"We Are All in This Together": Solidarity Across

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 MANAMA 001320

SIPDIS

C O R R E C T E D COPY TEXT THROUGHOUT

STATE for R (KHUGHES and DPOWELL),NEA/PPD, NEA/ARPI

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KPAO PREL PGOV PTER OEXC BA
SUBJECT: "We Are All in This Together": Solidarity Across
Nations, Faiths and Cultures Marks 9/11 in Bahrain

REF: STATE 161551


1. Summary: The Ambassador, in his remarks during a
commemoration of September 11, honored the victims of many
nations and faiths who have perished in terrorist attacks.
Ambassadors of the United Kingdom and Egypt joined the
Ambassador in calling for a united stand against the border-
less threat of terrorism and highlighted globally-held
values of tolerance and peace. The event, held at the
Ambassador's residence on September 11, drew a large and
diverse audience of Bahraini politicians, civil society
leaders, clerics, diplomatic corps, and artists. A Bahraini
poet read his poem about his personal anguish at the 9/11
attacks, followed by an American Fulbright Scholar who read
a selection from Walt Whitman. The event, rich in cross-
cultural, interfaith and artistic expression, was blanketed
by the print media, and also well attended by leading
columnists and opinion-makers. U.K. Ambassador Robin Lamb
captured the feeling of the moment in his speech, saying "We
are all in this together." End Summary.

Setting and Audience
--------------


2. The Ambassador hosted a reception at his residence on the
evening of September 11, honoring not only the victims of
9/11 but also the many victims of terrorism around the
world. In order to emphasize the global aspect of the
issue, the Ambassador invited the U.K. and Egyptian
Ambassadors to make remarks. The turnout for the
commemoration was substantial and rich in opinion-leaders.
About 100 people from Bahraini ministries, parliament,
diplomatic corps, business community, society and culture,
and journalism attended. Muslim and Christian leaders also
attended, including Sayed Dheya al Musawi, a Shia cleric and
commentator for the independent daily Al Wasat who recently
returned from an International Visitor program on "Inter-
faith Dialogue." Sayed Dheya helped arrange for an exhibit
of six paintings by the Al Eskafi society on the subject of
peace, on view during the ceremony. The Ambassador closed
the ceremony with a moment of silence in memory of all
victims of global terrorism.

A Common Humanity, a Common Enemy
--------------


3. The Ambassador (complete remarks are included below)
described the September 11 attacks in a global context,
saying that although the attacks took place on American
soil, "they in fact left grieving families on virtually
every continent." In the four years since those attacks, he
noted that terrorists continue to strike worldwide. "The
world's nations face a common enemy, an enemy with a deeply
flawed vision of the world, a sort of mythology shaped by
their hatred." He called on all countries to stand together
and to further isolate extremists, and to work together to
show the world our common values of tolerance, peace,
understanding, and compassion.


4. Ambassador described the recent outpouring of sympathy
and assistance following Hurricane Katrina as reminiscent of
the international response four years ago. "We remember the
world's response, and the resolve to confront the threat of
global terrorism together. We stand together bound by our
common humanity."


5. In noting the international impact of terrorism,
Ambassador and others described an enemy that has isolated
itself through its philosophy of fear and hatred. Terrorist
attempts to divide the world and bring on a clash of
civilizations have instead produced greater solidarity in
facing a common enemy. U.K. Ambassador Robin Lamb echoed
the sentiment in describing the aftermath of attacks on the
London Underground. Like September 11, the London bombings
struck down not just British citizens, but innocent victims
from many nations.


6. In his remarks, Egyptian Ambassador Dr. Azmy Khalifa put
the July bombings of Sharm-el-Shaikh in the same context,
saying "Terrorism is becoming an international phenomenon.
This phenomenon cannot be remedied unless we have
international cooperation.to establish a general strategy."

Shared values Through Culture
--------------


7. Following the Ambassador's remarks, Bahraini poet and
journalist Hisham Al-Sakin read his poem "To All Those
Innocent People," which described his own anguish at the
human cost of 9/11 and prospects for peace in the world
("Pity how the angels lost count/Their prayers for those
innocent men and women/How painfully sad were those scenes,
those sounds/Terrifying how evil sings its own treacherous
sermon.") He prefaced his poem by describing the United
States as a "peace-loving people and a great nation."


