Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
04ABUDHABI3252
2004-09-19 13:21:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Abu Dhabi
Cable title:  

SPECIAL MEDIA REACTION: EXCLUSIVE WITH UAE MINISTER OF

Tags:  OIIP KMDR TC 
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Diana T Fritz 02/05/2007 05:33:52 PM From DB/Inbox: Search Results

Cable 
Text: 
 
 
UNCLAS ABU DHABI 03252

SIPDIS
CXABU:
 ACTION: PAO
 INFO: AMB DCM POL MEPI ECON

DISSEMINATION: PAO
CHARGE: PROG

APPROVED: PAO:HOLSIN-WINDECKER
DRAFTED: PAO:AHOSHAN
CLEARED: PAO:TRWHATLEY

VZCZCADI913
OO RUEHC RUENAAA RUEKJCS RUEHZM RUEHLO RUEHFR
RHRMDAB RUCJACC RUCQSOC
DE RUEHAD #3252 2631321
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 191321Z SEP 04
FM AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5983
RUENAAA/SECNAV WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RUEHZM/GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 0838
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 0878
RHRMDAB/COMUSNAVCENT
RUCJACC/USCINCCENT MACDILL AFB FL//CCPA//
RUCQSOC/USCINCSOC MACDILL AFB FL//PA//
UNCLAS ABU DHABI 003252 

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/ARP; NEA/PPD; NEA/RA; INR/R/MR; PA;
INR/NESA; INR/B; IIP/G/NEA-SA
WHITE HOUSE FOR PRESS OFFICE; NSC
SECDEF FOR OASD/PA
USCINCCENT FOR POLAD
LONDON FOR GOLDRICH; PARIS FOR ZEYA
LONDON ALSO PASS TO MOC

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OIIP KMDR TC
SUBJECT: SPECIAL MEDIA REACTION: EXCLUSIVE WITH UAE MINISTER OF
JUSTICE AND ISLAMIC AFFAIRS


UNCLAS ABU DHABI 003252

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/ARP; NEA/PPD; NEA/RA; INR/R/MR; PA;
INR/NESA; INR/B; IIP/G/NEA-SA
WHITE HOUSE FOR PRESS OFFICE; NSC
SECDEF FOR OASD/PA
USCINCCENT FOR POLAD
LONDON FOR GOLDRICH; PARIS FOR ZEYA
LONDON ALSO PASS TO MOC

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OIIP KMDR TC
SUBJECT: SPECIAL MEDIA REACTION: EXCLUSIVE WITH UAE MINISTER OF
JUSTICE AND ISLAMIC AFFAIRS



1. SUMMARY: ARABIC DAILY "AL-ITTIHAD" CARRIED A TWO-PAGE
EXCLUSIVE WITH THE UAE MINISTER OF JUSTICE AND ISLAMIC AFFAIRS I
WHICH HE COVERS A WIDE RANGE OF ISSUES INCLUDING FRIDAY SERMONS
AND ERRONEOUS UNDERSTANDINGS BY MUSLIMS. HE ASSERTED THAT THE
MINISTRY IS CONSCIOUS OF THE NEED TO PROMOTE THE REAL MEANING OF
MODERATE ISLAM. THE MINISTER ALSO DENIED THAT FRIDAY SERMONS
ONLY ADDRESS BLAND SUBJECTS, NOTING THAT THE SERMONS DISCUSS ALL
ISSUES OF INTEREST TO THE COMMUNITY. END SUMMARY


2. ABU DHABI-BASED SEMI-OFFICIAL ARABIC DAILY "AL-ITTIHAD" 9/18
CARRIED A TWO-PAGE EXCLUSIVE WITH THE UAE MINISTER OF JUSTICE AN
ISLAMIC AFFAIRS, MUHAMMAD BIN NAKHIRA AL-DHAHERI. DURING THE
INTERVIEW, THE MINISTER TACKLED ISSUES SUCH AS FRIDAY SERMONS,
SCHOOL CURRICULA AND RELIGIOUS SCHOOLS' TEXT BOOKS AND THE MANY
MISINTERPRETATIONS OF KORANIC VERSES AND HADITH (PROPHET
MOHAMMED'S SPEECHES). OTHER ISSUES REVIEWED IN THE INTERVIEW
DEALT WITH THE FNC (FEDERAL NATIONAL COUNCIL) DELIBERATIONS ON
THE ROLE OF VARIOUS MINISTRIES, THE TIGHT BUDGET OF THE MINISTRY
OF JUSTICE AND ISLAMIC AFFAIRS, AND THE CURRENT LOW CRIME RATE I
THE UAE.


