BURMA: ABBOT SENTENCED TO SEVEN YEARS

C O N F I D E N T I A L RANGOON 000097 SIPDIS DEPT FOR EAP/MLS, DRL, AND IO PACOM FOR FPA E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/19/2020 TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM BM SUBJECT: BURMA: ABBOT SENTENCED TO SEVEN YEARS Classified By: Political Officer Marc Shaw for Reasons 1.4 (b) & (d) ¶1. (C) Human Rights Defenders and Promoters (HRDP) member Maung Maung Lay verified an exile media report that an Insein Prison court on February 17 sentenced Gaw Thita, an abbot from Rangoon's Nga Htat Gyi monastery, to seven years in prison. Authorities charged him with violating the Immigration Act (making it illegal to re-enter the country without an official immigrant permit),the Foreign Exchange Regulation Act (which prohibits Burmese citizens from holding foreign currency),and the Unlawful Associations Act (making it a crime to associate with, or receive money from, an unregistered group). ¶2. (C) Authorities arrested Gaw Thita at Rangoon's international airport on August 28, 2009, along with seven other abbots. Gaw Thita was the only abbot prosecuted, even though one of the charges, violating the Foreign Exchange Act, could have applied to the other abbots, all of whom were reportedly carrying foreign currency. According to the media report, which quoted a witness, the abbots did not have sufficient time to change their money before authorities arrested them. Maung Maung Lay added that Gaw Thita was probably the only abbot charged because he was politically active, and authorities are threatened by his connection to high-profile 88 Generation Students activists, including Min Ko Naing. We note Gaw Thita was arrested while the GOB was on high alert shortly before the two-year anniversary of the 2007 monk-led uprising. DINGER