POLITICAL ISLAM IN BAHRAIN (PART III): THE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 04 MANAMA 000516 SIPDIS C O R R E C T E D COPY INFO ADDRESSE GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLL VICE ISLAMIC CONFERENCE COLL SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/25/2016 TAGS: PGOV KISL KDEM SCUL BA POL REFORM SUBJECT: POLITICAL ISLAM IN BAHRAIN (PART III): THE LIBERALS STRIKE BACK REF: A. MANAMA 0456 ¶B. MANAMA 0339 Classified by Ambassador William T. Monroe for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). -------------- Summary -------------- ¶1. (C) Twenty-nine NGOs formed the "Lana Haq" (We Have a Right) movement in December 2005 and issued a public declaration calling for the defense of individual and civil liberties. The declaration says that the signatories took this step because "the liberal and patriotic forces in Bahraini society have been appalled by the attempt by some to force their views upon all," a reference to the legislative agenda of the Sunni Islamists in parliament. Several Lana Haq supporters told us that Bahraini society has traditionally been open and tolerant, but the Islamists are trying to impose their beliefs on citizens by legislation rather than by convincing people of the merits of their position. A Lana Haq organizer said one of the motivating factors in launching the movement was to show the government that there are people in the country who are willing to publicly state their opposition to the Islamists' policies. Several business leaders pulled their donations from Islamic charitable organizations and established the Private Sector Development Society, which will carry out philanthropic activities while showing the caring side of the business community. In this battle of ideas, the liberals are swimming against the tide as Islamic messages gain greater esonance in countries of the region. In the end, t may be divisive external influences, in particlar sectarianism in Iraq and tensions with Iran, hat tip the balance in favor of Islamists in Bahain. End Summary. ¶2. (C) This cable is the thrd in a three-part series of reports covering poitical Islam in Bahrain. Part I (Ref B) discusss the three leading Islamic political societies and their agendas; Part II (Ref A) reports the viewsof competing olitical societies and politicianson the Islamist agenda; and Part III describes te reactions of civil society, business people, ad liberals in the country. -------------- "We Have a Right" Too -------------- ¶3. (U) Twenty-nine civil society organizations sined and released a declaration in early December2005 proclaiming "Lana Haq," or "We Have a Right" The National Movement for the Defense of Indiviual and Civil Liberties announced: "Individual and civil liberties are the gateway to the freedoms sought by all societies. In Bahrain, they are an important indicator of the success of the ambitious reform program initiated by His Majesty The King. During the last few years, these freedoms have faced very serious threats that have led to: - a. Prejudicing freedom of belief, thought and expression; - b. Damaging Bahrain's image as a tolerant society, a center for enlightenment and a home to various religions, sects, cultures, and ideals; - c. Destruction of the fundamentals of a free economy, based upon the values of freedom, transparency, and competitiveness; - d. Undermining the status of Bahraini women and their achievement of a prominent status in society alongside and on equal terms with men; - e. Relinquishing the drive to create a civil society that provides protection to freedom and the rule of law." ¶4. (C) The declaration continues that "the liberal and patriotic forces in Bahraini society have been appalled by the attempt by some to force their views upon all." The reference is to the Sunni Islamist members of the Council of Representatives (COR),who have used their position to champion greater adherence to Islamic practices in everyday life. Businessman Adel Fakhro, chair of the cosmopolitan Al Muntada Society and the moving force behind the declaration, told EmbOff that the 29 societies came together as Lana Haq in order to gain strength in numbers while taking on the Islamists. No one individual or group would have had the strength to publicly criticize the Islamists, but by joining together they are able to have an impact. -------------- MANAMA 00000516 002 OF 004 Emphasizing Bahrain's Traditional Openness -------------- ¶5. (C) Shura Council member and KPMG/Bahrain chair Jamal Fakhro (a cousin of Adel) said that Bahraini society has traditionally been open. Forty years ago, he said, his mother wore sleeveless shirts and miniskirts in public, and was respected and had no problems. Several generations of Bahrainis grew up like this. Liberals in society want to protect this openness and the personal freedoms of citizens. Bahrainis and foreign residents should have options about how they live their personal lives, and not be told what to do by conservative Islamists. ¶6. (C) Business woman Selwa Al Moayyed offered a similar opinion. She noted that Bahrain's economy had historically relied upon shipping and trade. As a result, Bahrainis were accustomed to working with foreigners. Bahrainis generally are moderate people, even if they are religious. Member of the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) board and Shia opposition society Al Wifaq leader Nizar Al Baharna told EmbOff that Bahrainis have never feared speaking their minds. Dialogue is important, even if people disagree. However, Bahrainis have feared speaking out against the Islamists because they might be accused of being bad Muslims. He said the role of clerics is to convince people to live according to religious principles, but not force them to do so. After years of using religious police to enforce their version of Islam, Wahhabis in Saudi Arabia still cannot compel people to practice Islam according to their interpretation of the religion. -------------- Islamists Defying King's Reform Program -------------- ¶7. (U) Prominent intellectual Dr. Abdulla Al Madani said in a magazine interview that following the launch of the declaration, some clerics accused Lana Haq members of being "pagans, unbelievers, and dogs. They said the campaign is aimed at spreading prostitution and alcoholism" in Bahraini society. In response to a question, Al Madani said the availability of alcohol is not the main issue, but the decision to ban hotels from serving drinks during Ramadan (early October - early November 2005) pushed liberals to look seriously at civil rights and personal freedoms in the country. "We look at this (the Islamist agenda) as trying to defy" both the constitution and the National Action Charter, the 2001 blueprint for the King's reform program. ¶8. (U) Al Madani said the Islamists "are trying to ruin Bahrain's image as a society of tolerance." This will damage Bahrain as a state of law and order and its