FORUM FOR THE FUTURE: PARALLEL CONFERENCES

UNCLAS AMMAN 008573 SIPDIS SIPDIS SENSITIVE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV MEPI JO SUBJECT: FORUM FOR THE FUTURE: PARALLEL CONFERENCES ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: IN ADDITION TO THE PARALLEL CIVIL SOCIETY CONFERENCE ENVISIONED AND SUPPORTED BY FORUM FOR THE FUTURE (FFF) PLANNERS, TWO OTHER CIVIL SOCIETY GATHERINGS WILL OCCUR IN JORDAN DURING THE SAME TIMEFRAME AS THE FORUM. SOME PARTICIPANTS IN THE CONFERENCES NOT ASSOCIATED WITH THE FFF MAY GENERATE CRITICAL MEDIA COVERAGE OF THE FORUM. END SUMMARY. THE "AUTHORIZED" PARALLEL CONFERENCE -------------- ¶2. ( U ) AS REQUESTED AND ENCOURAGED BY THE HOSTS AND PLANNERS OF THE NOVEMBER 30-DECEMBER 1 FORUM FOR THE FUTURE MEETINGS IN AMMAN, A PARALLEL CONFERENCE OF CIVIL SOCIETY GROUPS WILL CONVENE. THE PARALLEL CONFERENCE IS BEING STAGED IN COORDINATION WITH THE JORDANIAN PLANNING MINISTRY UNDER THE AUSPICES OF A JORDANIAN NGO, THE ADALEH CENTER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS, LED BY ASSAM RABABA. PARTICIPANTS INCLUDE MANY WELL-ESTABLISHED CIVIL SOCIETY PLAYERS FROM THROUGHOUT THE REGION, INCLUDING DR. HANI HOURANI, HEAD OF THE EL URDUN EL JADEED CENTER, WHO IS PLAYING A PROMINENT ROLE ON THE ORGANIZING COMMITTEE. THEY ELECTED SIX REPRESENTATIVES WHO WILL SPEAK AT THE MINISTERIAL MEETINGS OF THE FORUM. THESE REPRESENTATIVES WILL JOIN OTHER CIVIL SOCIETY PARTICIPANTS IN THE FORUM. AMMAN CONFERENCE TO COMBAT HEGEMONY -------------- ¶3. ( U ) ANOTHER GROUP OF CIVIL SOCIETY ACTIVISTS, WHO ARE ALSO WELL-ESTABLISHED IN JORDAN BUT CRITICAL OF U.S. AND JORDANIAN FOREIGN POLICY, IS CONVENING NOVEMBER 30 TO DECEMBER 1. CALLING ITSELF THE "AMMAN CONFERENCE TO COMBAT HEGEMONY", THE CONFERENCE IS LED BY HANI DAHLEH AND BADI RAFAYA OF THE ARAB ORGANIZATION FOR HUMAN RIGHTS, A JORDANIAN NGO. LOCAL MEDIA REPORT THAT THE JORDANIAN UNION OF PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS, WHICH IS A CONSISTENT CRITIC OF U.S. POLICY, HAS GIVEN DAHLEH $15,000 TO FUND HIS CONFERENCE. THIS ALTERNATIVE "PARALLEL CONFERENCE" WAS TO TAKE PLACE AT THE "AL QUDS" HOTEL IN AMMAN. PRESS REPORTS INDICATE THE GOJ HAS DENIED A PERMIT FOR THIS MEETING TO TAKE PLACE. THE ORGANIZERS HAVE VOWED TO MEET ANYWAY IN THE PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS UNION HEADQUARTERS. THE MOST LIKELY DAY FOR THIS EVENT IS NOVEMBER 30TH. WORLD ASSOCIATION OF NGOS -------------- ¶4. ( SBU ) YET A THIRD CONFERENCE WILL CONVENE IN JORDAN AT THE SAME TIME AS THE FORUM. THE WORLD ASSOCIATION OF NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS (WANGO) ANNOUNCED IT IS HOLDING A "WORLD CONGRESS OF NGOS" AT THE DEAD SEA MOEVENPICK HOTEL UNDER THE SLOGAN "FORCES FOR PEACE." THE MOEVENPICK IS A FEW HUNDRED YARDS FROM THE KING HUSSEIN CONFERENCE CENTER WHERE THE FORUM MEETINGS WILL TAKE PLACE. HOWEVER, GOJ SECURITY WILL TIGHTLY CONTROL ACCESS TO BOTH THE CONFERENCE CENTER AND THE MARRIOT, WHERE MOST OF THE U.S. DELEGATION WILL STAY. THE WANGO'S EVENT DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE A COMPETING CONFERENCE, BUT MAY RECEIVE INCREASED RECOGNITION DUE TO PROXIMITY IN TIME AND LOCATION TO THE FORUM. ACCORDING TO SOME INTERNET SITES (E.G. WWW.ZOOMINFO.COM AND BLOG.WORLD-CITIZEN.ORG),WANGO IS ASSOCIATED WITH THE UNIFICATION CHURCH. ¶5. ( SBU )THE JORDANIAN PLANNING MINISTRY IS AWARE OF THE TWO INDEPENDENT NGO CONFERENCES. THE GOJ DOES NOT EXPECT PARTICIPANTS IN EITHER CONFERENCE TO ATTEMPT TO DISRUPT THE FORUM. WE DO EXPECT THE INDEPENDENTS, HOWEVER, TO COMPETE WITH THE FORUM FOR THE FUTURE SPONSORED NGO EVENT FOR MEDIA ATTENTION. VISIT AMMAN'S CLASSIFIED WEB SITE AT HTTP://WWW.STATE.SGOV.GOV/P/NEA/AMMAN/ HALE