Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
10RANGOON7
2010-01-08 10:55:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Rangoon
Cable title:
BURMA: DEATH SENTENCES FOR TWO OFFICIALS ACCUSED
how-toVZCZCXRO3307 OO RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHNH RUEHTRO DE RUEHGO #0007 0081055 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 081055Z JAN 10 FM AMEMBASSY RANGOON TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9721 INFO RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 2373 RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 5870 RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 9433 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 7058 RUEHCHI/AMCONSUL CHIANG MAI 2393 RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2801 RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L RANGOON 000007
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EAP/MLS, DRL, AND IO
PACOM FOR FPA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/07/2019
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM BM
SUBJECT: BURMA: DEATH SENTENCES FOR TWO OFFICIALS ACCUSED
OF LEAKING SENSITIVE INFORMATION, PHOTOS
Classified By: Political Officer Marc Shaw for Reasons 1.4 (b) & (d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L RANGOON 000007
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EAP/MLS, DRL, AND IO
PACOM FOR FPA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/07/2019
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM BM
SUBJECT: BURMA: DEATH SENTENCES FOR TWO OFFICIALS ACCUSED
OF LEAKING SENSITIVE INFORMATION, PHOTOS
Classified By: Political Officer Marc Shaw for Reasons 1.4 (b) & (d)
1. (C) An Embassy Rangoon source confirmed media reports
that the Insein District Special Court in Rangoon on January
7 sentenced Win Naing Kyaw -- a retired ARMY Major -- and
Thura Kyaw -- a low-level Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA)
employee in the European Affairs Division -- both to death
for violating the Emergency Provisions Act in conjunction
with leaking military secrets to the exile media. A third
defendant, former MOFA employee Pyan Sein (NFI),received a
15-year sentence for violating the Electronics Act. Win
Naing Kyaw was given an additional 20 years for violating
that same law.
2. (C) In June 2009, stories and photos surfaced on the
internet and in other media abroad of the Burma government's
alleged tunnel-building program (reportedly assisted by the
North Koreans) and of secret visits by senior-level generals
to North Korea. According to media reports, several MOFA and
Ministry of Defense officials have been arrested in
connection with those information leaks. Some of our sources
attribute a recent personnel reshuffle at MOFA to the leaks.
Others within MOFA say the reshuffle was essentially the
routine set of diplomatic transfers that take place in
December-January each year. The January 7 sentences are the
first concrete punishments to result from the incident.
3. (C) After military retirement, Win Naing Kyaw worked for
the Foreign Economic Relations Department of the Ministry of
National Planning and Economic Development until 2006. After
that, he worked for an NGO. It is unclear where he was
working at the time of his arrest.
Comment
--------------
4. (C) Although Burma has the death penalty, to our
knowledge the last publicly confirmed execution here took
place in 1977. (Note: There are unconfirmed reports the GOB
hanged a North Korean major in 1985 in connection with the
1983 assassination attempt on the visiting South Korean
president. End note.) Fifty four prisoners are currently
sentenced to death, residing in Insein Prison. We know very
little about the charges filed or the court proceedings
against those sentenced January 7. However, the harsh
sentences would seem intended to send a severe message to any
would-be leakers.
DINGER
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EAP/MLS, DRL, AND IO
PACOM FOR FPA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/07/2019
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM BM
SUBJECT: BURMA: DEATH SENTENCES FOR TWO OFFICIALS ACCUSED
OF LEAKING SENSITIVE INFORMATION, PHOTOS
Classified By: Political Officer Marc Shaw for Reasons 1.4 (b) & (d)
1. (C) An Embassy Rangoon source confirmed media reports
that the Insein District Special Court in Rangoon on January
7 sentenced Win Naing Kyaw -- a retired ARMY Major -- and
Thura Kyaw -- a low-level Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA)
employee in the European Affairs Division -- both to death
for violating the Emergency Provisions Act in conjunction
with leaking military secrets to the exile media. A third
defendant, former MOFA employee Pyan Sein (NFI),received a
15-year sentence for violating the Electronics Act. Win
Naing Kyaw was given an additional 20 years for violating
that same law.
2. (C) In June 2009, stories and photos surfaced on the
internet and in other media abroad of the Burma government's
alleged tunnel-building program (reportedly assisted by the
North Koreans) and of secret visits by senior-level generals
to North Korea. According to media reports, several MOFA and
Ministry of Defense officials have been arrested in
connection with those information leaks. Some of our sources
attribute a recent personnel reshuffle at MOFA to the leaks.
Others within MOFA say the reshuffle was essentially the
routine set of diplomatic transfers that take place in
December-January each year. The January 7 sentences are the
first concrete punishments to result from the incident.
3. (C) After military retirement, Win Naing Kyaw worked for
the Foreign Economic Relations Department of the Ministry of
National Planning and Economic Development until 2006. After
that, he worked for an NGO. It is unclear where he was
working at the time of his arrest.
Comment
--------------
4. (C) Although Burma has the death penalty, to our
knowledge the last publicly confirmed execution here took
place in 1977. (Note: There are unconfirmed reports the GOB
hanged a North Korean major in 1985 in connection with the
1983 assassination attempt on the visiting South Korean
president. End note.) Fifty four prisoners are currently
sentenced to death, residing in Insein Prison. We know very
little about the charges filed or the court proceedings
against those sentenced January 7. However, the harsh
sentences would seem intended to send a severe message to any
would-be leakers.
DINGER