Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06RABAT2061
2006-11-06 11:58:00
CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN
Embassy Rabat
Cable title:
NONGOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS CALL FOR A BOYCOTT
how-toVZCZCXYZ0000 OO RUEHWEB DE RUEHRB #2061/01 3101158 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 061158Z NOV 06 FM AMEMBASSY RABAT TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5126 INFO RUEHAS/AMEMBASSY ALGIERS IMMEDIATE 4189 RUEHNK/AMEMBASSY NOUAKCHOTT IMMEDIATE 3343 RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS IMMEDIATE 4424 RUEHTU/AMEMBASSY TUNIS IMMEDIATE 9092 RUEHCL/AMCONSUL CASABLANCA IMMEDIATE 2325
C O N F I D E N T I A L RABAT 002061
SIPDIS
NOFORN
SIPDIS
STATE FOR NEA/MAG, NEA/PI, DRL
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/31/2011
TAGS: PHUM PGOV PREL MO
SUBJECT: NONGOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS CALL FOR A BOYCOTT
OF THE US--GLORIFY HIZBALLAH
REF: CASABLANCA 01233
Classified By: Political Counselor Craig Karp, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L RABAT 002061
SIPDIS
NOFORN
SIPDIS
STATE FOR NEA/MAG, NEA/PI, DRL
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/31/2011
TAGS: PHUM PGOV PREL MO
SUBJECT: NONGOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS CALL FOR A BOYCOTT
OF THE US--GLORIFY HIZBALLAH
REF: CASABLANCA 01233
Classified By: Political Counselor Craig Karp, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (C) Summary: A wave of agitation has given new life to
an existing "boycott" of cooperation with the US, and has now
become linked to the glorification of Hizballah. Six
nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) have pledged to boycott
all programs and activities of the Mission. The largest, the
Moroccan Association for Human Rights (AMDH) has boycotted
cooperation with the US since 2003. The six NGOs are now
circulating a petition to other NGOs asking them to join the
boycott and to pledge to report on their members if they
participate in US functions or programs. The NGOs gathered
at a well-attended rally November 2, called by Khalid
Sufyani, the Moroccan head of the Pan-Arab Conference
Organization based in Beirut. The rally sharply criticized
US. policy in the Middle East linking it to Israel and its
assault on Lebanon. Hizballah was widely praised at the
rally, part of an extensively reported trend glorifying the
Lebanese Shia movement for its defiance of Israel. A number
of Islamist political leaders were in attendance, including
the head of the major Islamist party, the Justice and
Development Party (PJD),which could capture the largest
number of parliamentary seats of any single party in the 2007
parliamentary elections. The Justice and Charity
Organization (JCO) was also represented at the rally.. So
far the boycott has had limited practical significance;
however, in the unlikely event the tattle-tale provision were
implemented, it could have a chilling affect on our outreach
efforts. End Summary.
2. (U) The press reported an October 31 meeting in which
six Moroccan NGOs pledged to boycott all activities and
programs organized by the USG in Morocco. The six NGOs are:
the Moroccan Association for Human Rights (AMDH),which has
significant influence in Morocco with an estimated 8000
members, the Moroccan Press Union (MPU),the Moroccan Union
of Writers (MUW),the Moroccan Association for the Support of
the Palestinian Struggle (MASPS),the Moroccan Association
for the Support of Palestine and Iraq (MASPI),and the
Moroccan Coalition for Art and Culture (MCAC). Younes
M'jahed, the secretary-general of the MPU, reportedly
referring to the activities and programs related to the
Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) told the press:
"the pre-emptive war led by America in Iraq under the pretext
of spreading democracy and human rights in the world is a
joke."
3. (C) A member of the MPU, Hassan Bakkali, informed
Emboffs that the boycott would extend to US organizations
and/or foundations, specifically the International Republican
Institute (IRI) and the National Democratic Institute (NDI).
Bakkali said that a petition will be distributed to all
Moroccan NGOs calling on them to take the same position to
denounce the continuous "American presence in Iraq and its
double standard policy in the Middle East." In addition, he
indicated that NGO members will be reported to their
organizations if they participate in US functions and
programs.
