Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06BAMAKO914
2006-08-22 16:19:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Bamako
Cable title:  

AN ISLAMIC LEADER'S VIEW OF THE U.S., THE ALGIERS

Tags:  PREL PINR PINS MASS PARM ML 
pdf how-to read a cable
R 221619Z AUG 06
FM AMEMBASSY BAMAKO
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 5926
INFO ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
C O N F I D E N T I A L BAMAKO 000914 


E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/22/2016
TAGS: PREL PINR PINS MASS PARM ML
SUBJECT: AN ISLAMIC LEADER'S VIEW OF THE U.S., THE ALGIERS
ACCORDS AND THE GSPC

REF: BAMAKO 864

Classified By: Political Officer Aaron Sampson, U.S. Embassy
Bamako, for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L BAMAKO 000914


E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/22/2016
TAGS: PREL PINR PINS MASS PARM ML
SUBJECT: AN ISLAMIC LEADER'S VIEW OF THE U.S., THE ALGIERS
ACCORDS AND THE GSPC

REF: BAMAKO 864

Classified By: Political Officer Aaron Sampson, U.S. Embassy
Bamako, for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

1.(C) Summary: On August 8 Mohamed Kimbiri, the Secretary
General of the Association for Islam in Mali (AISLAM) and a
2004 International Visitors participant, discussed his
organization of a July 28 anti-U.S, anti-Israeli
demonstration to condemn the violence in Lebanon. Kimbiri
also explained the logistics of organizing Mali's Islamic
community, his support of the controversial Algiers accords
between the GOM and Tuareg rebels, and AISLAM's view of the
GSPC. Kimbiri said that AISLAM would not support the GOM
were it to attack other Muslims such as the Tuareg rebels or
the GSPC. The July 28 demonstration was a rare display of
anti-American sentiment in Mali, and should not be
interpreted as a change from the generally positive view
Malians hold of the United States. End Summary.

--------------
The Anatomy of an Anti-American Protest
--------------

2.(C) On July 28 Mohamed Kimbiri, the Secretary General of
the Association for Islam in Mali (AISLAM),organized Mali's
first and only public protest against Israel and the U.S.
response to the violence in Lebanon (reftel). The protest
attracted between 300 and 400 people despite a driving
rainstorm. Kimbiri is a key Embassy contact and an outspoken
leader of the Malian Islamic community. He traveled to the
U.S. in 2004 on an International Visitors program for
religious leaders and visited Muslim communities throughout
the U.S.

3.(C) Kimbiri said he originally intended to organize a march
on either the U.S. Embassy or USAID building in Bamako.
Kimbiri worried, however, that controlling the crowd in the
market area around the U.S. Embassy could prove difficult.
USAID's proximity to the Malian Prime Minister's office also
posed logistical problems. Aware that trouble during the
march could provoke Malian authorities to prevent subsequent
protests, the march location was moved to the residence of
the Palestinian Ambassador.

4.(C) To broaden the appeal of the protest, Kimbiri enlisted
as a co-organizer PARENA, a coalition of small political

parties led by former Minister of Foreign Affairs Tiebele
Drame. During his negotiations with PARENA, Kimbiri insisted
that the demonstration be billed as a march by members of the
Malian "religious" community, rather than the "Islamic"
community, in hopes of attracting support from some of Mali's
non-Muslim religious associations. Joining his group with
PARENA (which had been in the process of planning a similar
protest) shifted the focus of the protest toward "solidarity"
with the Lebanese and Palestinian people. Kimbiri, however,
indicated that AISLAM's interest remained expressing
anti-Israeli and, in particular, anti-USG sentiment.

5.(C) Kimbiri complained that Malian security forces in riot
gear attempted to prevent protesters from assembling. At one
point, Kimbiri reportedly told a Malian security official
that they could "go ahead and shoot" because the protesters
were going to march anyway. The security forces apparently
stood down when faced with Kimbiri's determination and the
arrival of former Minister of Justice Hamidou Diabite as a
march participant. PARENA leader Drame did not attend.

