YEMEN: COMBATING EXTREMISM

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 SANAA 002897

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR R, P, AND NEA/ARPI

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/27/2015
TAGS: PTER PREL KDEM KPAO EAID PHUM KMPI YM DOMESTIC POLITICS COUNTER TERRORISM
SUBJECT: YEMEN: COMBATING EXTREMISM

REF: STATE 159129

Classified By: Ambassador Thomas C. Krajeski for reasons 1.4 b and d.


1. (U) Summary: The Government of the Republic of Yemen
(ROYG) considers extremism a serious threat to the country's
security and stability. Security and intelligence agencies
routinely monitor mosques and religious institutions for
extremist views. The ROYG regularly closes unlicensed
religious schools that teach radical Islam and advocate
violence, and deports foreign students from those
institutions. The government also supports dialogue between
moderate religious leaders and members of extremist groups in
an attempt to convince them to abandon their violent views
and respect Yemeni law.


2. (U) Lack of government control and services outside major
cities, combined with high levels of poverty, leaves the
population susceptible to extremist ideology. USG programs
focus on increasing economic opportunities for the poor,
supporting democratic development, and improving basic
education for women and girls. Post leverages assistance
from a wide variety of sources, including the Middle East
Partnership Initiative (MEPI),Public Diplomacy (PD),USAID,
Department of Agriculture, and Department of Defense programs
to combat extremism and encourage tolerance. End Summary.

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Nature of Extremism
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3. (C) No central authority, domestic or foreign, has ever
claimed complete control over what is now modern day Yemen.
As a result, a strong sense of independence permeates
throughout many rural areas, and tribes chafe at threats to
their autonomy from President Saleh and the central
government. The absence of government authority in some
remote tribal areas created a permissive environment for
terrorists and extremist groups, including Al-Qaeda, to
operate and recruit followers. Some of the government's own
actions also inadvertently encouraged extremism. During the
1994 Civil War, for example, many returning "Afghan-Arabs"
fought alongside northern troops against southern forces.
Preoccupied with quelling southern secessionism, the
government realized too late that the "Afghan-Arabs," while
valuable fighters, also presented a direct threat to security
and stability. Currently, Yemenis returning from Iraq with
training in counter-insurgency methods pose a similar
problem, which the ROYG has yet to effectively address.

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Targeting Extremist Individuals
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4. (U) Following the USS Cole and September 11 attacks, the
ROYG began addressing the extremist threat more seriously and
cooperating with the USG to target Al-Qaeda and other
extremists elements. Authorities continue to investigate,
detain, and prosecute individuals involved in planning
attacks against the government and western targets.


5. (U) For detainees not directly implicated in planning or
carrying out attacks, the government-sponsored Theological
Dialogue Committee, under the leadership of Judge Hamood
Al-Hittar, attempted to persuade those individuals associated
with terrorist or insurgent activity to renounce their
extremist views. Before being released, detainees promise to
uphold the Yemeni constitution and laws and respect the
rights of non-Muslims. According to the Ministry of the
Interior, the Political Security Organization also screens
detainees before release to determine if they remain a
threat. (Comment: Judge Al-Hittar is a well-respected
religious leader and post nominated him to participate in the
2006 International Visitor Program "Promoting Interfaith
Dialogue." While he is sincere in his efforts to promote
religious tolerance and engage extremists in theological
debates, the program lacks any accountability or evaluation
component and no data exists on recidivism rates for
detainees who have been released. End Comment.)



6. (U) In addition to targeting high-threat individuals, the
ROYG routinely monitors mosques for sermons that incite
violence or expound extremist ideas against the state.
Security and intelligence authorities also monitor the
activities of local Islamic organizations with links to
extremist groups abroad. The ROYG closes mosques that
demonstrate a pattern of supporting violence and encouraging
action against the state.


7. (U) Authorities also target extremist religious schools.
Within the last year, the government began closing unlicensed
schools under a previously dormant 1992 education law. In
March 2005, the ROYG announced that it had closed over 3000
unlicensed schools for promoting extremists religious views
and violence. In addition to targeting schools, immigration
and security officials actively pursue and deport foreign
religious students studying at schools associated with
extremism. ROYG also works in conjunction with the countries
of origin to prevent students from studying illegally at
non-approved facilities or without the appropriate visa. In
August 2005, the ROYG worked with the Indonesian government
to deport close to 80 Indonesians who had been studying at
unlicensed institutions that teach extremist ideology.

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Promoting Tolerance
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8. (U) In addition to closing institutions, the ROYG also
engages religious leaders to combat the spread of extremism.
In 2004, the Ministry of Vice and Religious Guidance
sponsored the first "Guidance Conference," bringing together
more than 270 Muslim clerics from across the region to
promote moderate and tolerant Islamic ideas. The conference
concluded with recommendations to combat extremism in Islam.
The Ministry also conducted training for 350 Yemeni Imams on
combating extremist ideas.

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USG Efforts to Combat Extremism
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9. (U) Embassy Sanaa employs a number of different programs
to combat extremism through strengthening democratic
institutions and encouraging economic development. Support
and expertise comes from a wide variety of sources, including
MEPI, PD funds, USAID, Department of Agriculture, and
Department of Defense, to address two contributing factors to
extremism in Yemen - poverty and weak government institutions.

