Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07RANGOON387
2007-04-25 00:54:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Rangoon
Cable title:
BURMA: EIGHT MORE DEMONSTRATORS ARRESTED IN RANGOON
how-toVZCZCXRO7718 OO RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHNH DE RUEHGO #0387 1150054 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 250054Z APR 07 FM AMEMBASSY RANGOON TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5984 INFO RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 0269 RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA 4529 RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 3831 RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 7364 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 4916 RUEHCI/AMCONSUL CALCUTTA 1105 RUEHCN/AMCONSUL CHENGDU 1122 RUDKIA/AMCONSUL CHIANG MAI TH 0958 RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 3113 RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0754
C O N F I D E N T I A L RANGOON 000387
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EAP/MLS; PACOM FOR FPA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/23/2017
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL BM
SUBJECT: BURMA: EIGHT MORE DEMONSTRATORS ARRESTED IN RANGOON
REF: RANGOON 305
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 000387
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EAP/MLS; PACOM FOR FPA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/23/2017
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL BM
SUBJECT: BURMA: EIGHT MORE DEMONSTRATORS ARRESTED IN RANGOON
REF: RANGOON 305
Classified By: Poloff Dean Tidwell for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (C) SUMMARY: Eight persons staged a short demonstration on
April 22 to protest continued electricity blackouts,
unemployment, inflation, and high taxes. Burmese media
coverage claimed that ordinary Burmese citizens, tired of
demonstrations, seized eight demonstrators and handed them
over to the authorities, although witnesses identified the
"citizens" as plainclothes police. The demonstrators remain
in detention. END SUMMARY.
2. (C) At least eight demonstrators, led by veteran protester
Htin Kyaw of the Myanmar Development Committee (MDC) staged a
mid-morning protest at Thingangyun Township in Rangoon on
April 22. The protests followed two demonstrations led by
Htin Kyaw on February 22 and March 22 (reftel). Holding
large photos of senior regime leaders and shouting, "Long
live our leaders," the demonstrators then called on the
military regime to take seriously current economic problems,
including lack of electrical power; high inflation; lack of
employment opportunities forcing youth into prostitution; and
high taxes.
3. (C) The MDC tipped off local journalists of their plan to
demonstrate to ensure press coverage of their protest. The
regime apparently also learned of the plan, as members of the
People's Militia, the USDA, and police in plainclothes
quickly swooped in and forced eight demonstrators, including
Htin Kyaw, into waiting trucks and transported them away.
The regime mouthpiece New Light of Myanmar claimed on April
23 that ordinary Burmese citizens stopped the demonstrators
because the people do not want unrest.
4. (C) We do not know where the demonstrators are being held,
and as far as we know, they have not been released. This is
the fifth time authorities have detained Htin Kyaw in the
past two months.
5. (C) COMMENT: While the February 22 protest caught the
regime by surprise and lasted twenty minutes before police
arrived, the authorities stopped the latest demonstration
almost as quickly as it started. The regime is determined to
quash the latest surge in protests and appears to be
improving its intelligence on Htin Kyaw and his organization.
The ability Htin Kyaw's group has to strike a resonant
public chord over economic frustrations clearly unnerves the
regime. END COMMENT.
STOLTZ
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EAP/MLS; PACOM FOR FPA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/23/2017
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL BM
SUBJECT: BURMA: EIGHT MORE DEMONSTRATORS ARRESTED IN RANGOON
REF: RANGOON 305
Classified By: Poloff Dean Tidwell for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (C) SUMMARY: Eight persons staged a short demonstration on
April 22 to protest continued electricity blackouts,
unemployment, inflation, and high taxes. Burmese media
coverage claimed that ordinary Burmese citizens, tired of
demonstrations, seized eight demonstrators and handed them
over to the authorities, although witnesses identified the
"citizens" as plainclothes police. The demonstrators remain
in detention. END SUMMARY.
2. (C) At least eight demonstrators, led by veteran protester
Htin Kyaw of the Myanmar Development Committee (MDC) staged a
mid-morning protest at Thingangyun Township in Rangoon on
April 22. The protests followed two demonstrations led by
Htin Kyaw on February 22 and March 22 (reftel). Holding
large photos of senior regime leaders and shouting, "Long
live our leaders," the demonstrators then called on the
military regime to take seriously current economic problems,
including lack of electrical power; high inflation; lack of
employment opportunities forcing youth into prostitution; and
high taxes.
3. (C) The MDC tipped off local journalists of their plan to
demonstrate to ensure press coverage of their protest. The
regime apparently also learned of the plan, as members of the
People's Militia, the USDA, and police in plainclothes
quickly swooped in and forced eight demonstrators, including
Htin Kyaw, into waiting trucks and transported them away.
The regime mouthpiece New Light of Myanmar claimed on April
23 that ordinary Burmese citizens stopped the demonstrators
because the people do not want unrest.
4. (C) We do not know where the demonstrators are being held,
and as far as we know, they have not been released. This is
the fifth time authorities have detained Htin Kyaw in the
past two months.
5. (C) COMMENT: While the February 22 protest caught the
regime by surprise and lasted twenty minutes before police
arrived, the authorities stopped the latest demonstration
almost as quickly as it started. The regime is determined to
quash the latest surge in protests and appears to be
improving its intelligence on Htin Kyaw and his organization.
The ability Htin Kyaw's group has to strike a resonant
public chord over economic frustrations clearly unnerves the
regime. END COMMENT.
STOLTZ