4. (C) Since 2003 when the Iraq war began, the AMDH has
consistently boycotted US programs. The MASPS and the MCAC,
headed by Khalid Sufyani, who is the head of the Pan-Arab
Conference Organization based in Beirut, often join with
other organizations, including the AMDH and the Justice and
Development Party (PJD),to demonstrate against the GOM or US
actions in the Near East. During the recent war in Lebanon,
several NGOs demonstrated against Israel and the US in Rabat
and Casablanca. Recently, during Ramadan, the AMDH organized
a demonstration in Casablanca against the rise in commodity
prices (reftel). With 8,000 members nationwide, the AMDH is
the largest NGO in Morocco and has more registered members
than any of the political parties including the PJD. While
the JCO, which is neither a political party nor a NGO, claims
the largest membership, its actual numbers are unknown.
5. (C) During the evening of November 2, the MASPI
organized a rally at the Mohamed V theater in Rabat to
commemorate the "historical victory" of Hizballah in Lebanon.
According to Pol LES, who attended the event, hundreds of
Moroccan university students shouted anti-American and
anti-Israeli slogans, e.g., "We are here to defend our
liberty and our true sovereignty, the sovereignty of the
resistance." Some of the banners said: "No to
American-Zionist intervention. Yes to resistance." The
crowd appeared to be larger than at other recent rallies held
in Rabat. Present were: PJD president Saad Eddine El
Othmani; Mohamed Hamdaoui, leader of the Reform and
Unification Party; and, Abdelwahed Moutawakil, the "political
circle" leader, and Fathallah Arsalane of the JCO. Sufyani
praised Hizballah's Hassan Nasrallah and described him as "a
very courageous Arab and Muslim leader who fought for the
dignity of the Muslim nation." He added: "Today, we
celebrate the historical victory not only of the Lebanese but
of the whole Umma against the joint American and Zionist
arrogance." This was the most public manifestation of a
broader trend noted in the media glorifying Hizballah, which
reportedly has become a "hero" to many Moroccans.
6. (C) Comment: The principal substantive change is the
addition of one small NGO to the boycott, which so far has
had a relatively minimal impact. No additional NGOs signed
the petition during the rally. The incident and the
importance of the petition may be political posturing on the
part of AMDH in particular. Some interlocutors have
suggested that this week's US elections are driving both the
petition and the rally. Some interlocutors have opined that
this was domestic jockeying for the most anti-American
position in preparation for the 2007 elections, seeing it as
a sure-fire way to win votes. What is even more troubling
for US interest in the region, however, is the putative
alliance between these two elements, as witnessed by both
sides being at the November 2 rally. Another possible
motivation may be that the NGOs, particularly AMDH are using
their criticism of the US as a surrogate for criticizing the
Monarchy, a tactic historically not unknown in the
multi-layered onion of Moroccan politics. End Comment.
******************************************
Visit Embassy Rabat's Classified Website;
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/rabat
******************************************
Riley
SIPDIS
NOFORN
SIPDIS
STATE FOR NEA/MAG, NEA/PI, DRL
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/31/2011
TAGS: PHUM PGOV PREL MO
SUBJECT: NONGOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS CALL FOR A BOYCOTT
OF THE US--GLORIFY HIZBALLAH
REF: CASABLANCA 01233
Classified By: Political Counselor Craig Karp, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (C) Summary: A wave of agitation has given new life to
an existing "boycott" of cooperation with the US, and has now
become linked to the glorification of Hizballah. Six
nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) have pledged to boycott
all programs and activities of the Mission. The largest, the
Moroccan Association for Human Rights (AMDH) has boycotted
cooperation with the US since 2003. The six NGOs are now
circulating a petition to other NGOs asking them to join the
boycott and to pledge to report on their members if they
participate in US functions or programs. The NGOs gathered
at a well-attended rally November 2, called by Khalid
Sufyani, the Moroccan head of the Pan-Arab Conference
Organization based in Beirut. The rally sharply criticized
US. policy in the Middle East linking it to Israel and its
assault on Lebanon. Hizballah was widely praised at the
rally, part of an extensively reported trend glorifying the
Lebanese Shia movement for its defiance of Israel. A number
of Islamist political leaders were in attendance, including
the head of the major Islamist party, the Justice and
Development Party (PJD),which could capture the largest
number of parliamentary seats of any single party in the 2007
parliamentary elections. The Justice and Charity
Organization (JCO) was also represented at the rally.. So
far the boycott has had limited practical significance;
however, in the unlikely event the tattle-tale provision were
implemented, it could have a chilling affect on our outreach
efforts. End Summary.
