ELECTION HIGHLIGHTS 6: SISTANI GIVES "ADVICE", AL

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MANAMA 001912 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/07/2016 TAGS: PGOV KDEM PHUM BA POL SUBJECT: ELECTION HIGHLIGHTS 6: SISTANI GIVES "ADVICE", AL WIFAQ PRESSURE ON CANDIDATES REF: MANAMA 1870 Classified By: DCM Susan L. Ziadeh for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: Leading Shi'a cleric Hussain Najati relayed "advice" from Sayed Sistani from Najaf to the Bahraini people November 1, encouraging them to participate in upcoming elections. Najati was careful to avoid possible misunderstanding that the "advice" was being issued in the form of a fatwa. Shaikh Isa Qassem continued to encourage participation in his Friday sermon November 3, employing religious references to "people's duties" under Sari'a law. Shi'a MP Jasim Abdul A'al, running fo reelection against Al Wifaq cleric Shaikh Hassa Sultan, announced his withdrawal from the election November 4 and then retracted his withdrawal Nvember 7. He reported to Bahrain Transparency Sciety president Dr. Jasim Al Ajmi that he had been pressured by leading Shi'a political society Al ifaq to withdraw to maintain the unity of the Shi'a community. Wa'ad member and Al Wifaq-supporte candidate Munira Fakhro officially opened her cmpaign November 3, attracting between 2,000 and ,000 members of the public to her campaign tent.Shaikh Ali Salman spoke at the opening, saying thathe and Munira were both working "in the trenches" End summary. ¶2. (C) SISTANI WEIGHS IN: Proinent Bahraini Shi'a cleric Hussain Najati issue a statement November 1 in which he relayed "advce" from Sayed Ali Al Sistani from Najaf encouragng the Bahraini people to participate in the eletions. Najati had reportedly contacted Sistani's ffice in Najaf to discuss election issues in Bahain. In his public statement, Najati said it would not be in anyone's interest to ignore Sistani's advice. (Note: It was also clear from Najati's statement that he was careful to avoid possible public misunderstanding that Sistani's input was in the form of a fatwa, as he issued during the Iraqi elections, which would be considered as direct foreign involvement in local politics. End note.) In a message to the residents of Sitra and the surrounding areas November 2 (reftel),leading Bahraini Shi'a cleric Shaikh Isa Qassem emphasized the advice of Sistani, saying that his statement must be respected, reminding the crowd that the advice came from a supreme Shi'a Marja'iyah (reference). ¶3. (C) Over recent weeks, Qassem has increasingly introduced religious language in his encouragement to the public to participate in the election process. On October 27 Qassem said, "Participating in the elections is so important that I might say it is part of our religious duties because there are no more effective tools we can use to gain our rights." In his November 3 sermon, Qassem said, "The issue of election participation is related to the people's religion, interests, and rights. We either try to gain benefits by taking part, or stay out while the situation goes from bad to worse. In terms of Shari'a teaching, participating in the elections might be considered part of the people's duties." ¶4. (SBU) ABDUL A'AL FLIP FLOP: Independent Shi'a MP and independent candidate Jasim Abdul A'al, who was vice chairman of the Financial and Economic Affairs Committee of the Council of Representatives (COR),announced his withdrawal from the election November 4, saying that he had made the decision in conjunction with the desire of the religious Ulama (Shi'a) Council. (Note: Abdul A'al is running in the ninth district of the Northern Governorate which is predominantly Shi'a. The leading competitor is Shi'a cleric and Al Wifaq member Shaikh Hassan Sultan. End note.) On November 5 a second candidate in the district announced his withdrawal, spurring speculation that Sultan's one remaining competitor would soon withdraw, leaving Sultan unopposed. On November 7 Abdul A'al stated that he had decided to retract his withdrawal after he had received encouragement from supporters, confirming they wanted him to stay in the race. ¶5. (C) In a November 8 conversation with Poloff, Bahrain Transparency Society (BTS) president Jasim Al Ajmi said that BTS had received reports from candidates that they had been pressured to withdraw. He said that he had spoken to Jasim Abdul A'al, who similarly complained about pressure from clerics and Al Wifaq members to withdraw from the race. Abdul A'al said that