ISLAH ON RECENT RIOTING AND ECONOMIC REFORM

C O N F I D E N T I A L SANAA 002033

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/26/2015
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM PHUM YM DOMESTIC POLITICS
SUBJECT: ISLAH ON RECENT RIOTING AND ECONOMIC REFORM

REF: SANAA 1976

Classified By: CDA Nabeel Khoury for Reasons 1.4(b) and (d).


1. (C) Summary. On July 23, in the wake of a recent rioting
across the country (ref. A),CDA met with opposition Islah
party leaders Abdelwahab al-Anisi, Mohammed Qahtan and
Mohammed al-Saidi to urge peaceful and constructive
opposition vice support for street demonstrations. Anisi,
Islah Assistant SYG, assured CDA that his party would deal
with the issue "sensitively," but condemned the ROYG for
using excessive force to put down the civil unrest of the
past week. End Summary.

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Islah Will React Responsibly
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2 (C) Anisi responded to CDA's appeal to act carefully given
current tensions that, "Islah will act responsibly," and
promised that the party would deal with the economic reform
situation "very carefully." Anisi told CDA that Islah would
most likely raise the issue in Parliament as they "always"
do, but that party leaders feel that restraint is being
abused by the ROYG's accusations that Islah has nothing to
offer. Nevertheless, Anisi agreed with CDA that there is a
danger that a public protest would get out of hand in the
current atmosphere.

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But The ROYG Did Not
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3. (C) Anisi described the ROYG's reaction to the violence as
"hasty," revealing that Islah plans to call for a "realistic
investigation" into the events once things have settled down.
Specifically, he condemned the security forces' use of real
bullets and pointed to the Joint Meetings Party (JMP)
opposition coalition's July 22 statement condemning "acts of
sabotage" against private property as well as ROYG "acts of
killing." He predicted that it would not take long for the
ROYG to accuse the opposition of starting the riots.

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Reform Handled Badly
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4. (C) On economic reforms, Anisi said that such a dramatic
lifting of oil subsidies should have been accompanied by
anti-corruption efforts. Islah, he added, had suggested
lifting the subsidies in 1995 but only gradually and
accompanied by a serious anti-corruption campaign. Anisi
accused the ROYG of rejecting Islah's suggestions because it
did not "fit in their agenda." Instead, Anisi accused the
ROYG of using reforms to collect more revenue from the common
people. "If the government implemented reform as we had
suggested it would have all been done by now, and without
violence," he said.


5. (C) CDA suggested reengaging in the opposition-ROYG
dialogue to address Islah's corruption concerns.
Specifically, CDA recommended that Islah could suggest
specific programs on which to spend the government's savings
from lifting the subsidies. Anisi replied that the ROYG's
past actions indicate that they are not interested in "true"
dialogue but that Islah would engage in good faith if the CDA
could convince the other side to be more serious.


6. (C) CDA's meeting with Islah appears to have had one
effect already. On July 25 Islah issued a statement, without
the JMP, urging demonstrators to "express opinions through
peaceful means and to avoid violence that would harm the
homeland." The statement also demanded an investigation into
the "cold blooded" murder of protesters as soon as possible.
Khoury