VZCZCXRO4833
RR RUEHCHI
DE RUEHGO #0604/01 2540658
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 110658Z SEP 09
FM AMEMBASSY RANGOON
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9436
INFO RUEHBK/AMEMBASSY BANGKOK 3066
RUEHHI/AMEMBASSY HANOI 0001
RUEHPF/AMEMBASSY PHNOM PENH 0478
RUEHVN/AMEMBASSY VIENTIANE 2329
RUEHCHI/AMCONSUL CHIANG MAI 2319

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 RANGOON 000604 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL KPAO EAID BM
SUBJECT: STAFFDEL WEIL/LEE DISCUSSES ASSISTANCE AND PUBLIC DIPLOMACY 
IN BURMA 
 
RANGOON 00000604  001.2 OF 004 
 
 
(U) This document is sensitive but unclassified.  Please handle 
accordingly. 
 
SUMMARY 
------- 
 
¶1.  (SBU)  House Foreign Affairs Committee (HFAC) professional staff 
members Lynne Weil, Jessica Lee, and Dennis Halpin visited Burma 
August 27-30 to assess USG assistance programs and public diplomacy 
outreach efforts.  In separate meetings with officials from the 
Ministries of Social Welfare and Information, Weil and Lee stressed 
the importance of access to U.S.-funded project sites, the free flow 
of information in Burma, and the need for democratic reform.  In 
meetings with all three staff members, representatives from the 
National League for Democracy (NLD) and ethnic political parties 
cited ongoing government oppression and voiced their concerns about 
the elections scheduled for 2010.  Business contacts and foreign 
diplomats reported that sanctions have had unintended harm and have 
led to a "brain drain;" however, the business leaders noted that 
targeted sanctions contained in the JADE Act had caused some 
financial pain for regime cronies. 
 
¶2.  (SBU)  UN officials and NGO contacts described the challenging 
operating environment in Burma but stressed that they are able to 
deliver aid to Cyclone Nargis-affected areas effectively.  The 
Staffdel viewed U.S. Nargis assistance first hand, visiting recovery 
assistance projects in the Irrawaddy Delta and speaking with 
recipients and aid workers.  Staff from the American Center in 
Rangoon described their efforts to empower and train community 
groups nationwide.  At a public diplomacy roundtable, contacts from 
local organizations described their efforts to strengthen civil 
society inside the country and thanked the USG for its support.  End 
summary. 
 
Staffdel Members 
---------------- 
 
¶3.  (SBU)  The HFAC Staffdel was comprised of Lynne Weil 
(Communications Director, Rep. Berman, D-CA); Jessica Lee 
(Professional Staff Member, Berman); and Dennis Halpin (Professional 
Staff Member, Rep. Ros-Lehtinen, R-FL).  They visited Burma from 
August 27-30, focusing primarily on U.S. assistance and public 
diplomacy programs, as well as political and economic conditions in 
the country. 
 
Ministry of Social Welfare: Emergency Phase is Over 
----------------------------- 
 
¶4.  (SBU)  Staffdel members Weil and Lee met with Aung Tun Khaing, 
Deputy Director General of the Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief, 
and Resettlement, and other staff from the Ministry's Department of 
Social Welfare (DSW).  Aung Tun Khaing explained that his ministry 
has primary responsibility for recovery and rehabilitation in the 
Delta.  He said the ministry currently maintains memorandums of 
understanding (MOUs) for 48 NGOs with operations in the Delta and 
coordinated the delivery of more than USD 4 million in in-kind and 
cash contributions through the Tripartite Core Group (TCG).  He 
expressed a desire for a closer relationship with the United States. 
 
 
¶5.  (SBU)  Noting the importance of access to aid project sites for 
monitoring and assessment, Weil and Lee questioned GOB decisions to 
abolish streamlined TCG visa approvals related to Nargis relief and 
UN helicopter service to the Delta.  Aung Tun Khaing explained that 
both the helicopter and TCG facilitation of visas were necessary for 
the emergency phase following the cyclone, arguing that the 
situation had now returned to normal.  Lee explained that the U.S. 
Congress was considering increased assistace to the Burmese people, 
and emphasized that suh increases required assurances of continued 
acces for international NGO staff and U.S. officials i order to 
carry out monitoring, evaluation, and oversight responsibilities. 
 
