BURMA: DOCTOR: AUNG SAN SUU KYI IN GOOD HEALTH

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 RANGOON 000208

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EAP AND IO; PACOM FOR FPA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/07/2019
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM BM
SUBJECT: BURMA: DOCTOR: AUNG SAN SUU KYI IN GOOD HEALTH

REF: A. 2008 RANGOON 648

B. RANGOON 93

Classified By: P/E Chief Jennifer Harhigh for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)

Summary
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1. (C) Acting DCM met April 3 with Dr. Tin Myo Win (aka
Douglas),who confirmed that he visited Aung San Suu Kyi
(ASSK) for her scheduled monthly medical appointment April 2.
He proclaimed the National League for Democracy (NLD) leader
to be in good health, and said she is anxious to talk and
cooperate with Burmese authorities although she has yet to
receive a response from the GOB. Douglas noted that ASSK is
receiving family mail and that her estranged brother, Aung
San Oo, is currently in Rangoon. Douglas is scheduled to
visit ASSK next on May 7. End summary.

ASSK in good health
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2. (C) Douglas told us April 3 that he spent four hours
with ASSK at her residence April 2 and found her to be in
good health "physically, emotionally and spiritually." He
added that she is very much aware of current events,
including Secretary Clinton's remarks on U.S. policy in
Jakarta, although Douglas declined to elaborate any further
on this topic.

"Ready to talk"
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3. (C) Douglas told us ASSK has asked him to convey to the
authorities that she is "flexible, ready to talk, and ready
to cooperate," a message he has passed along. According to
Douglas, the GOB has yet to respond. Regarding the NLD,
Douglas said ASSK told him she wants the NLD's Central
Executive Committee (CEC) to maintain close ties with the
Committee Representing the Peoples' Parliament (CRPP) and
with the NLD's district-level offices. (Note: The only
legally registered NLD office is its headquarters in Rangoon;
district operations are often run from members' homes or
other locations. End note.)

Back channel to the Uncles?
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4. (C) When asked if ASSK had any type of "back channel" or
means to exchange messages with the other members of the CEC
(aka "the Uncles"),Douglas replied that she did not.
Douglas said that other than himself, a food deliverer and
the two assistants that live on the compound with ASSK, the
only others permitted entry are four men hired by Douglas to
do routine yard work and maintenance on the residence. These
four, intentionally selected because they are not NLD
members, are permitted to perform their duties every Monday.

Estranged brother in town
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5. (C) ASSK is receiving mail, through Douglas, from her
sons. He also told us her brother, Aung San Oo, is currently
in Rangoon. We believe the brother's usual residence to be
in the United States. As we reported in August (ref A),ASSK
is estranged from her brother, who has filed a legal case to
evict ASSK from her house on the premise that he is entitled
to half of their mother's estate. Douglas pressed us on
whether Aung San Oo is a U.S. citizen; we declined to answer.
One embassy contact told us Aung San Oo visits Burma from
time to time, occasionally standing in for the family at
official government functions.

Comment
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6. (C) Over the past six months, Douglas has shown some
reluctance to meet with us after visiting his patient. When

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we last met with him in February he told us regime scrutiny
on him had lessened (ref B) and on this occasion he again
readily agreed to meet. However, when we pressed him for
details of what he discussed with ASSK during their four-hour
session, he was not forthcoming. It is possible he declined
to provide more information to us in order to keep on the
good side of the authorities to ensure future access to ASSK.
His next scheduled appointment with her is May 7.
DINGER