CONGRESSMAN CROWLEY MEETS WITH JAMAAT ISLAMI

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DHAKA 001109

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ETRD PREL PTER BG
SUBJECT: CONGRESSMAN CROWLEY MEETS WITH JAMAAT ISLAMI


1. (SBU) Summary: Congressman Crowley and embassy officials
met with JI's top leadership including Amir Nizami. Crowley
noted JI's contributions in counter terrorism, asked JI to
promote respect for minority rights, sought avoidance of
election violence and intimidation, raised corruption issues,
and asked for JI's support of a revamped UN Human Rights
Commission. Nizami said that JI is committed to fighting
terrorism, declared reports of BDG religious intolerance as
misinformation, allayed concerns of election violence, and
denied reports of corruption in Bangladesh. End Summary.


2. (U) On February 22, Congressman Joe Crowley met with
Jamaat Islami's (JI) Amir and Bangladesh Minister of
Industries Motiur Rahman Nizami. JI Senior Assistant
Secretary General Muhammad Kamaruzzman, Assistant Secretary

SIPDIS
General Abdur Razzaq, Robin Roizman, professional staff
member on the Committee on International Relations, Charge
d'Affaires, control officer, and poloff (note taker) were
also present for the 45 minute meeting.


3. (SBU) Nizami welcomed Crowley saying that Bangladesh is a
democracy that is committed to fighting terrorism, seeks
communal harmony, and constitutionally does not discriminate
on the basis of religion and therefore respects all
religions. Despite this, he said, there are criticisms that
the BDG does not respect religions. Nizami said Crowley's
visit would "help remove this misinformation."


4. (SBU) Crowley acknowledged the BDG's efforts in fighting
terrorism, noted that while the majority rules, it must also
protect minorities, and expressed concern for the coming
elections.


5. (SBU) Nizami said that since the BDG won its democracy
through armed struggle, it values and protects what its has
won. Bangladesh has successfully held three elections under
its unique caretaker system, each time ensuring free and fair
elections. This experience means the next election "is going
to be more free and fair as it will be a more mature system."
This system, he added, permitted the Awami League to come to
power.


6. (SBU) Crowley said that intimidation and the threat of
student violence during elections is an issue. Nizami and
his colleagues responded that there is less violence in
Bangladesh than in neighboring countries, and that the army
will keep violence at bay so "we are not unduly concerned."


7. (SBU) Nizami responded to Crowley's concern about
corruption saying that "we are looking into the matter."
Crowley pressed for some movement on the issue, adding that
corruption reports such as those from Transparency
International (TI) make Bangladesh ineligible for funding
from the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA). With the
potential reduction in USAID foreign assistance, the BDG
could be doubly disadvantaged. Nizami said that there "is no
corruption" in Bangladesh, that TI does not use "authentic"
information as its research is based only on newspaper
reporting, and that as "propaganda" the TI report can't be
accepted.


8. (SBU) Crowley responded by raising the issue of a recent
tender for police radios where Motorola should be the
successful bidder, but now the tender may be reissued. He
noted that such practices should change, and asked for some
"discernible movement" on corruption, adding that the BDG has
demonstrated its ability to address other difficult issues
such as trafficking in persons and child labor. Nizami
replied that the BDG has indeed taken a practical approach to
child labor issues by paying poor families for their
children's attendance in school.


9. (SBU) The CDA asked Nizami how many seats JI would seek in
the next election and how the recent JMB bombings might
affect the election. Nizami said that JI plans to stay with
the BNP/JI alliance and will do better in the next election.
As for JMB, Nizami and others said that the BDG has
"destroyed JMB's network" and as a result, the JMB has no
popular support, is not able to launch any attacks, and the
JMB storm "is over." Asked about the continued popularity of
Bangla Bhai, Nizami and others said that Bangla Bhai is
popular so long as leftist extremists continue launching
their attacks, but JMB's true agenda is to tarnish Islam and

DHAKA 00001109 002 OF 002


create instability in BDG by creating confusion amongst
Muslims.


10. (SBU) Crowley replied that JI has a public relations
problem. Many people view JI as an extremist fundamentalist
organization. "While it's an image you may not care about,
there is a growing perception on the Hill, that extremists
are taking hold" here in Bangladesh. Razzaq told the
delegation that JMB's aim is not the same as JI's. "They
want to kill judges" he said, adding, "don't rely on press
reports."


11. (SBU) Crowley asked Nizami about JI's stance towards the
UN Human Right Commission, adding that it would be good for
JI to support strongly the HRC. Razzaq responded that "we
are for it" but it is an issue that is not seen as directly
affecting Bangladesh.


12. (U) This cable was cleared by Congressman Crowley.
CHAMMAS