Ministry of Information: Journalism Training and Censorship 
---------------------------- 
 
¶6.  (SBU)  Staffdel members Weil and Lee met with Ye Htut, Deputy 
Director General of the Department of Information and Public 
Relations in the Ministry of Information (MOI), and Tint Swe, 
Director of the Press Scrutiny and Registration Department.  In 
response to Weil's interventions on the importance of press freedom, 
Ye Htut said he hopes to see an expansion of press freedom in Burma 
in the coming years, including prior to the 2010 elections.  Weil 
noted that a free press is critical for a democracy and free and 
fair elections.  When asked, Ye Htut offered no details on the 
upcoming election law or its release date.  He described the senior 
generals as suspicious of U.S intentions, saying they will not 
 
RANGOON 00000604  002 OF 004 
 
 
"unclench their fists" unless they know they are not threatened. 
Small gestures, such as referring to the country as "Myanmar", will 
make a big difference, he said.  Lee added that accurate information 
is critical when the U.S. Congress assesses policy matters related 
to Burma, including humanitarian assistance. 
 
¶7.  (SBU)  Ye Htut thanked the Embassy for its active journalism 
training program for privately-owned publications.  However, he 
urged the USG to include reporters from state-run media and 
officials from MOI in trainings and exchange programs, saying, "If 
you want to change us you have to train us."  CDA, a.i. explained 
that the Embassy is prohibited from providing direct assistance to 
the Burmese government.  Weil added that the U.S. Congress is 
unlikely to relax such restrictions unless Burma introduces real 
political reforms.  Ye Htut also thanked the Embassy for providing 
videotapes of two English teaching VOA-TV programs to air on 
state-run television.  This will be the first time since the 1980s 
that American programs have appeared on Burmese television. 
 
NLD:  "Promote Democracy and Human Rights in Burma" 
----------------------------- 
 
¶8.  (SBU)  In an hour-long meeting with all three staff members, NLD 
Central Executive Committee members (aka the Uncles) expressed their 
hope for a democratic Burma, but noted concerns about continued GOB 
human rights violations and the plight of political prisoners.  The 
NLD leaders said they are not worried about the future of the party, 
noting a resurgence of interest in the party among youth.  NLD 
leaders discussed the plan of Aung San Suu Kyi (ASSK) to appeal her 
trial verdict, and told the Staffdel about recited examples of 
regime human rights violations.  The staff members asked the Uncles 
to inform ASSK of Congress's intent to present her with the 
Congressional Gold Medal in the fall.  When the staffers asked what 
message the NLD wanted them to take back to Washington, the NLD 
leaders said, "Use your liberty to promote democracy and human 
rights in Burma." 
 
Ethnic Groups Anxious for Change 
----------------------------- 
 
¶9.  (SBU)  In their meeting with the Staffdel, representatives of 
several ethnic minority groups, expressed concern about recent 
violence in the Kokang region.  China probably could act as an 
effective mediator in the short-term, they posited, but not in the 
long-term because of the fundamental dispute between ethnic groups 
and the government:  the SPDC won't amend the constitution to 
explicitly outline ethnic rights.  The ethnic leaders observed that 
recent SPDC violence against ethnic groups and monks have caused the 
junta to "lose face" in the international community.  They believe 
the regime will look for ways to create space to cooperate with 
various ethnic groups, but they remain doubtful the 2010 elections 
will provide that space.  They urged Staffdel members not to trust 
the outcome of the elections, commenting that the result will not 
represent a true democracy.  One of the interlocutors asked that 
Congress support those struggling inside the country and not just 
exile groups, noting that exile efforts have not resulted in any 
appreciable change in Burma. 
 
NGOs: We Can Provide Effective Aid 
---------------------------------- 
 
¶10.  (SBU)  At a dinner hosted by CDA, the Staffdel met with 
representatives of four international NGOs operating in Burma: The 
Burnet Institute, CARE, International Rescue Committee (IRC), and 
Marie Stopes International (MSI).  Participants focused on the 
operational challenges and opportunities in Burma, as well as the 
persistent humanitarian need, both in the cyclone-affected Delta and 
the rest of the country.  The NGO representatives said their 
organizations have been able to provide assistance effectively 
despite the difficult operating environment, and offered examples of 
how they ensure the integrity of their provision of services and 
commodities to avoid misappropriation by authorities.  All expressed 
some concern, however, about the possibility of tighter GOB 
restrictions on their activities in the run up to the 2010 
elections. 
 
Meeting UN Agencies 
------------------- 
 
¶11.  (SBU)  Staffdel members met with country representatives from 
the World Food Programme (WFP), the United Nations Development 
Program (UNDP), the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees 
(UNHCR), and the International Labor Organization (ILO).  The 
representatives briefed the Staffdel on their ongoing programs in 
Burma, including the increase in assistance efforts in the wake of 
Cyclone Nargis.  They highlighted the challenging operating 
 
RANGOON 00000604  003.2 OF 004 
 
 
environment they too face in Burma, with delayed visa issuances by 
the GOB leading their list of bureaucratic impediments.  Like the 
NGO reps, however, the UN officials explained how they are able to 
pursue their objectives.  The Staffdel emphasized that the U.S. 
public and their elected representatives would continue to consider 
reasonable access to assistance sites, necessary for proper 
monitoring, as a requirement for USG assistance to Burma. 
 