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Middle East Partnership Initiative
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10. (U) MEPI provides essential support to combat extremism
with its focus on democracy promotion, economic reform,
quality education, and women's empowerment. One key project
includes a $467,000 grant through Partners for Democratic
Change to foster cross-sector consensus building across
different tribal and geographic communities. The project
will not only provide a tangible benefit to the community,
but will also foster dialogue and tolerance by bringing
different communities together in collaboration on
development projects. Another key project will provide
information technology training for women and community
outreach to encourage girls to pursue careers in information
technology.

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Public Diplomacy
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11. (U) The PD section runs several programs aimed at
promoting tolerance and encouraging intellectual debate. For
example, exchange programs have been a particularly useful
tool to develop mutual understanding and expose students to a
wide variety of ideas. Through America-Mideast Educational
and Training Services, Inc. (AMIDEAST),PD administers the
Partnership for Learning Youth Exchange and Study (YES)
program, which funds one year of study for Yemeni students at
an American high school. Fulbright exchanges have also been
a useful tool for encouraging dialogue, modern educational
systems, and scientific thought. Exchange programs for youth
have been the most successful tool, as graduates inevitably
more into positions of influence and become excellent
counterparts as agents of progress and change.


12. (U) Opportunities for exposure to American culture and
pluralistic ideas is not limited to U.S. based programs. PD
also provides many opportunities in-country for local
students with MEPI support. Micro-scholarships have been
very successful at giving underprivileged students a chance
to study English and be exposed to a pluralistic
educational system. The program will expand dramatically this
year to 450 scholarships, compared with only 30 students in

2004. PD also created e-learning centers across Yemen, with
a special focus on increasing Internet access for girls. The
program is already exposing students to a range of ideas and
fostering open intellectual exchange with American students.
Two American Corners, one in Sanaa and another in Dhamar
provide additional venues for outreach, and PD plans to open
two more centers in Mukalla and Taiz within the next several
months.


13. (U) Improving girl's and women's education is also a
key component of promoting tolerance and combating extremism.
Small grants have been an especially successful tool,
including support for a successful program to target
illiteracy and develop enterprise skills for rural women in
western Yemen.
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USAID
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14. (U) USAID's overall goal is to support USG
counter-terrorism objectives by helping to develop a healthy
and educated population with access to diverse economic
opportunities. By improving health, education and family
income, USAID helps reduce the country's vulnerability to
extremist ideas. Programming is targeted in five tribal and
vulnerable governorates, including Amran, Sa'adda, Al-Jawf,
Marib and Shabwa. Specific programs include expanding health
care for mothers and children, improving basic education
(especially for women and girls),increasing incomes in rural
areas, and strengthening democracy and governance.


15. (U) USAID has leveraged its limited ESF funds by
partnering with other USG agencies and programs, such as the
MEPI program, Department of Agriculture and the Department of
Defense. Through a partnership with MEPI, USAID expanded its
democratic and governance program to implement programs on
decentralization and parliamentary reform. Post allocated
Department of Agriculture P.L.480 and 416(b) Food Aid funds
to reinforce USAID's programs to build schools and hospitals,
and to implement numerous agriculture projects. USAID has
also partnered with DOD to renovate schools and clinics and
provide community medical and veterinary services.

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Military Assistance
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16. (U) The Department of Defense, through the Coalition
Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA) provided over
$1.2 million for civilian affairs projects and humanitarian
assistance over the last year. Programs included visits by
USG military doctors and veterinarians, which provided
examinations and treatments to 3,000 people and 22,000
livestock. Projects also included the refurbishment of five
schools in Sanaa, Aden, and Sa'adda, as well as two clinics
in Taiz and Aden. Helping the ROYG meet basic infrastructure
and development needs strengthens the relationship between
the population and the government, and reduces the
community's susceptibility to extremist ideas.

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Comment
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17. (C) Comment: The ROYG is focused on combating extremists
and deterring their ability to attack domestic and western
targets. With the help of USG security assistance, Yemeni
MOI forces have established an effective nascent counter
terrorist organization, as well as creating a coast guard to
enhance maritime and border security. USG security
assistance is continuing to work with MOD and MOI in building
the capacity to fight well-armed insurgents and terrorists
within the country, as well as strengthening border security
to prevent extremist elements from moving people and arms.


18. (C) Attention must now be focused on democratic and
economic development to reduce the susceptibility of Yemen's
heavily rural and poor population to extremist ideologies.
Continued assistance through a wide range of USG programs
will be essential to strengthen democratic institutions and
rule of law, encourage economic growth, and widen educational
access, especially for women. While a wide range of
assistance is planned for next year, the implementation of
the ROYG's Threshold Plan for the Millennium Challenge
Account will also be an important tool in combating
corruption and strengthening the rule of law, thereby
increasing the government's ability to tackle development
issues and decrease animosity toward the central government.
Post will continue to encourage the ROYG to move beyond
military operations against extremists and approach the issue
in a comprehensive manner to create an open, tolerant, and
prosperous society based on strong democratic institutions
and a vibrant economy. End Comment.



Krajeski