BURMA: REGIME ATTEMPTS TO PLACATE ROHINGYA WITH

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 RANGOON 000239

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EAP AND IO; PACOM FOR FPA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/27/2019
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM BM
SUBJECT: BURMA: REGIME ATTEMPTS TO PLACATE ROHINGYA WITH
DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS IN ADVANCE OF ELECTIONS

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

Summary
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1. (C) On April 22, Rohingya sources in Rangoon told us that,
over the last couple of months, a small group of Rohingya
businessmen has joined the regime in initiating a number of
community-development projects in northern Rakhine State in
an attempt to placate the Rohingya community ahead of the
2010 elections. Our contacts speculate that the Rohingya
involved are working with the government in order to expand
their property and business interests. In addition, the
contacts reported that a few of the group's leaders have
"loudly" voiced interest in running in the elections to
represent Rakhine State in the new Parliament. End summary.

Development for Votes
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2. (C) On April 22, three Rohingya contacts told us that,
over the last two months, some members of the Rangoon-based
Rohingya community have established a group to implement
community-development projects in northern Rakhine State
(NRS). According to small businessmen U Myo Thant, U Sein
Win, and Kyaw Soe Ag - who are critical of the effort - the
group has raised 500 million kyat (about USD 500,000) for
various projects, including repairing mosques, improving
schools, and building water ponds. Of this sum, 300 million
kyat was privately donated by Rohingya residing in Rangoon,
primarily by wealthy businesspeople, and the rest was
provided by the government. According to our contacts, those
involved in the project have been granted unprecedented
access to NRS, where the regime has severely restricted
travel for nearly two decades.


3. (C) U Myo Thant and Kyaw Soe Ag asserted that this
community- development effort is part of a government ploy to
placate the Rohingya community in NRS in advance of the 2010
elections, as well as appease the international community
which has become increasingly critical of the conditions and
treatment of the Rohingya in NRS. U Myo Thant said the
government similarly eased its stance toward the Rohingya
before the 2008 constitutional referendum, even encouraging
many Rohingyas to vote. U Myo Thant was skeptical that the
assistance would convince anyone in NRS that the government
has permanently changed its attitude toward the Rohingya.

Ambitions Abound
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4. (C) The community-development group is led by an
executive committee of about 10 Rohingyas, mainly
well-connected businesspeople in Rangoon, according to U Myo
Thant. Our contacts said they are quietly trying to convince
the leaders of the group to disband. However, U Sein Win
surmised that the community-development group's Rohingya
leaders have become involved in the project to protect and
expand their current property and business interests and
build favor with the regime. Some also seem to have political
ambitions and may seek election as Members of Parliament for
Rakhine State. According to our sources, only a few of the
group's leaders are "dreaming" of a seat in Parliament, but
they have expressed their ambitions "loudly."

A History of Neglect
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5. (SBU) Nearly 728,000 Rohingya live in NRS, about 85
percent of that region's population. They are predominantly
Muslim. The government does not consider the Rohingya an
official ethnic minority, alleging that they are "Bengali"
interlopers from Bangladesh, and has denied them Burmese
citizenship on that basis. As a consequence, the Rohingya in
NRS face human-rights abuses, including restrictions on their
movement, right to own property, and ability to marry. As has
been well-publicized in recent months, many thousands of
Rohingya attempt to flee NRS for greener pastures, often via
risky boat journeys to Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia.

RANGOON 00000239 002 OF 002


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