BURMA: THE NLD REACHES OUT, THAN SHWE DIGS IN

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 RANGOON 000100

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EAP AND IO; PACOM FOR FPA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/20/2017
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM BM
SUBJECT: BURMA: THE NLD REACHES OUT, THAN SHWE DIGS IN

REF: A. RANGOON 73

B. RANGOON 76

C. RANGOON 81

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Classified By: Pol Officer Sean O'Neill for Reasons 1.4 (b) & (d)

SUMMARY
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1. (C) Summary. On February 6, the NLD Central Executive
Committee (the Uncles) issued a statement inviting cease-fire
ethnic groups to visit NLD headquarters in Rangoon for
discussions. Some in the party leadership remain concerned
about holding talks with these groups without Aung San Suu
Kyi, but nonetheless thought it important to reach out, as
she wanted. Despite the difficulty many cease fire groups
will have with meeting at NLD headquarters in Rangoon, the
Uncles have made no plans to reach out to those who can not
make the trip.


2. (SBU) Authorities postponed a legal hearing for detained
activist monk U Gambira and his brother. Arrested
web-blogger Nay Phone Latt has been charged with violating
the Video Act. If convicted he could receive up to three
years in prison. End Summary.

NLD REACHES OUT
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3. (C) On February 6, the NLD Central Executive Committee
(CEC) issued a statement (dated February 5) inviting
cease-fire ethnic groups to hold talks with party leadership
at NLD headquarters. The statement specifically mentioned
criticism of the NLD and ASSK by certain cease-fire ethnic
groups that appeared in the regime-daily New Light of Myanmar
in November 2007. Rather than condemn this criticism
however, the CEC declared that disagreement was a part of
democracy and said it believed discussion was essential for
democratic change. The statement concluded by inviting
groups that disagree with ASSK to visit NLD headquarters in
Rangoon for discussions.


4. (C) NLD spokesman Nyan Win acknowledged to Poloff that
many cease-fire groups would be unable or unwilling to accept
the CEC's invitation to meet openly at NLD headquarters in
Rangoon. Despite these difficulties, he expected some
groups, like the New Mon State Party, would be willing and
able to take the CEC up on its offer, although he could not
justify these expectations. If other ethnic groups did not
accept the invitation, the CEC would issue another statement
inviting non-ethnic opposition parties to visit them. But
Nyan Win said the Uncles have made no plans to offer
alternate arrangements to ethnic groups who do not come to
them. When asked, he conceded that the CEC may agree to
allow NLD members in ethnic areas to formally meet with
cease-fire groups, but said the Uncles would likely insist on
arranging the meetings themselves.


5. (C) Nyan Win told us that some party leaders were
concerned about holding talks with ethnic groups without ASSK
present. Nevertheless, he said the CEC decided it was best
to publicly reiterate ASSK's call for talks with these
groups. Nyan Win pointed out that the purpose of these
discussions would not be to convince ethnic leaders to
support all of the NLD's positions. Rather, he said the CEC
agreed with ASSK that discussing differences was a worthy
democratic goal in and of itself, even if it did not result
in complete agreement.

6. (C) Nyan Win reported that some prominent NLD members did
not want the public to know the substance of what the CEC
discussed with ASSK and objected to the statement he released
to the press following their January 30 meeting (reftel A).
He speculated that some in the NLD jealously guarded their
communications with ASSK and were concerned with the impact
her sentiments would have on their standing within the party.
He blamed these dissenters for recent rumors that ASSK had
not given him approval to publicly discuss their meeting.
When asked, Nyan Win said that ASSK told him he should convey

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her sentiments to the Burmese people and gave him discretion
over how best to do so.

U GAMBIRA, NAY PHONE LATT UPDATE
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7. (C) We have confirmed that authorities have postponed a
hearing for detained monk U Gambira and his elder brother, Ko
Aung Kyaw Kyaw. Ma Khin Thu Htay, U Gambira's sister, told
us she met with her brothers in Insein prison on February 4
and said both men are healthy. Authorities did not tell her
or her brothers when their next hearing will take place. In
January, U Gambira and his brother were charged under Burma's
Unlawful Associations Act and face up to three years in
prison if convicted (reftel B).


8. (C) Opposition lawyer Aung Thein told us the regime has
charged arrested activist and web blogger Nay Phone Latt with
violating provisions of Burma's Video Act. The Video Act
prohibits the unauthorized creation, reproduction, or
distribution of videos. Aung Thein was trying to determine
what provisions of the law authorities have accused the
blogger of having violated. However, if convicted, Nay Phone
Latt could receive as much as three years in prison,
according to the lawyer. Nay Phone Latt was arrested on
January 30 and has been held at the Ministry of Home Affairs
Rangoon detention facility since then (reftel C).

COMMENT
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9. (C) Comment. The NLD's invitation sends the right
message, but is essentially a hollow gesture. The CEC knows
that few, if any, of these ethnic cease-fire groups would be
willing or able to travel to the NLD's Rangoon headquarters
for an open meeting with the Uncles. Nor would the regime
likely permit it to take place. Without something more than
a standing invitation to stop by, we doubt that any
substantive discussions will result from this statement.
Nonetheless, the NLD's declaration that disagreement is an
essential part of democracy sends an important message that
the party of Aung San Suu Kyi does not accept Than Shwe's
vision of democracy without dissent. End Comment.
VILLAROSA