This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available. C O N F I D E N T I A L RANGOON 001504 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/BCLTV, DRL 
COMMERCE FOR ITA JEAN KELLY 
USPACOM FOR FPA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/23/2014 
TAGS:            
SUBJECT: BURMA PRISONER RELEASES: BEFORE YOU GET TOO 
EXCITED... 
 
REF: A. RANGOON 1499 AND PREVIOUS 
      B. RANGOON 1488 
 
Classified By: COM Carmen Martinez for Reasons 1.4 (B,D) 
 
 1. (SBU) The GOB's announcement on November 18th that nearly 
4,000 prisoners -- mostly common criminals as it turns out -- 
would be released (ref A) is not symbolic of an improving 
attitude toward the democratic opposition.  There have been 
no releases since November 19th, and of those released (only 
1,000 thus far of the 4,000 promised) fewer than 30 were 
political prisoners.  In addition, NLD offices outside 
Rangoon remain shuttered and there has been no mention by 
authorities that they plan to release detained NLD leaders 
Aung San Suu Kyi and U Tin Oo nor one of the NLD's founders U 
Win Tin (who was rumored, incorrectly, to have been freed on 
the 19th). 
 
 3. (SBU) Moving beyond maintaining the status quo for the 
NLD, however, the GOB continues to harass NLD members around 
the country arresting and prosecuting them on trumped up 
charges.  As mentioned in ref B, on November 5-6 police in 
Irrawaddy Division (south of Rangoon) arrested three local 
NLD members for violations of the Press and Publication Act, 
which prohibits publication and distribution of any material 
without prior approval by the GOB's censor board.  The NLD 
members, U Han Sein, U Than Htut, and U Win Maung, were 
traveling back to their hometowns carrying a regular shipment 
of NLD official proclamations for distribution among local 
party members.  The NLD's national and divisional leadership 
and lawyers have complained that the law allows distribution 
of official documentation from legal political parties.  Thus 
far this argument has carried no water, and on November 19th 
the Township court arbitrarily delayed a hearing for the 
three until the 29th stating that this case must be heard 
before the Divisional court.  According to NLD lawyers this 
is a very irregular decision. 
 
 4. (C) Comment: There are rumors that the initial release of 
nearly 30 political prisoners is a precursor to a general 
amnesty, though we've not seen any evidence that this is so. 
However, even as some number of political prisoners are 
released, the GOB continues its revolving door policy of 
matching publicly trumpeted releases with quiet new arrests. 
End comment. 
MARTINEZ