FREEDOM AGENDA: REFINING STRATEGIES TO PROMOTE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KUWAIT 001888 SIPDIS SIPDIS FOR NEA, NEA/PI, AND NEA/ARP E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/22/2016 TAGS: PREL PGOV KDEM KMPI KU SUBJECT: FREEDOM AGENDA: REFINING STRATEGIES TO PROMOTE DEMOCRATIC REFORM REF: A. KUWAIT 1844 -- FREEDOM AGENDA: PARLIAMENT DISSOLUTION PRESENTS OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES ¶B. KUWAIT 1833 -- KUWAITI AMIR DISSOLVES PARLIAMENT ¶C. KUWAIT 1244 -- KUWAIT MEPIC 4 ¶D. KUWAIT 605 -- KUWAIT MEPIC 3 ¶E. 05 KUWAIT 4144 -- KUWAIT MEPIC II ¶F. 05 KUWAIT 2732 -- FIRST QUARTERLY MEPIC ¶G. 05 KUWAIT 2091 -- DEMOCRATIC REFORM STRATEGIES TO SUPPORT THE FREEDOM AGENDA Classified By: Ambassador Richard LeBaron for reasons 1.4(b) and (d) ¶1. (C) Key elements of Embassy Kuwait's Freedom Agenda are promoting democratic reform through full political participation by Kuwaiti women and encouraging the formation of political parties to reduce tribal influence and religious ideology on domestic politics. The May 21 Amiri decisions to dissolve Parliament and schedule elections for June 29 necessitate the immediate adoption of new tactics to achieve these goals. ¶2. (C) MEPI programming has formed the foundation for Freedom Agenda successes in promoting women's political participation and encouraging greater press freedom (ref C). Many of the women now running for office are graduates of MEPI programs and credit MEPI with helping them to prepare for their political careers. Several scheduled MEPI-funded programs to advance democratic reform were devised on the premise that parliamentary elections would be held in 2007. These activities, to be held in both Kuwait and neighboring countries, were structured and deliberate, targeting activists and potential female candidates and ranging from general political awareness-building to how to organize a campaign. With elections only five weeks away, several campaigns already launched, and a solid core of women political activists who have successfully completely MEPI training, U.S. assistance in this brief pre-election period must now focus on how to be responsive to requests for information and technical assistance. ¶3. (C) Women candidates report they are overwhelmed by how much they have to do in a short time frame and have stressed that they cannot afford to leave Kuwait for any type of additional training. Their days are also packed and they do not have the time to participate in in-country political seminars and training. Additionally, such training could be construed as U.S. interference in a domestic process and would taint the candidates and undermine U.S. interests. Therefore the U.S. should assess what it can offer in educational resources. Post recommends: -- Making available electronic versions of materials, in English and Arabic, of previously held and scheduled MEPI-funded courses; -- Contacting course instructors and experts and organizing one-hour DVCs on specific themes, for example working with the media, developing a message, and staffing a campaign team. Time should also be allotted for brief one-on-one sessions for specific questions; -- Building a website or organizing webchats so that candidates may ask and receive answers to questions on running a campaign; and -- Providing candidates, upon their request, a directory of political strategists, consultants, and advisors whom they can hire at their own expense to assist them during the campaign season. Additionally, Kuwaiti participation in the June 4 - 6 International Republic Institute-organized Campaign Academy should be expanded to allow other campaign staff to attend if Kuwaiti candidates and their campaign managers are not able to travel. ¶4. (SBU) The National Democratic Institute (NDI) representative in Kuwait met with PolChief May 23 to outline NDI's revised program in light of recent changes. NDI has devised a three-point plan, which it plans to launch immediately, in response to requests from some of the women running for office: -- A DVC with a Seattle-based campaign expert who has worked in the Middle East. The expert has indicated her willingness to conduct daily conferences with candidates, either individually or as a group, in order to respond to issues as they arise; -- Bringing Arab communications experts to Kuwait for consultations on publicity strategies; and -- Bringing a Moroccan woman MP to Kuwait for a seminar on the do's and don'ts of running an electoral campaign in the KUWAIT 00001888 002 OF 002 Middle East. Post endorses the NDI plan and encourages MEPI to facilitate its implementation. ¶5. (SBU) Post also welcomes MEPI Abu Dhabi's offer to organize on short notice a DVC training workshop for journalists by the University of Missouri on covering elections. Not only is the topic timely and the training needed, but the workshop also supports a Freedom Agenda objective to promote greater press freedom. Moreover, Post appreciates MEPI Abu Dhabi's proactive approach and looks forward to other program suggestions. Post will identify a local partner for the university and would like to include in the training media advisors to first-time candidates. ¶6. (C) There is considerable attention on the June 29 elections, but it is equally important to think about what happens on June 30. It is likely that many of the MPs will be re-elected and there will not be substantive change in the composition and outlook of Parliament. If this is the case, U.S. engagement should address how to sustain the political interest and activism that energized the 2005 suffrage movement and fueled the movement in favor of electoral constituency reform. MEPI programs should target youth groups that were active in both political movements, address the professionalism of MPs now that corruption and disinterest have been revealed as serious problems, and educate groups on how to raise awareness and build support for issues of concern. Reform-minded Kuwaitis are gaining experience with protests and sit-ins and are skilled at using SMS to bring attention to an issue. The U.S. should use the post-election to help them identify other means to advance political reform. ********************************************* * For more Embassy Kuwait reporting, see: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/?cable s Or Visit Embassy Kuwait's Classified Website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/ ********************************************* * LEBARON