Cable Weaving

Stories woven out of cables

#RohingyaSOS 101

Contributions are welcome. For tweet-sized facts (and links to resources) about the ongoing Rohingya massacre (March 2013), see https://pastebin.com/ahSQNTpE.

Hover over a circle for cable information, or click for interactive graph

06RANGOON1017 (2006-07-21, UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY): BURMA'S BUDGET, FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH06RANGOON1216 (2006-08-23, CONFIDENTIAL): LOOKING FOR RICE IN BURMA06RANGOON1713 (2006-11-20, UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY): GOB TRIES TO SQUEEZE TAXPAYERS06RANGOON1722 (2006-11-27, UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY): A TALE OF TWO SITTWES: BURMA'S ETHNIC TENSIONS06RANGOON235 (2006-02-17, CONFIDENTIAL): BURMA'S VAST INTERNMENT CAMP: NORTHERN RAKHINE STATE06RANGOON312 (2006-03-08, UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY): NATURE, GOVERNMENT CONSPIRE AGAINST RICE FARMERS06RANGOON394 (2006-03-23, UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY): RISING PRICES HIT BURMA'S POOR...AGAIN06RANGOON456 (2006-04-04, CONFIDENTIAL): WAGE INCREASE DOES NOT APPEASE CIVIL SERVANTS06RANGOON668 (2006-05-19, UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY): SOCIAL PROJECTS BENEFIT PIPELINE VILLAGES06RANGOON707 (2006-05-30, CONFIDENTIAL): GOING IT ALONE IN SOUTHERN BURMA06RANGOON762 (2006-06-09, UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY): BURMA'S ROAD TO PROSPERITY LEADS TO CHINA06RANGOON777 (2006-06-13, CONFIDENTIAL): AT THE BURMA/INDIA BORDER: CHINESE GOODS AND TIGHT SECURITY06RANGOON778 (2006-06-13, UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY): BURMA BUSINESS REPS PESSIMISTIC ABOUT FUTURE07RANGOON181 (2007-02-22, CONFIDENTIAL): BURMA'S LEAST WANTED: THE ROHINGYAS07RANGOON235 (2007-03-06)1234

Legend

Summary

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Background (cables from 2006-2007) related to current (March 2013) Rohingya ethnic cleansing in Myanmar. Also: the local gas/oil industry (for some - a reason to look the other way).

Story line

1) 06RANGOON235 2006-02-17 CONFIDENTIAL

BURMA'S VAST INTERNMENT CAMP: NORTHERN RAKHINE STATE

In a country where everyone is oppressed by the military, some are treated worse than others. In general, the ethnic minorities are treated worse than the ethnic Burman majority, and non-Buddhists face more restrictions on their religious practices. Charge visited Northern Rakhine State January 25-27 with a group of other diplomats organized by UNHCR to learn why the international community in Burma agrees that the Muslims living in Northern Rakhine State are treated worst of all.

2) 06RANGOON668 2006-05-19 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY

SOCIAL PROJECTS BENEFIT PIPELINE VILLAGES

A contemporary (2013) Jakarta Globe article says the west is interested in oil and gas opportunities in Myanmar. This cable (from 2006) describes some of the players involved and the economic potential:
The visit was at the invitation of UNOCAL representative David Peters (Note: Although merged with Chevron Texaco, UNOCAL retains its original name in Burma to avoid the trouble of a complicated and costly re-registration process. End note). The joint investors in the Yadana natural gas field, located 225 miles offshore, are TOTAL (31.24%), UNOCAL (28.26%), PTTEP (25.5%) and MOGE (15%). ... The pipeline currently delivers approx. 620 million cubic feet daily (MCFD) of natural gas to the Thai border, and 35-50 MCFD to a domestic cement plant and a small gas turbine generation plant in neighboring Mon State. PTTEP has a 30-year "take or pay" contract, valid until 2028.

3) 06RANGOON1722 2006-11-27 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY

A TALE OF TWO SITTWES: BURMA'S ETHNIC TENSIONS

Non-Buddhist ethnic minorities in Burma's Rakhine State face the worst of times, with a flat economy, no citizenship rights, and no freedom to seek better opportunities elsewhere. ... Despite the state's potentially lucrative offshore oil and natural gas fields, today only major population centers receive any state-supplied electricity, and even those only get a few hours each night before an 8 pm curfew. ... Muslims living in the capital city of Sittwe and other parts of the state said that they, too, are held captive by rigid GOB restrictions on their travel and activities.

4) 07RANGOON181 2007-02-22 CONFIDENTIAL

BURMA'S LEAST WANTED: THE ROHINGYAS

Burma's military regime refuses to recognize the Rohingyas as one of Burma's official ethnic groups, denies them citizenship, and systematically extorts and persecutes them. ... Virtually captive in a small portion of their native land, many Rohingyas suffer from malnutrition and communicable diseases, and food security remains a major issue in a region that suffers frequent flooding, drought, and brushfires.