MOORE'S MARAUDERS INKS COOPERATION DEAL WITH

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 SHENYANG 000187 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV MOPS TINT CH SUBJECT: MOORE'S MARAUDERS INKS COOPERATION DEAL WITH SHENYANG UNIVERSITY REF: OSD-DPMO/BEIJING/SHENYANG EMAILS JULY THROUGH OCTOBER 2009 ¶1. (SBU) Summary. Pol/EconChief attended the Oct 21 MOU signing ceremony between Shenyang University and Moore's Marauders (MM),an American NGO that recovers the remains of MIA/POWs from past wars. A culmination of two years of cooperation with the University's Mukden POW Camp Studies Research Center, the MOU delineates the next phase of their plans, including the April 2010 visit of MM's ground-penetrating radar team. The team hopes to find conclusive evidence of the remains of the only unaccounted-for member of the Mukden POW camp, Staff Sergeant William Lynch, whom they believe to be buried at the Lushun prison site, near Dalian. After the signing ceremony, ConGenOffs and MM toured the site of a POW memorial on the campus and the soon-to-be-opened Mukden Allied POW Camp Museum. MM later toured the Lushun Prison. Moore's Marauders said they will keep us regularly informed of their activities in the region and, if their work results in a positive identification, will give their results to the proper Defense Department authorities. End Summary. MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING ¶2. (SBU) Upon invitation from Moore's Marauders (MM) and encouragement of the Defense Prisoner of War/Missing Personnel Office (reftel),Pol/Econ Chief attended the October 21 signing ceremony of a Memorandum of Understanding between Shenyang University and Moore's Marauders. The MOU details parameters of future cooperation between MM and Shenyang University's Mukden POW Camp Studies Research Center Director Professor Yang Jing. According to Professor Jing, he has found the site of the mortal remains of Staff Sergeant William Lynch, a WWII POW held by the Japanese Imperial Forces at the Mukden prison camp and the only person from that camp unaccounted for. Yang bases his conjecture on his extensive research from the Japanese Institute of Defense War History Studies, information from Moore's Marauders, and two eyewitness accounts. ¶3. (SBU) While they have thus far welcomed the involvement of local officials and Foreign Affairs Office (FAO),MM and Professor Yang told Pol/Econ Chief that they have been very careful to keep their cooperation as low key as possible because they see this primarily as a U.S. non-profit/Chinese academic institution collaboration. Both sides believe that �0A;mutual support from their governments is important. Each separately told Pol/Econ Chief they do not want to unnecessarily raise the visibility of the project and reiterated how much they want their cooperative efforts to avoid trouble between the U.S. and Chinese governments. MM and Professor Yang have previously told Congenoffs that, should they confirm the remains, they hope their findings might be turned over to the U.S. and Chinese military for further investigation and cooperation. During their speeches at the singing ceremony, MM and University representatives complemented local officials for the level of cooperation they have thus far enjoyed and pointedly encouraged their continued assistance in the months to come. TOUR OF A SENSITIVE AREA ¶4. (SBU) After the signing, Shenyang University staff gave MM representatives Ryan Bach and Mark Voner a tour of the campus, including the on-campus site of a memorial evergreen tree (representing hope) and plaque dedicated to the Mukden POW Camp survivors and families. Professor Yang then led a tour of the Shenyang Mukden Allied Camp Museum. The main building of the new museum, a large, square-shaped brushed-metal structure with silver and black metal accents, has already been built. It will house artifacts found by researchers and those donated by survivors and their family members. Two original renovated barracks, along with the water tower and a heating facility, also remain on the site. However, the rest of the site is still under construction. According to Professor Yang, completion of the museum is over a year behind schedule, with the official opening previously slated for September 18, 2009. Yang explained that the delay was due to the difficulty faced by Shenyang City government, the primary sponsor of the construction, in relocating the 100-plus people who previously lived on the original museum site. The subsequent demolition of their homes (most of which were original prison buildings) also took some time. In fact, a brief chat with a few workers on site revealed that the demolition has recently concluded and the digging for newer SHENYANG 00000187 002 OF 002 construction had begun only weeks before. ¶5. (SBU) After the tour, MM representative from Boston, Mark Voner, gave a brief speech and presented a gift from the citizens of Boston to the citizens of Shenyang as a symbol of hope and unity for their shared struggle protecting the prosperity that both enjoyed. In return, he took with him an original piece of the walls of the POW camp. During Voner's presentation, three elderly neighbors to the site were heard loudly complaining amongst themselves about the treatment of the families forced to move. Professor Yang, the FAOs, and the superintendent of the museum site all smiled uncomfortably as they awaited the finish of Voner's gift presentation. NEXT STEPS ¶6. (SBU) The MM team told Pol/Econ Chief that their Oct 22 tour of Lushun prison near Dalian to survey the potential burial site of SSGT Lynch had gone well and they would like to keep the Consulate up to date on the progress of the project. According to MM and Professor Yang, the next step in their cooperation plan is the visit of MM's ground-penetrating radar team, slated for late-April 2010, to confirm the remains of SSGT Lynch. The team of Americans will consist of a machine operator, a forensic anthropologist, and a crime scene expert. (NOTE: Pol/Econ Chief previously visited the Lushun Prison Museum site where SSGT Lynch is believed to have been held. The museum has a photo of Lynch and counts him among the foreigners executed by the Japanese at this site.) ¶7. (SBU) Comment. Post doubts Chinese customs will allow ground penetrating radar equipment into the country and it is our conjecture that the reason for the MOU is to garner support from the Liaoning FAO to ease the entry of said equipment. If allowed entry into China, post and DOD officials have previously expressed doubt that ground- penetrating radar equipment would be sufficient to distinguish Lynch's remains from others found at the site (reftel). In the event of a formal request from Moore's for assistance with visas, equipment entry, etc., the Consulate seeks advice on the proper course of action. End Comment. WICKMAN