3. IN HIS RESPONSE TO THE FIRST QUESTION REGARDING FRIDAY
SERMONS THAT ONLY DEAL WITH ROUTINE MATTERS AND DO NOT SERVE ANY
MORAL PURPOSE, MINISTER AL-DHAHERI SAID: "WE'RE AWARE OF THIS.
ALTHOUGH THE UAE IS AN OASIS OF STABILITY AND SECURITY,
OVERSTEPPING AND ENCROACHMENTS OCCUR BY IMAMS AND PREACHERS. WE
HAVE MANY NATIONALITIES THAT LIVE HERE, BUT WE AT THE MINISTRY
KNOW EVERYTHING THAT GOES ON AROUND US. OUR MAIN MISSION IS TO
EDUCATE EVERYONE, UAE NATIONALS AND OTHERS WHO LIVE HERE, IN A
MODERATE RELIGIOUS INTERPRETATION. IF WE GO THROUGH THE TOPICS O
LAST YEARS SERMONS YOU FIND THAT WE DISCUSSED ISSUES SUCH AS
TERRORISM AND THE STANCE OF ISLAM. HOWEVER, WE CANNOT DISCUSS
TERRORISM EVERY WEEK, WE HAVE OTHER ISSUES THAT WE NEED TO TACKL
SUCH AS DRUGS, RELIGIOUS CELEBRATIONS, RAMADAN, ETC. AS FOR
ENLIGHTENING THE PEOPLE, WE HAVE A PLAN WHERE WE BRING WELL-KNOW
MUSLIM FIGURES FROM ALL THE ISLAMIC NATIONS TO CONDUCT WORKSHOPS
AND LECTURES WHERE THEY DISCUSS CERTAIN ISSUES. THIS YEAR WE
HAVE PLANNED A HIGH-LEVEL ISLAMIC CONFERENCE WHERE LECTURERS
WOULD BE INVITED TO SHED LIGHT ON MANY TOPICS OF INTEREST TO OUR
MINISTRY.. WE COVER ALL ISSUES INCLUDING THE GENERAL ONES SUCH A
TERRORISM, VIOLENCE, MISINTERPRETATION OF ISLAM AND THE ISSUANCE
OF (BASELESS) FATWAS (ISLAMIC RULES) AND A DENIAL OF THOSE FATWA
(ISLAMIC RULES)."


4. IN RESPONSE TO A QUESTION ON WHETHER HE IS SATISFIED WITH
THE EXISTING RELIGIOUS CURRICULUM AND WHETHER THE UAEG NEEDS TO
REVIEW THEM, HE SAID: "WE HAVE TO BE FRANK HERE AND SAY THAT OUR
SCHOOL CURRICULUM HAS BEEN STUDIED BY RELIGIOUS FIGURES AT THE
MINISTRY IN COOPERATION WITH THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND WE
HAVE MADE NUMEROUS OBSERVATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN FORWARDED TO THE
MINISTRY OF EDUCATION. WE HAVE FOUND OUT THAT THE CURRICULUMS
HAVE MANY ERRONEOUS UNDERSTANDINGS AND UNCLEAR INTERPRETATIONS
THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN CORRECTED, AND THE MINISTRY WAS VERY
CONSIDERATE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THESE FACTS AND WE BOTH AGREED
TO REVIEW AND MODIFY THE CURRICULUMS. WE FOUND CLEAR ERRONEOUS
CONCEPTIONS OF RELIGIOUS MATTERS IN THOSE BOOKS.THERE WERE ALSO
CLEAR MISINTERPRETATIONS OF KORANIC VERSES AND HADITHES AND
THEREFORE, THESE WERE MODIFIED TO COMPLY WITH THE ISLAMIC FAITH.
THE COMMITTEE THAT WAS ESTABLISHED TO LOOK INTO THIS ALSO FOUND
NEED TO TEACH THESE CONCEPTS ACCORDING TO THE AGE OF THE PUPILS.
THERE IS CONSIDERABLE INTEREST AT THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION IN
THE PROPOSED MODIFICATION, WHICH IS EXPECTED TO OCCUR FIRST AT
THE ELEMENTARY STAGE TO BE FOLLOWED BY OTHER STAGES, AND THE
PRINTING OF THOSE BOOKS WILL TAKE PLACE AFTER THE PROPOSED
MODIFICATION. THE MINISTER REVEALED THAT AN INSTITUTE FOR
ISLAMIC AFFAIRS WOULD BE ESTABLISHED IN ABU DHABI TO TRAIN
PREACHERS AND ISLAMIC AFFAIRS STUDENTS ON RELIGIOUS PROGRAMS."

SISON