NGO REPRESENTATIVES DISCUSS REFORM WITH U/S

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MANAMA 000312 SIPDIS BRUSSELS FOR U/S GROSSMAN DEPARTMENT FOR NEA FO: PDAS LAROCCO AND DAS DIBBLE, NEA/ARP, NEA/PI, AND NEA/RA CAIRO FOR STEVE BONDY E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/04/2014 TAGS: PHUM PGOV KDEM KMPI BA SUBJECT: NGO REPRESENTATIVES DISCUSS REFORM WITH U/S GROSSMAN REF: A. MANAMA 291 ¶B. MANAMA 283 Classified By: CDA Robert S. Ford for reasons 1.4 (b)&(d). 1.(C) SUMMARY. Bahraini NGO representatives welcomed on March 3 any initiatives that would implement real democratic reforms in Bahrain, stated that we need to reach a common definition of democratic and human rights goals, and briefed U/S Grossman on several persistent problems. They praised the 2003 Human Rights Report, but asked for more from the U.S. on human rights than reports. They noted that Bahrain could improve its record on discrimination, poverty, education, freedom of expression, independence of NGOs, and the right to change Bahrain's government. Failure to address these problems could lead to new instability and unrest, they said. The NGO leaders voiced distrust of U.S. democracy initiatives because of U.S. support for Israel and public USG support for what they perceive as inadequate GOB reforms to date. U/S Grossman stressed that our public support does not mean Bahrain's society should remain static, rather, the USG seeks to assist the people and governments of the region that wish to implement change. Emphasizing that the USG has no blueprint for particular reforms countries must adopt, U/S Grossman encouraged active participation from civil society groups, believing that the best ideas for human rights reform come from the people. END SUMMARY. -------------- -------------- NGOs ACKNOWLDEGE PROGRESS, CITE PERSISTENT PROBLEMS -------------- -------------- 2.(C) Bahrain Centre for Human Rights (BCHR) Vice President and former political exile Abdulhadi Al Khawaja agreed that we shared the same objective - promotion of human rights and democracy. We share a vision that Bahrain should become a model for the region. Al-Khawaja praised the 2003 Report on Human Rights Practices in Bahrain, but said that the human rights community in Bahrain is looking for more from the U.S. than reports. Al-Khawaja asserted that there are three main problems affecting daily life of Bahrainis -- poverty deriving from unemployment and discrimination (Al Khawaja said that 160,000 Bahrainis live in poverty), marginalization of opposition political groups (especially 
Shi'a political leaders),and lack of an elected premier. He complained that the same people have been running the country since independence in 1970. Shura Council member and labor activist Faisal Fulad noted that existing labor laws do not meet International Labor Organization standards on discrimination and protection of foreign labor. Bahrain Society for Public Freedoms and Democracy Watch Founder Nizar Al Qari (a former exilee and torture victim) added that President Bush mentioned Bahrain in several speeches, giving the GOB credit for promoting democracy, but NGOs on the ground can tell you that there has been no recent progress. Al-Khawaja warned that the unrest and instability experienced in the 90's could return if these problems remain unaddressed. 3.(C) Bahrain Women's Society (BWS) and International Visitor Program alumnus Wajeeha al-Baharna stated that Bahrain had witnessed a surge of NGO formation in response to reform, but NGOs remain under the thumb of the Labor Ministry. For instance NGOs must report to the ministry any member's participation in international NGO events. Newly elected BWS president and IV program alumnus Dr. Soroor Qarooni, M.D., said the GOB does not take NGOs seriously, and complained that religious conservatives in the government use their influence to block licenses for and activities of NGOs. 4.(C) Agreeing with Shura Council member Fulad, Wajeeha Al-Baharna stated that there is serious need to reform the education system which she asserted is in "the Middle Ages." She charged that the schools do not teach the fundamentals, that students graduating from secondary school know nothing, and the introduction of new subjects is lacking. Responding to NEA A/DAS Alina Romanowski's question, Al-Baharna complained that the Ministry of Education refuses to involve NGOs or parents in shaping education curricula and charged that the ministry pressures schools not to allow NGOs to help. 5.(C) Youth activist and former member of the University of Bahrain (UOB) Student Council Dua' Al Masae'd claimed that the UOB is not interested in hearing student views. The UOB demanded a public apology from her when she dared to inquire about the selection terms for graduate school scholarships. Following promulgation of Bahrain's new constitution, Dua' tried to organize a seminar for law students to discuss the constitution's legal implications. She said UOB officials prevented its convening on campus and she charged that UOB administration delayed her graduation for trying to hold the seminar off campus. -------------- -------------- USG FOREIGN POLICY - THE "DOUBLE STANDARD" PREVENTS TRUST -------------- -------------- ¶6. (C) BCHR VP Al Khawaja responded to U/S Grossman's briefing on GME that it is time for the US to renew its foreign policy. He calmly and firmly suggested that the US should not be calling on Bahrain to increase human rights and democracy when it supports a violator of human rights - Israel. This double standard makes the US agenda in the region unclear and in no way fosters trust, he claimed. 7.(C) In response, U/S Grossman said that the President has cited Bahrain as an example of a country where there have been some reforms. This support does not mean that we think Bahrain's society can or should remain static. No society in the world, including the U.S., can remain static. The US is not interested in designing a mechanism for NGOs to implement and has no blueprint on how to accomplish democratic reforms, said U/S Grossman. Initiatives like GME and MEPI are vehicles to support to local voices for change. NGOs, he said, fill a vital space between the people and the government. BCHR President Nabeel Rajab said that NGOs welcome real human rights projects here in Bahrain. However, we need to come up with a common definition of democracy and human rights goals. 8.(U) U/S Grossman cleared this cable. FORD