--------------
Kimbiri's View of the U.S.
--------------

6.(C) During the discussion, Kimbiri sought to reconcile his
fondness for the U.S. with his newfound role as an anti-USG
political organizer. He said the July 28 protest was against
American policy and not the American people. When asked
whether he thought his followers who were waving anti-U.S.
and pro-Hezbollah placards during the protest made the same
distinction, Kimbiri said he hoped that was the case.
Kimbiri described his 2004 trip to the U.S., and the number
of American Muslim leaders he met, as eye-opening. He
recalled in particular meeting a Malian Imam in Chicago who
was, unbeknownst to Kimbiri, a member of AISLAM. Kimbiri
expressed eagerness to return to the U.S and said he has
encouraged many of his colleagues in Mali's Islamic community
to also travel. "I correct a lot of people in Mali," Kimbiri
said, "when they try to talk about Muslims in America." On
August 18 Kimbiri contacted the Embassy's political officer
to state that a planned second march by the Malian Islamic
community had been called off following the cease-fire in
Lebanon.

--------------
Radio as an Organizing Tool
--------------

7.(C) Kimbiri used AISLAM's radio station, Radio Dambe, to
advertise the march. Radio Dambe may not be among the three
most popular radio stations in Bamako (as Kimbiri claimed)
but it does have a wide audience, particularly in the market
areas of downtown Bamako. In addition to broadcasting
sermons and religious texts, the station airs news from Al
Jazeera and Al Arabiya in Arabic, followed by summaries in
Bambara. Kimbiri said Radio Dambe unofficially broadcast BBC
Arabic language news until recently and tried to reach
agreements with both the Voice of America and radio
Deutsche-Welle. Kimbiri claimed VOA and Deutsche-Welle
declined to provide news programming due to Radio Dambe's
status as a "religious" radio station. After traveling to
Germany to convince Deutsche-Welle that Radio Dambe had
programs devoted to news, sports, youth and women's issues,
Kimbiri finally gave up. Radio Dambe's listeners, Kimbiri
told Deutsche-Welle, would simply "remain misinformed."
Kimbiri stated that this experience soured his opinion of
western radio programming. (Note: The VOA's authorized outlet
in Bamako is Radio Kledu. The Embassy will, however, look
into the possibility of providing Radio Dambe with some VOA
programming. End note).

--------------
Tuareg Rebels and the GSPC
--------------

8.(C) Kimbiri was one of the first public figures in Mali to
publicly support, on behalf of AISLAM, the controversial July
4 Algiers accords signed by the GOM and Tuareg rebels.
Kimbiri said he was eager to endorse the agreement "from an
Islamic point of view" because the accords provided a way to
avoid hostilities between Muslims. Kimbiri said he supported
the agreement because "Islam is too often portrayed as
violent." "Even if the accords are flawed," Kimbiri
continued, "they can always be amended or corrected."
Referring to rumors regarding a connection between the rebels
and the GSPC - a connection both the rebels and the GOM deny
- Kimbiri said that he and AISLAM would not support the GOM
were it to attack either the Tuareg rebels or the GSPC in
Mali.


9.(C) Asked whether one could interpret his support for the
Algiers accords as an endorsement of President Amadou Toumani
Toure (ATT) for reelection in April 2007, Kimbiri said Mali's
Islamic leaders have always been close to National Assembly
president and ATT challenger Ibrahim Boubacar Keita (IBK).
Kimbiri pointed out, however, that being close to IBK did not
necessarily translate into support for IBK's party, the Rally
for Mali (RPM). Kimbiri acknowledged that IBK's denunciation
of the Algiers agreement as an "accord of shame" ran contrary
to AISLAM's position but stated that he and other Islamic
leaders intended to meet with IBK to discuss the matter
further.

--------------
Comment
--------------


10. (C) Kimbiri's political stance is best described as
opposition to violence perpetrated against Muslims. His
position regarding the United States, the Algiers accords,
and the GSPC should be seen in that light, and Kimbiri would
characterize himself as a friend of the people of the United
States.


MCCULLEY