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OO RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHNH
DE RUEHGO #1079/01 3050905
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 010905Z NOV 07
FM AMEMBASSY RANGOON
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6769
INFO RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 0651
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 1575
RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA 4654
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RUEHCHI/AMCONSUL CHIANG MAI 1174
RUEHCI/AMCONSUL KOLKATA 0108
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 3363
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 1085
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 RANGOON 001079 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/MLS; EEB/CIP/BA; 
EAP/EX - RBLANKENSHIP 
PACOM FOR FPA; 
TREASURY FOR OASIA:SCHUN 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/01/2017 
TAGS: ECON ECPS PGOV BM
SUBJECT: BURMESE GOVERNMENT ONCE AGAIN CUTS OFF INTERNET 
ACCESS 
 
REF: A. RANGOON 1074 
     ¶B. RANGOON 1015 
     ¶C. RANGOON 1012 
     ¶D. RANGOON 970 
     ¶E. CARL-YODER/COPE EMAILS 10/5-10/15 
 
RANGOON 00001079  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
Classified By: Economic Officer Samantha A. Carl-Yoder for Reasons 1.4 
(b and d) 
 
¶1.  (C) Summary.  Following the renewed march by 200 monks in 
Pakokku on October 31, Burma once again finds itself with no 
internet access.  On November 1, the Ministry of Post and 
Telecommunications (MTC) and Myanmar Teleport, Burma's two 
internet service providers (ISPs), officially announced that 
any internet difficulties were due to problems with 
underwater cable connections.  However, IT insiders confirmed 
the ISPs were following GOB orders to cut service.  Internet 
cafes in Rangoon have closed, although several businesses are 
able to access the internet via Thai satellite.  MTC and 
Myanmar Teleport officials could not tell us when service 
would be restored.  End Summary. 
 
Blocking Access to the Outside World 
------------------------------------ 
 
¶2. (C)  On the afternoon of October 31, 200 monks in Pakokku 
peacefully marched against the government (Ref A).  By 10:00 
p.m., all internet connectivity in Burma was shut off, 
according to our business and IT contacts.  Officials from 
Myanmar Teleport and the Ministry of Post and 
Telecommunications (MTC) rejected this claim, and informed us 
that internet access was lost around 9:00 a.m. on November 1 
due to continuing problems with their underwater cables. 
Officials cited the same reason for the internet disruptions 
in September, following the bloody government crackdown on 
peaceful anti-government protestors (Ref D).  Although they 
claimed that they were working to resolve the problem, 
neither MTC nor Myanmar Teleport authorities could say when 
internet access would be restored. 
 
¶3.  (C)  One Embassy contact who works for Myanmar Teleport 
denied any problems with the underwater cable, and confirmed 
that the GOB again ordered the ISPs to cut service.  MTC 
immediately followed the order, he stated, but Myanmar 
Teleport has been slower to cut service.  Zaw Naing 
(PROTECT), GM of Credent Technologies, informed us that he 
still has sporadic internet access with Myanmar Teleport, but 
any connectivity is slow, taking more than half an hour to 
download a page.  Noting the timing of the internet problems 
relative to yesterday's events, Zaw Naing commented that "if 
the monks continue to march and the government cracks down 
again, no one will be able to send out footage via the 
internet.  By doing this, the government has effectively 
blocked the truth." 
 
Internet Cafes Closed 
--------------------- 
 
¶4.  (C) Internet cafes, many of which remain open until late, 
closed last night at 10:00 p.m., after the internet went down 
with no warning.  Several cafes opened on November 1 in the 
hope that internet connectivity was restored.  By 10:30 a.m., 
all cyber cafes in Rangoon were closed for business.  Cafe 
owners lamented how government officials once again halted 
internet services to protect themselves with no consideration 
for Burmese businesses (Ref B). 
 
¶5.  (C)  Despite the government's attempt to curtail local 
internet services, several businessmen confirmed the 
 
RANGOON 00001079  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
availability of their IPSTAR broadband connections, a 
satellite service based in Thailand.  The GOB has yet to shut 
down this service, they explained, possibly because several 
of the favored cronies use it to access the internet.  They 
were unaware of any GOB efforts to pressure the Thais to cut 
off service, although they acknowledged the possibility. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶6.  (C) The government's quick reaction to block the internet 
the same day the monks resumed protests demonstrates the 
lengths officials will go to hide the truth from the 
international community.  We expect the internet to remain 
down as long as anti-regime protests continue.  In the 
meantime, we continue to receive video footage from Burmese 
and journalists to ensure that it makes its way to the 
outside world.  We would appreciate an update of Washington's 
thinking about how we might provide more access (Ref E). 
 
VILLAROSA