Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05SANAA3160
2005-10-30 08:41:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Sanaa
Cable title:  

DEMOCRACY CENTRAL THEME AT LATE NIGHT RAMADAN SOCIAL GATHERINGS

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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 SANAA 003160 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 26/10/2015
TAGS: PREL PGOV YM PTERM DOMESTIC POLITICS DEMOCRATIC REFORM
SUBJECT: DEMOCRACY CENTRAL THEME AT LATE NIGHT RAMADAN
SOCIAL GATHERINGS

REF: SANAA 2961

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

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 SANAA 003160

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 26/10/2015
TAGS: PREL PGOV YM PTERM DOMESTIC POLITICS DEMOCRATIC REFORM
SUBJECT: DEMOCRACY CENTRAL THEME AT LATE NIGHT RAMADAN
SOCIAL GATHERINGS

REF: SANAA 2961

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


1. (U) Summary. DCM and Poloffs attended Ramadan late night
social sessions during which party hacks, sheikhs,
journalists and academics spanning the Yemeni political
spectrum voiced strong opinions on the problems with
democratization in Yemen and how the U.S. could help.
Participants from all political parties and persuasions
welcomed emboffs and continually noted that the USG had a
positive role to play in Yemeni politics. End Summary.

--------------
Yemen's Democracy: Slipped, Stumbled or Fell?
--------------


2. (U) The leading issue at every session was the
Ambassador's statement in an October 6 interview, with the
independent "Al-Ayam" newspaper, that democratic reforms in
Yemen have stalled due to a rash of journalist bashings
(many times literally) by the ROYG or seemingly ROYG-inspired
thugs (reftel). On October 8, the ROYG press reacted by
accusing Ambassador of interfering in Yemen's internal
affairs. In an October 10 interview with the
quasi-independent "Yemen Observer" Ambassador clarified that
he said that democratic reforms in Yemen had "stalled" not
"stopped," as the papers had reported.


3. (C) Mohammed Qahtan, Political Director of the opposition
Islah party, who supported the Ambassador's remarks,
expressed concern that the ROYG may have persuaded Ambassador
to retract his criticism. Yahia Abu Asbou, Assistant SYG of
the Yemen Socialist Party (YSP),mused over the ROYG's
"hypocrisy" in applauding USG officials whenever they bill
Yemen as the democratic leader in the region, but protesting
"interference" at any slight criticism by the same officials.
"We need the U.S. to be on the people's side not the
(ROYG's) in this debate," he added. DCM reassured all
participants that the Ambassador's remarks stood, "whether
one says democracy has stopped or stumbled, the fact remains
that any infringement on press freedoms constitutes a setback
that is a cause for concern."

--------------
Stop Comparing Us
--------------


4. (C) Another commonly expressed frustration was with the
west's penchant to compare Yemen's democratic experience to

other Gulf countries'. "You must stop calling us the most
developed democracy in the region. It does not help," noted
Qahtan, "we have invested a lot more time into this process
so we should be held to a higher standard." Mohammed Ghaleb,
YSP External Relations Chief, agreed: "Our democracy was born
with our unity in 1990 and it should be stronger, not weaker,
than it was back then." Abdullah Faqih, a Political Science
professor at Sanaa University, added that Yemen was no longer
a leader in the region. "Look at the Kuwaiti Parliament, and
reform in Bahrain, Oman, or Al-Jazeera (news channel) in
Qatar. Even Egypt is beginning to catch up with us!" he
lamented.

--------------
Talk To Us, The People
--------------


5. (C) At another gathering attended by over 30 participants,
including NGO workers and tribal members from al-Jauf, Saada,
and Shabwa, the USG's development efforts took center stage.
Hammdan Zaid Muhsen, a Sheikh from Al-Jauf, told poloffs that
although the USG was doing good work in his region, the
projects were not well publicized. "We know that you
implement programs," said Yahia al-Anisi, head of the Local
Council Service Committee of al-Jauf and GPC party member,
"but we are not sure which ones." He also expressed concern
that "many" complained that USG assistance programs only
dealt with the ROYG and not local NGOs or Local Councils. On
democratization efforts, as on economic assistance,
participants urged the USG to deal more directly with "the
people" and to stop exclusively dealing with the ROYG. "The
man in the street," said one participant, "is bothered by
what seems to be an unbreakable alliance with the USG and all
the rotten regimes in the region."


6. (C) Comment. Yemenis late night reveries invariably
reflect the social and political concerns festering among
people from various political persuasions. This Ramadan, it
is clear that Yemenis are becoming increasingly frustrated
with the ROYG's weakening commitment to democratic reform and
fighting corruption. Despite their disagreement with U.S.
foreign policy, Yemenis seem to hope that U.S. diplomatic
efforts will nudge the ROYG back onto the democratic reform
track. The opposition and reform-minded independents also
expressed hope that President Bush's words to Saleh will be
clear and firm: Democracy must be allowed to flourish in
Yemen. "The U.S. has interests in the region," argued
several of our interlocutors, "and it should not be shy to
use its weight to get our leaders to do the right thing."
Despite the lack of clear alternatives, we find Yemenis
increasingly vocal in their criticism of the Saleh regime and
mature and hopeful in their reflections on what the U.S.
might do to help. End Comment.
Krajeski