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RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 RANGOON 001082 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EAP/MLS, DRL, AND IO 
PACOM FOR FPA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/31/2017 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM BM
SUBJECT: BURMA: MANDALAY MONKS REPORTEDLY PREPARING TO 
PROTEST 
 
REF: A. RANGOON 1060 
 
     ¶B. RANGOON 1074 
 
RANGOON 00001082  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
Classified By: P/E Chief Leslie Hayden for Reasons 1.4 (b) & (d) 
 
¶1.  (C) Summary:  According to an 88 Generation Students 
leader, monks in Mandalay are preparing to renew their 
peaceful protests.  Although we have heard no reports of any 
new demonstrations today, the Australian Ambassador told the 
Charge 80 monks were dispersed by police yesterday when they 
attempted to gather at Shwe Dagon Pagoda in Rangoon.  A 
recently released MP-elect told us he met with 88 Generation 
leader Htay Kywe for 30 minutes in Insein prison.  He said 
Htay Kywe is in good health and good spirits, encouraged by 
the recent meeting between Aung San Suu Kyi and Aung Kyi.  30 
members of the NLD Mandalay branch have been released.  End 
summary. 
 
¶2.  (C) New 88 Generation leader Toe Kyaw Hlaing told us 
today he had been in contact with monks in Mandalay who said 
they were preparing to renew their peaceful marches. 
Inspired by the yesterday's march of monks in Pakokku, they 
want to begin marching again also.  Toe Kyaw Hlaing said that 
88 Generation is not quite ready to announce their boycott of 
regime-connected businesses (ref A).  Gathering the necessary 
information has taken longer than expected, he elaborated, 
but emphasized the group is determined to go ahead. 
 
¶3.  (C) We have been unable to confirm a rumor that there was 
another protest in Pakokku today, although the Australian 
Ambassador informed the Charge d'Affaires that approximately 
80 monks attempted to gather at Shwe Dagon Pagoda yesterday 
but were dispersed by police. Last night at 10:00 p.m. the 
regime once again ordered the shutdown of Burma's internet 
(septel). 
 
¶4.  (SBU) The regime continues to coerce people into 
participating in anti-American demonstrations.  A contact of 
ours, who was forced to participate in such a rally in 
Rangoon yesterday morning, told us the participants made fun 
of the officer who was leading the rally because his 
megaphone didn't work.  Many participants refused to shout 
out the pro-government slogans and instead mockingly warned 
observers not to take their pictures, applaud, or give them 
water, an allusion to those arrested for doing so during the 
September protests.  Our contact said the march began to get 
out of control when marchers were directed to shout slogans 
calling BBC a liar and instead shouted out "BBC every day!" 
or "BBC-good to listen!" and "BBC - We will buy you beer!" 
 
¶5.  (C) Recently released MPs-elect Pu Chin Sian Thang and 
Htaung Kho Htan told us that during their recent detention 
they were isolated in 10x13 cells.  Although they were not 
physically tortured, Htaung Kho Htan said that when he became 
seriously ill and requested a doctor, he was not allowed to 
see one for three days.  Pu Chin Sian Thaung related he was 
interrogated one to four times a day, often during meal times 
or in the middle of the night.  Htaung Kho Htan told us he 
was busy preparing for a meeting with Gambari this weekend, 
as he had been notified Gambari would be meeting with ethnic 
leaders.  He was unwilling to tell us from whom he heard this. 
 
¶6.  (C) Pu Chin Sian Thang told us he had a secret meeting 
with Htay Kywe inside the prison for 30 minutes, arranged by 
a sympathetic prison guard.  He reported that Htay Kywe is in 
good health and in good spirits, encouraged by news of the 
meeting between Aung San Suu Kyi and Aung Kyi. Htay Kywe said 
he had not been physically tortured and was being treated 
well.  Pu Chin Sian Thang told us he believes some members of 
Special Branch Police are becoming more sympathetic to their 
movement.  He told us that he was only interrogated by 
Special Branch officers and not MI.  They addressed him 
respectfully as "Chairman" (Pu Chin Sian Thang is chairman of 
the Zomi National Congress) and did not question him as 
vigorously as they should have, he stated.  The questioning 
focused on whether or not MPs-elect were planning to 
establish a parallel government. 
 
RANGOON 00001082  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
 
¶7.  (C) Pu Chin Sian Thang relayed that prison personnel had 
told him that around 1,500 activists and monks remain 
detained in Insein prison since the September arrests. 
Separately, the NLD confirmed to us today that 30 of their 
Mandalay members were released from Obo prison on October 30. 
 8 NLD members, including Mandalay NLD leader Daw Win Mya 
Mya, remain in jail. 
 
¶8.  (C) Comment:  Yesterday's protest in Pakokku seems to 
have renewed some hope that the monks will continue their 
marches.  There is palpable excitement among the activists 
and even the ordinary Burmese citizens we met today.  The 
regime's staged demonstrations fool nobody, and the coerced 
participants become more irreverent every day.  We certainly 
hope that Gambari meets with ethnic leaders and a broader 
cross-section of pro-democracy activists.  We also recommend 
Gambari make every effort to meet with Min Ko Naing and Ko Ko 
Gyi, who are still in prison, since they represent an 
important shift of influence within the pro-democracy 
movement over the past year to a younger generation.  A 
meeting with Gambari would signal to the regime that the 
world is concerned and watching closely how they are being 
treated. 
VILLAROSA