2. (U) The press reported an October 31 meeting in which
six Moroccan NGOs pledged to boycott all activities and
programs organized by the USG in Morocco. The six NGOs are:
the Moroccan Association for Human Rights (AMDH),which has
significant influence in Morocco with an estimated 8000
members, the Moroccan Press Union (MPU),the Moroccan Union
of Writers (MUW),the Moroccan Association for the Support of
the Palestinian Struggle (MASPS),the Moroccan Association
for the Support of Palestine and Iraq (MASPI),and the
Moroccan Coalition for Art and Culture (MCAC). Younes
M'jahed, the secretary-general of the MPU, reportedly
referring to the activities and programs related to the
Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) told the press:
"the pre-emptive war led by America in Iraq under the pretext
of spreading democracy and human rights in the world is a
joke."
3. (C) A member of the MPU, Hassan Bakkali, informed
Emboffs that the boycott would extend to US organizations
and/or foundations, specifically the International Republican
Institute (IRI) and the National Democratic Institute (NDI).
Bakkali said that a petition will be distributed to all
Moroccan NGOs calling on them to take the same position to
denounce the continuous "American presence in Iraq and its
double standard policy in the Middle East." In addition, he
indicated that NGO members will be reported to their
organizations if they participate in US functions and
programs.
4. (C) Since 2003 when the Iraq war began, the AMDH has
consistently boycotted US programs. The MASPS and the MCAC,
headed by Khalid Sufyani, who is the head of the Pan-Arab
Conference Organization based in Beirut, often join with
other organizations, including the AMDH and the Justice and
Development Party (PJD),to demonstrate against the GOM or US
actions in the Near East. During the recent war in Lebanon,
several NGOs demonstrated against Israel and the US in Rabat
and Casablanca. Recently, during Ramadan, the AMDH organized
a demonstration in Casablanca against the rise in commodity
prices (reftel). With 8,000 members nationwide, the AMDH is
the largest NGO in Morocco and has more registered members
than any of the political parties including the PJD. While
the JCO, which is neither a political party nor a NGO, claims
the largest membership, its actual numbers are unknown.
5. (C) During the evening of November 2, the MASPI
organized a rally at the Mohamed V theater in Rabat to
commemorate the "historical victory" of Hizballah in Lebanon.
According to Pol LES, who attended the event, hundreds of
Moroccan university students shouted anti-American and
anti-Israeli slogans, e.g., "We are here to defend our
liberty and our true sovereignty, the sovereignty of the
resistance." Some of the banners said: "No to
American-Zionist intervention. Yes to resistance." The
crowd appeared to be larger than at other recent rallies held
in Rabat. Present were: PJD president Saad Eddine El
Othmani; Mohamed Hamdaoui, leader of the Reform and
Unification Party; and, Abdelwahed Moutawakil, the "political
circle" leader, and Fathallah Arsalane of the JCO. Sufyani
praised Hizballah's Hassan Nasrallah and described him as "a
very courageous Arab and Muslim leader who fought for the
dignity of the Muslim nation." He added: "Today, we
celebrate the historical victory not only of the Lebanese but
of the whole Umma against the joint American and Zionist
arrogance." This was the most public manifestation of a
broader trend noted in the media glorifying Hizballah, which
reportedly has become a "hero" to many Moroccans.
6. (C) Comment: The principal substantive change is the
addition of one small NGO to the boycott, which so far has
had a relatively minimal impact. No additional NGOs signed
the petition during the rally. The incident and the
importance of the petition may be political posturing on the
part of AMDH in particular. Some interlocutors have
suggested that this week's US elections are driving both the
petition and the rally. Some interlocutors have opined that
this was domestic jockeying for the most anti-American
position in preparation for the 2007 elections, seeing it as
a sure-fire way to win votes. What is even more troubling
for US interest in the region, however, is the putative
alliance between these two elements, as witnessed by both
sides being at the November 2 rally. Another possible
motivation may be that the NGOs, particularly AMDH are using
their criticism of the US as a surrogate for criticizing the
Monarchy, a tactic historically not unknown in the
multi-layered onion of Moroccan politics. End Comment.
******************************************
Visit Embassy Rabat's Classified Website;
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/rabat
******************************************
Riley