Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07RANGOON1178
2007-12-14 06:40:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Rangoon
Cable title:
BURMESE AIDS ACTIVIST PHYU PHYU THIN TIRED OF
how-toVZCZCXRO1605 PP RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHNH DE RUEHGO #1178 3480640 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 140640Z DEC 07 FM AMEMBASSY RANGOON TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6934 INFO RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 0763 RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 4310 RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 7854 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 5414 RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 3422 RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 1209 RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
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
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