Business Contacts Discuss Sanctions 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶12.  (SBU)  In a meeting with Staffdel member Halpin, two leading 
Burmese economists and a businessman said that while earlier general 
sanctions adversely affected "regular" people, the more targeted 
JADE Act has caused some financial pain for regime cronies. 
However, Chinese investment and trade undermine the effectiveness of 
U.S. sanctions overall.  Sanctions push Burma into China's "camp" by 
making partnerships with China the only viable option for the 
regime, said one participant.  Two industries where U.S. sanctions 
have caused collateral damage are garments and seafood products, 
according to the economic experts.  Sanctions are circumvented by 
repackaging Burmese seafood in Bangladesh for re-export to the U.S. 
and sending garments to other Asian countries or even Mexico for 
re-export to the U.S.  The contacts also said that young and 
motivated Burmese are going abroad as refugees, migrant workers, and 
students to avoid the economic wreck wrought by the junta. 
 
Diplomats Discuss Sanctions and ASEAN 
------------------------------------- 
 
¶13.  (SBU)  Staffdel member Halpin also met with Rangoon-based 
diplomats from the UK, Singapore, and Australia to discuss sanctions 
and Burma's future in ASEAN.  Some of the participants said that 
sanction have damaged the export-oriented middle class in Burma and 
encouraged an illegal underground economy.  Participants urged 
Staffdel members to look for areas of mutual interest in which to 
cooperate with the regime (e.g., avian influenza, counter-narcotics, 
and other humanitarian issues), noting that other undemocratic 
countries in the region have progressed economically with this type 
of cooperation.  In response to Halpin's comments concerning the 
priority Congress places on Burma, the Singapore diplomat said, 
"Burma is a sideshow."  She argued that ASEAN member-countries have 
far greater interests elsewhere in the region, highlighting 
Thailand's political situation, Vietnam's economic situation, 
continued ASEAN integration, and Muslim extremist groups in 
Indonesia.  Participants commented to Staffdel that the 2010 
elections could be an event that changes the political landscape. 
 
Delta Visit 
----------- 
 
¶14.  (SBU)  The Staffdel, accompanied by CDA and other Embassy 
officers, traveled by car and boat to USG-funded project sites in 
the Irrawaddy Delta.  The delegation visited three villages in 
Kungyangon Township, located approximately 50 miles south of 
Rangoon.  Escorted by Debbie Aung Din Taylor of U.S.-funded 
International Development Enterprises (IDE), the staff members 
participated in a community meeting in a cyclone-affected village 
with a large landless population, toured family homes rehabilitated 
through small shelter grants for cane walls and thatch roofing 
materials, and observed local small-hold (1 acre) farmers using 
IDE-developed irrigation systems.  Beneficiaries universally 
expressed gratitude for U.S. assistance and asked that it continue. 
For their part, the staff members ensured the Burmese that the 
Congress and people of the United States remained concerned for 
their welfare. 
 
The American Center 
------------------- 
 
¶15.  (SBU)  The Staffdel visited the American Center (AC) in Rangoon 
and met with staff, students, teachers, and public diplomacy (PD) 
contacts.  The staffers toured the AC, which has 18,000 current 
members, observing the library, internet labs, and classrooms.  PD 
staff briefed on the range of courses taught to approximately 1,000 
students each year, and described plans to move the AC from its 
current leased location to the USG-owned former Marine Security 
Guard Quarters near the Embassy.  PD staff also briefed the staff 
members on the Jefferson Center reading room in Mandalay, which is 
housed in a former U.S. Consulate building and opened to the public 
in 2008; it has 2,000 members. 
 
¶16.  (SBU)  The Staffdel met with students from the AC's Community 
Empowerment Training (CET) program, which provides intensive courses 
on project development, communication, grant writing, and other 
important skills for community organizers.  The Staffdel also met 
 
RANGOON 00000604  004 OF 004 
 
 
two World Learning staff, who run programs at the AC on teacher 
training, "training of trainers," and online distance learning. 
Both the CET and World Learning programs have expanded their reach 
during the past year to all parts of the country with the aim of 
creating a network of local, self-sustaining trainers.  The Staffdel 
also attended a roundtable with PD contacts from local 
organizations, including the Myanmar Institute of Theology, the 
Myanmar-U.S. Friendship Exchange Association, and the Access 
Microscholarship program.  The contacts, many of them beneficiaries 
of USG exchange programs, described the difficulties of working in 
Burma and expressed thanks to the USG for providing assistance and 
support inside Burma. 
 
¶17. (U)  Lynne Weil has cleared this cable. 
 
VAJDA