MFA TO INVOLVE CIVIL SOCIETY IN FORUM FOR THE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MANAMA 000780

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/31/2015
TAGS: PREL KMPI PHUM PGOV BA
SUBJECT: MFA TO INVOLVE CIVIL SOCIETY IN FORUM FOR THE
FUTURE PREPARATIONS

REF: MANAMA 705

Classified by Ambassador William T. Monroe for reasons 1.4
(b) and (d).


1. (C) Summary: MFA Assistant Under Secretary Shaikh Abdul
Aziz bin Mubarak Al Khalifa told Pol/Econ chief May 25 that
the MFA plans to invite Bahraini NGOs involved in politics,
human rights, women's issues, and youth to a briefing on the
Forum for the Future (FfF) conference. According to a list
of the proposed invitees, the MFA would include a wide range
of groups in the briefing, including groups such as Al Wifaq
and the National Democratic Action Society that represent
trends in the opposition. Shaikh Abdul Aziz wondered if
there could be time at the FfF conference in November
dedicated specifically to Bahraini NGOs so there could be
some "local flavor" for participating delegations. Press
reports have confirmed what contacts have been telling us for
some time, that Bahraini NGOs are planning to organize a
"shadow" forum to take place at the same time as the real
event to highlight their concerns in front of an
international audience. The MFA's outreach to local civil
society organizations could help to limit participation in
the "shadow" meeting and maintain NGO focus on the Forum.
End Summary.


2. (SBU) MFA Assistant Under Secretary for Coordination and
Follow-Up Shaikh Abdul Aziz bin Mubarak Al Khalifa told P/E
chief May 25 that either he or Minister of Foreign Affairs
Shaikh Mohammed bin Mubarak Al Khalifa would soon brief
Bahraini NGOs on preparations for the November 11-12 Forum
for the Future conference in Manama. The MFA plans to invite
the heads of 43 political, human rights, women's, and youth
civil society organizations to a session to describe the role
they can play in the FfF process.


3. (SBU) Shaikh Abdul Aziz passed P/E chief the list of NGOs
to be invited and noted they include a wide range of
organizations, including the most prominent opposition
societies. While political societies Al Minbar, Al Asalah,
and Al Mithaq, who are to varying degrees friendly to the
government, will be invited, opposition societies Al Wifaq
and National Democratic Action Society will also be included.
From the human rights field, the Bahrain Human Rights
Society, Bahrain Human Rights Watch Society, and Bahrain
Transparency Society will be invited. The women's groups to
be invited include the Mother and Child Welfare Society and
the Future Women's Society, which is close to Al Wifaq. The
youth groups include the Bahraini Youth Society and the
Bahrain Youth Forum.


4. (SBU) While recognizing that the FfF Steering Committee
(reftel) had not addressed the issue, Shaikh Abdul Aziz
wondered if a few representatives of Bahraini NGOs could
speak at the November conference. Bahraini civil society was
anxious to take part in the conference and allowing a few to
speak could provide some "local flavor" for the participating
delegations.


5. (SBU) Shaikh Abdul Aziz said that Bahrain was responsible
for taking the lead on the "women's empowerment" civil
society dialogue in the lead-up to the conference. The MFA
would discuss the issue soon with the Bahraini Supreme
Council for Women to get its ideas and input, and would
likely partner with either the Arab International Women's
Forum or Women in Business International to organize the NGO
meetings.


6. (SBU) Shaikh Abdul Aziz said that the government wanted
to encourage Bahraini NGOs to participate in all four of the
thematic civil society dialogues, on transparency, rule of
law, human rights, and women's empowerment. The GOB would
consider funding the travel of a few Bahraini NGO
representatives to the thematic meetings to encourage their
participation and to ensure that their views were well
represented in the reports and recommendations the NGOs will
deliver at the FfF.


7. (SBU) Press reports on May 24 and 25 confirmed what
contacts have been telling us for several weeks: Bahraini
civil society organizations intend to hold a "shadow" Forum
for the Future conference in Bahrain at the same time as the
real Forum. Two parliamentary deputies, two opposition
politicians, and a human rights activist announced in the
press May 24 their intention to "explain their views" on
important national issues to Forum participants. They
consider the Forum to be a good opportunity to put pressure
on the government to "meet the demands and hopes of the
people" on reforms.


8. (C) Comment: We expect some type of parallel "Forum" to
take place in Bahrain at the same time as the real
conference. How the government works with domestic civil
society in the run-up to the Forum will likely determine the
extent of participation in the parallel event, but the usual
group of entrenched oppositionists will almost certainly use
the opportunity to trumpet their views and pressure the
government. The MFA's plan of outreach to civil society is
not business-as-usual here and signals the GOB's seriousness
about engaging civil society in the FfF process.

MONROE