he had initially agreed to withdraw in light of their arguments advocating Shi'a unity, but after hearing from his supporters he could not ignore their wishes. ¶6. (C) MUNIRA FAKHRO OPENS TENT: Liberal, secular Wa'ad candidate Munira Fakhro, who has received the official endorsement of Al Wifaq, launched her campaign officially November 3 with a public gathering that attracted between 2,000 and 4,000 supporters. Al Wifaq president Shaikh Ali Salman spoke at the opening to announce the alliance between MANAMA 00001912 002 OF 002 Wa'ad and Al Wifaq in that district. He pointed out that Fakhro had struggled for the rights of the people and even lost her job at the University of Bahrain in the mid-90's for her outspoken stance. Salman added, "Munira and I are working side by side in the trenches." In a meeting with Poloffs, Fakhro said that even with Al Wifaq's support, she faces a tough election battle in her Sunni-Shi'a mixed district. ¶7. (SBU) GENERAL POLLING STATIONS: Minister of Justice Dr. Mohamed Al Sitri responded November 6 to an Al Wifaq letter of concern about the use of the ten general polling stations. The Minister reaffirmed that the stations would be under the supervision of the judicial committees that will observe the voting process. In his response, he questioned Al Wifaq's demand to abolish the centers even though they do not violate the law and were used successfully in the 2002 elections. The Minister also responded to an inquiry about the legality of suffrage for newly-naturalized Bahrainis in light of legislation giving voting rights only after ten years of citizenship. The Minister clarified that the political and civil rights law of 2002 superceded any previous legislation on the issue and granted voting privileges to the newly-naturalized immediately. ¶8. (C) VOTER LISTS: In a meeting November 5, BTS president Al Ajmi told Poloff that BTS had received reports that three candidates, including the head of Al Minbar (Sunni) bloc Dr. Salah Ali, Wa'ad candidate Munira Fakhro's leading competition, had obtained detailed voter lists, including addresses and phone numbers, of the constituents in their districts. Since other candidates have not received such detailed lists from the government, BTS presented these reports to the High Commission for Elections. Al Ajmi reported that the High Commission asked for evidence of the claim, something that would be difficult for BTS to obtain. The less detailed voter lists make it difficult for candidates to contact all the voters in their districts. ¶9. (C) FURTHER VANDALISM: Chat room participants discussed the burning of Shi'a MP Mohamed Al Shaikh's campaign tent overnight November 8. Bloggers speculated about who was responsible. Al Shaikh told Poloff that he is not discouraged and would erect another tent soon to officially open his campaign. ¶10. (C) SUPPORT FOR WOMEN: The UN Development Program (UNDP) has pledged 3,000 Bahraini Dinars ($7980) of "in-kind" support to each female parliamentary and municipal candidate competing in the elections. The announcement in the press came October 30 by UNDP Bahrain coordinator Sayed Aqa. Aqa stated that the basis for the financial assistance is Article 4 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, and the assistance will go to cover selected campaign costs. Aqa itemized several items that would qualify for the assistance including campaign posters, mobile phones, and setting up campaign headquarters with furniture, computer equipment, and stationery. UNDP Program Analyst Mohamed Al Sharif told Poloff November 6 that the UNDP will also fund a campaign consultant for women candidates who will arrive one week before the election and will be available for private appointments with individual women candidates and their teams. ¶11. (SBU) NEWLY NATURALIZED CITIZENS THREATENED: Press reports stated that a number of recently naturalized citizens had received letters in the mail from anonymous sources threatening that they and their families would be killed or their houses would be burned. Those who received the letters filed reports with the Central Governorate police. MP and Al Minbar (Sunni) candidate Mohamed Khalid, condemned the threat letters, saying that naturalized Bahrainis are citizens like any other and "we will not allow any harm to come to them." ********************************************* ******** Visit Embassy Manama's Classified Website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/manama/ ********************************************* ******** MONROE