Cablegate: Moore's Marauders Inks Cooperation Deal With

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RR RUEHCN RUEHGH RUEHVC
DE RUEHSH #0187/01 2990324
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 260324Z OCT 09
FM AMCONSUL SHENYANG
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8874
INFO RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC 0184
RUCGEVC/JOINT STAFF WASHDC 0125
RHMFIUU/SECNAV WASHINGTON DC
RHHJJAA/JICPAC PEARL HARBOR HI 0077

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 SHENYANG 000187

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV MOPS TINT CH
SUBJECT: MOORE'S MARAUDERS INKS COOPERATION DEAL WITH
SHENYANG UNIVERSITY

REF: OSD-DPMO/BEIJING/SHENYANG EMAILS JULY THROUGH
OCTOBER 2009

1. (SBU) Summary. Pol/EconChief attended the Oct 21 MOU
signing ceremony between Shenyang University and Moore's
Marauders (MM), an American NGO that recovers the remains of
MIA/POWs from past wars. A culmination of two years of
cooperation with the University's Mukden POW Camp Studies
Research Center, the MOU delineates the next phase of their
plans, including the April 2010 visit of MM's
ground-penetrating radar team. The team hopes to find
conclusive evidence of the remains of the only
unaccounted-for member of the Mukden POW camp, Staff Sergeant
William Lynch, whom they believe to be buried at the Lushun
prison site, near Dalian. After the signing ceremony,
ConGenOffs and MM toured the site of a POW memorial on the
campus and the soon-to-be-opened Mukden Allied POW Camp
Museum. MM later toured the Lushun Prison. Moore's Marauders
said they will keep us regularly informed of their activities
in the region and, if their work results in a positive
identification, will give their results to the proper Defense
Department authorities. End Summary.

MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING

2. (SBU) Upon invitation from Moore's Marauders (MM) and
encouragement of the Defense Prisoner of War/Missing
Personnel Office (reftel), Pol/Econ Chief attended the
October 21 signing ceremony of a Memorandum of Understanding
between Shenyang University and Moore's Marauders. The MOU
details parameters of future cooperation between MM and
Shenyang University's Mukden POW Camp Studies Research Center
Director Professor Yang Jing. According to Professor Jing, he
has found the site of the mortal remains of Staff Sergeant
William Lynch, a WWII POW held by the Japanese Imperial
Forces at the Mukden prison camp and the only person from
that camp unaccounted for. Yang bases his conjecture on his
extensive research from the Japanese Institute of Defense War
History Studies, information from Moore's Marauders, and two
eyewitness accounts.

3. (SBU) While they have thus far welcomed the involvement of
local officials and Foreign Affairs Office (FAO), MM and
Professor Yang told Pol/Econ Chief that they have been very
careful to keep their cooperation as low key as possible
because they see this primarily as a U.S. non-profit/Chinese
academic institution collaboration. Both sides believe that
mutual support from their governments is important. Each
separately told Pol/Econ Chief they do not want to
unnecessarily raise the visibility of the project and
reiterated how much they want their cooperative efforts to
avoid trouble between the U.S. and Chinese governments. MM
and Professor Yang have previously told Congenoffs that,
should they confirm the remains, they hope their findings
might be turned over to the U.S. and Chinese military for
further investigation and cooperation. During their speeches
at the singing ceremony, MM and University representatives
complemented local officials for the level of cooperation
they have thus far enjoyed and pointedly encouraged their
continued assistance in the months to come.

TOUR OF A SENSITIVE AREA

4. (SBU) After the signing, Shenyang University staff gave MM
representatives Ryan Bach and Mark Voner a tour of the
campus, including the on-campus site of a memorial evergreen
tree (representing hope) and plaque dedicated to the Mukden
POW Camp survivors and families. Professor Yang then led a
tour of the Shenyang Mukden Allied Camp Museum. The main
building of the new museum, a large, square-shaped
brushed-metal structure with silver and black metal accents,
has already been built. It will house artifacts found by
researchers and those donated by survivors and their family
members. Two original renovated barracks, along with the
water tower and a heating facility, also remain on the site.
However, the rest of the site is still under construction.
According to Professor Yang, completion of the museum is over
a year behind schedule, with the official opening previously
slated for September 18, 2009. Yang explained that the delay
was due to the difficulty faced by Shenyang City government,
the primary sponsor of the construction, in relocating the
100-plus people who previously lived on the original museum
site. The subsequent demolition of their homes (most of which
were original prison buildings) also took some time. In fact,
a brief chat with a few workers on site revealed that the
demolition has recently concluded and the digging for newer

SHENYANG 00000187 002 OF 002

construction had begun only weeks before.

5. (SBU) After the tour, MM representative from Boston, Mark
Voner, gave a brief speech and presented a gift from the
citizens of Boston to the citizens of Shenyang as a symbol of
hope and unity for their shared struggle protecting the
prosperity that both enjoyed. In return, he took with him an
original piece of the walls of the POW camp. During Voner's
presentation, three elderly neighbors to the site were heard
loudly complaining amongst themselves about the treatment of
the families forced to move. Professor Yang, the FAOs, and
the superintendent of the museum site all smiled
uncomfortably as they awaited the finish of Voner's gift
presentation.

NEXT STEPS

6. (SBU) The MM team told Pol/Econ Chief that their Oct 22
tour of Lushun prison near Dalian to survey the potential
burial site of SSGT Lynch had gone well and they would like
to keep the Consulate up to date on the progress of the
project. According to MM and Professor Yang, the next step
in their cooperation plan is the visit of MM's
ground-penetrating radar team, slated for late-April 2010, to
confirm the remains of SSGT Lynch. The team of Americans will
consist of a machine operator, a forensic anthropologist, and
a crime scene expert. (NOTE: Pol/Econ Chief previously
visited the Lushun Prison Museum site where SSGT Lynch is
believed to have been held. The museum has a photo of Lynch
and counts him among the foreigners executed by the Japanese
at this site.)

7. (SBU) Comment. Post doubts Chinese customs will allow
ground penetrating radar equipment into the country and it is
our conjecture that the reason for the MOU is to garner
support from the Liaoning FAO to ease the entry of said
equipment. If allowed entry into China, post and DOD
officials have previously expressed doubt that ground-
penetrating radar equipment would be sufficient to
distinguish Lynch's remains from others found at the site
(reftel). In the event of a formal request from Moore's for
assistance with visas, equipment entry, etc., the Consulate
seeks advice on the proper course of action. End Comment.

WICKMAN

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