demand the release of political prisoners. Htin Kyaw was arrested in Rangoon on August 25 as he staged a small protest. ¶X. (C) NLD Spokesman U Myint Thein was recently diagnosed with stomach cancer and hopes to travel to Singapore on December 22 for treatment. The cancer is in its early stages and his doctors are optimistic, but he lost his national ID card which he needs in order to apply for a passport. Until he has both, he will not be able to travel. ¶X. (C) Comment. Phyu Phyu Thin will likely be arrested since her name and pictures have been widely circulated by the authorities. Her willingness to risk arrest shows her strong commitment to helping HIV/AIDS patients (reftel). This has become all the more important now that the authorities have closed Maggin Monastery, which cared for HIV/AIDS patients. End Comment. VILLAROSA