8. Dr. Philip Tabakow, a recently arrived Fulbright Scholar,
read a selection from Walt Whitman's "When Lilacs Last in
the Door-yard Bloom'd," written at the time of President
Lincoln's death at the hand of an assassin. Tabakow ended
with a powerful crescendo on "Mighty Manhattan, with spires,
and the sparkling and hurrying tides."

Extensive Press Coverage
--------------


9. The 9/11 commemoration was covered extensively in the
print media, on front pages in both Arabic and English
dailies, with the exception of Akhbar Al Khalij, the pro-
government but typically anti-American tabloid, who were
invited but did not show up.


10. Government-owned progressive daily Al Ayam had the most
coverage, also carrying an interview with guest Hassan Al-
Ansari, the Bahraini envoy to Iraq who was wounded in
Baghdad in a July assassination attempt. He described the
attempt on his life as a criminal act targeting the Bahraini
role in helping to achieve peace in Iraq.


11. Also in Al Ayam, Bahraini MP and chair of the Defense
and National Security Committee Ahmed Behzad, noted that
anti-terrorism legislation prepared by his committee will be
submitted in the next session of parliament. MP Fareed
Ghazi called for more convictions of terrorists "targeting
innocents all over the world." Shura Council member Mansour
Al Arrayedh told EmbOff privately that the Ambassador's
comments would help facilitate passage of counter-terrorism
legislation currently with the parliament, and he requested
a copy of the speech to share with his colleagues.


12. Arabic daily Al Meethaq interviewed Iraqi Ambassador
Ghassan Hussain, who said terrorists are using Islam as a
cover for criminal acts, and the Turkish Ambassador Hilal
Baskal, who said each act of terrorism is "targeting the
whole world."


13. Begin Ambassador's remarks in full:

--Thank you for joining us here tonight as we mark the fourth
anniversary of that terrible day in September 2001 when terrorists
attacked the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, killing almost 3,000
innocent people. Although these attacks took place on American soil,
and were aimed at American institutions, they in fact left grieving
families on virtually every continent. Citizens from dozens of
nations were killed on September 11. Innocent men and women and
children of every race and religion died that day.

--September 11 is a day of remembrance in the United States. The
families of the victims remain in the thoughts and prayers of the
American people. We recall the good lives that ended too soon, the
courage of rescuers who saw death and did not flee, and families left
behind to carry a burden of sorrow with the courage and strength they
have shown. And as we struggle today in the shadow of another
disaster, the destructive force of Hurricane Katrina, we reflect on
what was lost four years ago.

--But we in America are not only marking this day by remembering the
many victims of September 11. We are also honoring all of the people
from many different countries and faiths who have been killed by
terrorists. In the four years since the September 11 attacks, the
terrorists have continued to kill -- in Madrid and Istanbul and
Jakarta and Casablanca, in Baghdad, in London, in Beslan, in Riyadh,
in Bali, in Sharm-el-Shaikh, and elsewhere.

--We in the United States were heartened by the outpouring of sympathy
and support we received from around the world following the attacks of
September 11. We remember the world's response, and the resolve to
confront the threat of global terrorism together. We stand together
bound by our common humanity.

--In dealing with the scourge of terrorism, the world's nations face
common enemy, an enemy with a deeply flawed vision of the world, a
sort of mythology shaped by their hatred. They believe that if they
continue these vicious attacks, they will provoke a clash of
civilizations, and somehow emerge triumphant. But they have shown
themselves to be simply extremists capable of heinous crimes against
innocent people. Contrary to their attempts to divide us, the world
has responded in solidarity against this threat. We as global
partners have shown that we share values of tolerance and peace,
respect and understanding, compassion and caring.

--And as we gather today, that is the message that I would like to
leave with you -- that we can and must further isolate the extremists
and unite the world community by highlighting our common values of
tolerance, respect and understanding, and standing together against
terror. It is vitally important that we all work together in this
spirit. This gathering tonight -- including our Bahrain friends,
colleagues from the diplomatic corps, and American citizens residing
here in Bahrain -- reflects this common spirit.

--Finally, I want to take a moment to express, on behalf of the
American people and government, our deep-felt appreciation for the
support and sympathy we have received in the aftermath of one of worst
natural disasters in our country's history -- Hurricane Katrina. I
want to express again our thanks to the Government of Bahrain for its
assistance of $ 5 million. In this time of struggle for the American
people, as in the aftermath of 9/11, the outpouring of compassion and
support has been extraordinary, and the American people are truly
heartened to know that they are not struggling alone. End Remarks.


MONROE