Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07RANGOON41
2007-01-11 11:06:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Rangoon
Cable title:  

BURMA: DETAINED PRO-DEMOCRACY LEADERS RELEASED

Tags:  PGOV PREL BM 
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INFO RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE
RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
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RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 RANGOON 000041 

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STATE FOR EAP AND IO; PACOM FOR FPA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/11/2017
TAGS: PGOV PREL BM
SUBJECT: BURMA: DETAINED PRO-DEMOCRACY LEADERS RELEASED


Classified By: A/DCM Leslie Hayden for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 RANGOON 000041

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STATE FOR EAP AND IO; PACOM FOR FPA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/11/2017
TAGS: PGOV PREL BM
SUBJECT: BURMA: DETAINED PRO-DEMOCRACY LEADERS RELEASED


Classified By: A/DCM Leslie Hayden for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) Summary: Early on January 11, the regime released
the five detained leaders of the 88 Generation Students
(88GS) movement. The five were treated well during their
detention and were provided with food and medicine. They
believe the regime detained them as pawns to be released at
the appropriate time in order to lessen international
pressure to release Aung San Suu Kyi and derail U.S. efforts
to pass a Burma resolution in the UN Security Council. The
leaders were satisfied with the campaigns organized by the
interim leaders calling for their release and support the
students current "Open Hearts" campaign. In detaining the
five leaders the regime may have made a huge miscalculation.
The detentions succeeded in focusing public attention on the
88 Generation movement and galvanized them to organize,
strategize, establish regional leaders throughout Burma, and
forge a more cooperative relationship with the Aung San Suu
Kyi's party, the National League for Democracy. Please see
paragraph 8 for recommended press guidance. End Summary.


2. (C) Pol/Econ Chief met with 88 Generation leader Jimmy
and Zaganar, a famous comedian and political activist who
contacted us to pass several messages from Min Ko Naing.
Although the five leaders wanted to meet us in person, they
are under heavy surveillance and felt the risk was too great
so soon after being released. Jimmy told us that at around
1:30 a.m. on January 11, the regime released the five
detained leaders of the 88 Generation Students movement: Min
Ko Naing, Ko Ko Gyi, Htay Kywe, Pyone Cho and Min Zeya. The
five are in good health and were treated well during their
detention. Their guards provided them with food and
medicine. The five were kept separated during the entire
period and were housed at the Rangoon headquarters of the
Police Special Branch at Eight Mile Junction.


3. (C) The five leaders were released unconditionally and
not forced to sign any statements renouncing political
activism. Before their release, the leaders told them they
could be arrested and sentenced to several years in prison if

they issued any statements, publicly opposed the National
Convention, or distributed political material to the public.
This is a standard warning given to most political prisoners
when they are released. More disturbing was a warning to
them to be careful of attacks from the "public." A thinly
disguised threat alluding to possible attacks by thugs from
the regime's mass member organization, the Union Solidarity
and Development Association (USDA). This is the same
technique the regime used to attack Aung San Suu Kyi at
Depeyin in 2003. The five are very disturbed about this
warning and fear it signals plans by the regime to physically
attack them in the near future.


4. (C) The five leaders strongly support the UNSC resolution
proposed by the U.S. and believe our efforts in the Security
Council encourage the Burmese people and add pressure to the
regime to implement democratic reforms more quickly. They
feel countries on the UNSC that oppose a Burma resolution
should propose realistic alternatives. Engagement has not
produced results, they emphasized. They had especially harsh
words for ASEAN nations which should take a stand and speak
out publicly in support of democratic reform in Burma.


5. (C) Min Ko Naing asked that the U.S. and other countries
continue to pressure the regime to release all political
prisoners, including Aung San Suu Kyi, and push the regime to
cease attacking political activists working peacefully and
within the law to bring democracy to Burma. The leaders
believe the regime detained them as pawns to be released at
the appropriate moment, for maximum benefit, to lessen
international pressure to release Aung San Suu Kyi and derail
U.S. efforts to pass a Burma resolution in the UNSC.


6. (C) The leaders stated they were very satisfied with the
signature and "wear white" campaigns organized by the interim
leaders while they were detained. They strongly support the
88GS current "Open Heart" campaign, that consists of regional
leaders, recently designated by the 88GS, distributing blank

RANGOON 00000041 002 OF 002


pieces of paper addressed to Than Shwe throughout the country
for citizens to write their complaints about Burma's economic
and social conditions and send them to the Senior General.
The 88GS leaders told us they do not consider themselves a
political party but rather a political movement that seeks a
long-term solution to Burma's political problems. They will
design campaigns to change the public's attitude, educate the
people on their rights, and encourage them not to be afraid
to demand their rights under the country's laws. They want
to promote public participation in the political process,
educate people on how to file legal complaints, and create a
transparent society. They seek to work with any organization
that has the same goals, including the National League for
Democracy and small Burmese organizations working to promote
human rights.


7. (C) Comment: The regime may have miscalculated by
detaining Min Ko Naing and his colleagues. A movement that
had not shown much momentum has now gained national attention
and been galvanized to organize, strategize, and establish
regional leaders throughout the country. What was once a
cautious and tentative relationship between the NLD and the
88GS has become an alliance. The NLD issued statements
calling for the release of the detained leaders, supported
their campaigns, and sent their lawyers to represent the five
and work for their release. For the first time, a
representative of the 88GS students delivered a rousing
speech at NLD headquarters at their January 4 Independence
Day celebration. While their thinly disguised warnings
showed the regime's reliance on fear and intimidation to
maintain control, the regime has effectively caused the
opposition to become more unified. We agree that the regime
released the leaders in order to derail a UNSC resolution on
Burma, as well as keep their ASEAN partners, now meeting in
Cebu, Philippines, from abandoning them. However, any
temporary benefit to the regime will be offset by the growing
opposition coming together. End comment.


8. (U) PROPOSED PRESS GUIDANCE: The United States welcomes
the release of the five leaders of the 88 Generation
Students: Min Ko Naing, Ko Ko Gyi, Htay Kywe, Pyone Cho, and
Min Zeya. However, Burma still holds more than 1000
political prisoners, and they should also be released
immediately and unconditionally, including NLD General
Secretary Aung San Suu Kyi, Shan NLD leader Hkun Htun Oo, and

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journalist Win Tin. By releasing all political prisoners and
initiating a credible, inclusive political dialogue with
representatives of all the people of Burma, the government
would demonstrate its sincerity in cooperating with the good
offices of the UN Secretary General. END PRESS GUIDANCE.
VILLAROSA