BURMESE GOVERNMENT DEPORTS AMERICAN CENTER TEACHER

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 RANGOON 000783 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/30/2019 TAGS: ASEC BM CASC CVIS KPAO PGOV PINR PREL SUBJECT: BURMESE GOVERNMENT DEPORTS AMERICAN CENTER TEACHER RANGOON 00000783 001.2 OF 002 Classified By: APAO Drake Weisert for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). Summary -------------- ¶1. (SBU) Burmese authorities deported an American Center (AC) teacher November 28 without providing her any explanation. Police Special Branch told us informally afterwards that the teacher visited the home of a political opposition figure during a vacation to Pyin Oo Lwin, but she denies any such meeting. This is the fifth time in 2009 that GOB authorities have deported Embassy-funded Amcit grantees, but she is the first full-time AC teacher expelled from the country. Post is protesting her deportation with ministry officials and the police. End summary. Forced to Leave the Country -------------- ¶2. (SBU) On the morning of November 28, immigration officials met AC teacher Christina Peterson and her brother James Peterson, both Amcits, at the Rangoon bus terminus after an overnight trip from Pyin Oo Lwin (formerly Maymyo, located east of Mandalay). Peterson had just completed a three-day workshop on environmental issues at the Jefferson Center in Mandalay and a subsequent vacation in Pyin Oo Lwin. GOB officials told her that she had to leave the country immediately and provided no explanation. The officials accompanied Peterson and her brother from the bus station to the airport and put her on a flight to Bangkok with a GOB-paid ticket. Her brother, who was not deported and witnessed the incident, subsequently contacted Embassy staff. Post was not notified in advance of the deportation and thus was not able to provide consular assistance to Ms. Peterson. Accused of Meeting an Opposition Activist -------------- ¶3. (C) In response to an inquiry from the RSO, Special Branch Police Colonel Win Naing Tun said that Peterson had visited the house of the family of Ludu Daw Ah Mar in Pyin Oo Lwin. Ludu Daw Ah Mar, who passed away a few years ago, was a Mandalay-based writer who often criticized the Burmese government. Peterson and her brother deny visiting the home or holding any meetings in Pyin Oo Lwin, insisting they only visited tourist sites. Embassy Follow Up -------------- ¶4. (C) Charge, a.i. spoke November 30 with MOFA Consular and Political Department officials and with an Information Ministry Director General to protest the deportation of an American citizen on no apparent grounds and to express broader concerns about the perceived systematic harassment of American visitors affiliated with the American Center. The officials -- to whom we have protested past deportations -- professed no knowledge of the recent incident and pledged to look into the matter. CDA has also requested a meeting with Special Branch Colonel Win Naing Tun, but as of COB November 30 the Colonel had not received higher-level approval to meet. Fifth Expulsion in 2009 -------------- ¶5. (C) This is the fifth occasion this year that a U.S.-funded visitor to Burma has been deported or denied entry to the country, though the first time in recent memory that a full-time AC staff member has been expelled. The previous cases are as follows: -- In January 2009, American artist Pamela Blotner was turned around at the Rangoon airport on arrival. The Embassy was bringing Blotner, a repeat grantee, to Rangoon to conduct painting workshops at the AC. -- In May 2009, American trainers Karen Coates and Jerry Redfern were deported after conducting grant-funded journalism workshops at the Jefferson Center in Mandalay. They had already conducted similar workshops in Rangoon. RANGOON 00000783 002.2 OF 002 -- In June 2009, Amcit teacher Andrew Dicks was deported while teaching English at a monastery in Lashio on an Embassy grant. He had also taught English occasionally in Mandalay for the Embassy. -- In September 2009, Dr. Charlintorn Neovakul, who works for the Institute of International Education, was deported after giving presentations in Rangoon, Mandalay, and Lashio on U.S. scholarships. Dr. Neovakul, who is a dual Thai-U.S. citizen, was using her Thai passport at the time. Comment -------------- ¶6. (C) This deportation is particularly troubling, as Peterson is a full-time teacher (hired as an LES) at the American Center. She has been with the AC for almost two years, and has had no prior trouble with the authorities. She had a valid visa at the time of her expulsion, which she -- like other local-hire AC teachers -- obtained on her own since the Embassy has not been able to obtain official visas for them; MOFA officials have told us flatly they will not issue official visas for AC local-hires. ¶7. (C) There appears to be no good reason for Peterson's expulsion, though recent experience indicates that officials in upper Burma (particularly Mandalay Division) have a much lower tolerance for Embassy-affiliated visitors than their Rangoon counterparts. It also appears law enforcement authorities act quickly in deporting Embassy grantees, with no apparent coordination with MOFA or any other ministry. Ms. Peterson has told us she is not interested in returning to Burma, so we will focus our efforts with the GOB on clarifying the reason for its actions over the weekend and doing what we can to avoid any repeats in the future. In light of the GOB's demonstrated sensitivity to AC-related activities, there is no guarantee we will be successful. VAJDA