Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06JEDDAH769
2006-12-19 15:56:00
SECRET
Consulate Jeddah
Cable title:  

IRF OFFICER MEETS WITH CHRISTIAN LEADERS

Tags:  KIRF SOCI SA 
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VZCZCXYZ0001
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHJI #0769/01 3531556
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
P 191556Z DEC 06
FM AMCONSUL JEDDAH
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9722
INFO RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH PRIORITY 7025
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/DIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
S E C R E T JEDDAH 000769 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

PLEASE PASS TO DHAHRAN, DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ARP, DEPARTMENT
FOR DRL/IRF - PLEASE PASS TO AMBASSADOR-AT-LARGE JOHN
HANFORD

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/19/2016
TAGS: KIRF SOCI SA
SUBJECT: IRF OFFICER MEETS WITH CHRISTIAN LEADERS

REF: A. JEDDAH 308


B. JEDDAH 1175

C. RIYADH 2475

Classified By: Consul General Tatiana C. Gfoeller for
reasons 1.4 (c) and (d).

S E C R E T JEDDAH 000769

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

PLEASE PASS TO DHAHRAN, DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ARP, DEPARTMENT
FOR DRL/IRF - PLEASE PASS TO AMBASSADOR-AT-LARGE JOHN
HANFORD

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/19/2016
TAGS: KIRF SOCI SA
SUBJECT: IRF OFFICER MEETS WITH CHRISTIAN LEADERS

REF: A. JEDDAH 308


B. JEDDAH 1175

C. RIYADH 2475

Classified By: Consul General Tatiana C. Gfoeller for
reasons 1.4 (c) and (d).


1. (S) Summary. In a visit to Jeddah and Dhahran, DRL/IRF
officer Kate Lurie met with various leaders of the Christian
communities. In Jeddah, Lurie and Poloff held several
meetings with leaders of Christian congregations. In
Dhahran, Lurie met with three Americans, two Protestants and
one Catholic priest that service expatriate congregations.
All leaders reported a decline in incidents of house raids
and stated that the situation appears to be improving. They
also noted that custom officials no longer confiscate
personal religious materials as the use of scanning machines
has eliminated the need for bag searches however, there
continues to be concern about their vulnerability because of
the lack of rule of law, lack of transparency by the
Government and general mistreatment of foreign workers by
Saudi citizens. End Summary.


2. (S/NF) Observing an Underground Church: A contact of the
CG,s, a Filipino businessman (reftel) organized a meeting in
his home with leaders of various Indian, Filipino, and
African communities represented. One large room in the home
has been converted to a meeting area. To soundproof the
room, the businessman has used Styrofoam, egg cartons,
extensive carpeting and curtains. Nevertheless, he did
report that his neighbor, whom he described as a Mutawwa
(Christian groups often do not distinguish between pious
Muslims with a long beard and official members of the
Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of
Vice),complained on occasion and asked him if he was
operating a nightclub. The businessman told the neighbor he
and some of his friends are Christians singing worship songs
and they would try to keep it down. The pious Muslim
neighbor apparently saw no problem with this reply and has
since then, left them alone.


3. (C/NF) In general, the pastors described that their
situation has improved greatly over the last year. They
reported that the number of anti-Christian incidents has

decreased. In some cases, more and more groups are able to
meet safely. They try to exercise caution, entering or
leaving houses or rented buildings in no more than twos and
threes. They also reported that there have been no problems
in bringing personal religious materials into the country.
One pastor reported that he once entered the country with a
stack of Bibles in his native language. The guard noticed
the stack on the scanner and asked what is it? He replied
"books" and the guard left the matter alone.


4. (C) The group,s major complaint was the lack of
recourse, a problem for all Saudi citizens. They also
complained about the lack of transparency within the system.
In general, they do not know their rights, they do not know
where or how they should file complaints and lack
representation by their Embassies and Consulates General.


5. (S/NF) A separate meeting was held with two American
citizens who, in their personal capacity, work with a variety
of Christian communities. They discussed methods that would
guarantee the accuracy of incident reports and how to improve
coordination. One Amcit explained that he fears upcoming acts
of violence by terrorists that return from Iraq, much like
the situation in 2003-2004 when many battle-trained Saudis
returned from Afghanistan after the fall of the Taliban.
While many Westerners and Saudi government buildings were
being targeted by terrorists, there was a spike in raids and
arrests of both local and expatriate Christian communities.


6. (S/NF) These Amcits were both involved in working with
Post and the Department when five "converts" were arrested
and detained for approximately 6 months. All, except one
suspected of having ties to Al Qaeda in the Peninsula, were
released. Since their release in April 2005, there has been
contact with two out of the four. One suffered job problems
when he left his government assigned job for a new,
unapproved job. He was quickly fired from his new job and
was reassigned a different government approved work
assignment. His family has become alienated from him, but
has not attempted to seriously hurt him. Another individual
attempted to seek refugee status last spring in the United
States but refused to meet with Embassy officials because of
fear. Those who know him in the Kingdom have encouraged him
to reach out to Australia, where his brother has attained
asylum. There has been no word from the other two converts,
who were last seen in the Western Province. It is believed
that the fifth person is still in prison, although some who
knew him before he was imprisoned do not believe he was tied
to a terrorist organization.


7. (C/NF) In Dhahran, Lurie and Poloff met with three Amcit
Christian leaders, one priest and two Protestant pastors who
are associated with ARAMCO and authorized to minister by the
SAG. There are several Roman Catholic priests who travel
around the country and administer rites to the Catholic
communities in the Kingdom. This priest explained that he
will see up to 1000 people over the course of the week. Most
of his congregations are not Americans, but Filipinos and
Indians. One of the Protestant pastors also provides
services for primarily Filipinos, Pakistanis and Indians.
The other pastor,s church is largely made up of Amcits and
Westerners.


8. (C/NF) All men noted that the situation has improved over
the years. They told stories about zealous Mutawwa who
occasionally cause problems, but noted that the Saudi
government has been quick to step in and remove the
troublemaker from the area.
GFOELLER