multi-cultural, multi-ethnic, multi-religious society. In addition, the Islamists' actions will push business and investment away from the country. He stated that already, many businesses have relocated to neighboring Gulf states because of "this extremism and fanaticism and intolerance." Because of all of these factors, Al Madani said "We need to voice our opinion, to tell the Islamists that they are not the only ones in Bahrain, and they should not think that Bahrain belongs to them to shape the image or cultural identity of Bahrain." -------------- A Force to Balance the Islamists -------------- ¶9. (C) Adel Fakhro said it was important for liberals to speak up to defend their interests. Islamists in the COR pass non-binding proposals, called "iqtirah bi raghba," to convey their demands for a higher profile for religion in daily life. If the government needs something from the Islamist deputies, they can use these proposals as bargaining chips. In Fakhro's view, the government is in a stronger position to refuse if it knows that many people oppose the Islamists' policies. The Lana Haq movement demonstrates publicly that support exists for a more tolerant, moderate society. Ahmed Juma, chair of the Al Meethaq Society, a centrist political group with both Sunni and Shia members, told EmbOff that senior government officials are aware of the potential danger behind the Islamists' agenda and asked liberals to form an alliance and become active in politics. ¶10. (C) In a different interpretation, Shura Council member Jamal Fakhro said the government was grateful for the Sunnis Islamists' participation in the 2002 parliamentary elections because by doing so, they enhanced the legitimacy of the political system at a time when most Shia leaders boycotted. In return, the government supports its Sunni base. But, in Fakhro's view, the Sunni Islamists are not politicians. They MANAMA 00000516 003 OF 004 represent narrow interests. They have no party platform and do not have the country's best interests in mind. Rather, they want to further their religious agenda. The government has chosen not to interfere in their activities as long as the government is able to consolidate its powers in anticipation of a more aggressive and opposition parliament following the 2006 elections, in which Al Wifaq is expected to participate. Human rights and political activist Abdul Nabi Al Ekry told EmbOff that the government has made a mistake by stunting the growth of Bahraini civil society. If there are no secular outlets for opposition, people turn to the mosque to address their grievances. -------------- Leftists Complain Not a True Liberal Agenda -------------- ¶11. (C) In addition to provoking criticism from some religious scholars, Lana Haq also took flak from the left. Al Waad President Ibrahim Sharif, whose roots are in the communist/socialist movements of the 1970s, told EmbOffs that Lana Haq does not have a "true" liberal agenda, which should encompass economic, political, and individual rights rather than just individual rights. Lana Haq requested that Al Waad join its coalition but Sharif refused, saying his group would join only if Lana Haq endorsed the range of civic rights. He criticized Lana Haq for picking too narrow an issue - the availability of alcohol, tourism, and the impact on the commercial environment - because it was too easy for the Islamists to claim that Lana Haq was only concerned about drinking. ¶12. (C) Al Waad Vice President Muneera Fakhro echoed Sharif's comments, saying the Lana Haq leadership, mostly business people, have traditionally been close to the government and so they did not have credibility taking on the government over this issue. Pro-business MP Jasim Abdul Aal told EmbOffs that Lana Haq faced a problem with terminology and spin. Lana Haq supporters refer to themselves as liberals, which many Bahrainis understand to mean that they drink alcohol. He recommended they use the term "open-minded" (monfateh) rather than "liberal" (liberali). Because of this impression, Abdul Aal doubted Lana Haq's campaign would gain wide traction in Bahraini society. -------------- No More Charitable Contributions to Islamists -------------- ¶13. (C) Al Muntada Society Chair Adel Fakhro told EmbOff that Lana Haq supporters, including many of the major business owners in the country, had decided to stop donating to Islamic charities and had formed their own philanthropic group, the Private Sector Development Society (PSDS). They want to send a message to the Islamic charities, who rely upon the generosity of business people, that their anti-business political activities are unacceptable. The PSDS will have no overt political message but over the long-term its activities will help improve the image of business people in society, who are often seen as greedy and only looking out for themselves. The Society will pay for housing, scholarships, training, and medical treatment for the poor, among other activities. ¶14. (C) PSDS supporter Jamal Fakhro said the Society would carry out activities that the Islamic charities were already doing with business people's money. He said Bahrain's business families donate hundred of thousands, if not millions, of dinars to Islamic charities each year, who end up taking the credit while working against the country's business and economic interests. "Why are we giving all this money to these idiots who fight against us," he asked. The Moayyed, Kanoo, and Fakhro families are some of the major contributors to the Society. BCCI board member and business man Adel Al Maskati, another supporter, said the PSDS would demonstrate in a concrete way the caring side of the business community and combat the negative impression of business people in Bahraini society. -------------- Comment -------------- ¶15. (C) The Lana Haq movement is a hopeful sign that some Bahrainis are willing to take a public stance against the imposition of Islamic practices into everyday life, as is championed by Sunni Islamist deputies in the COR. Lana Haq supporters' refusal to continue to fund Islamic charities while the political arms of these very groups pursue policies that run counter to business interests sends a strong message MANAMA 00000516 004 OF 004 that the Islamists cannot have it both ways. In addition, the PSDS' charitable activities could result in a greater appreciation in society for the beneficial role the business sector plays. But as MP Abdul Aal points out, Lana Haq supporters face an uphill battle. They risk being tarred as promoting alcohol use, a spurious but simple claim the Islamists will continue to make. And they swim against the tide as Islamic messages gain greater resonance in countries of the region. In the end, regional influences such as sectarianism in Iraq and tensions with Iran, which have a direct and divisive impact on Bahraini society, may tip the balance in favor of the Islamists in the battle of ideas in Bahrain. MONROE