Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06RIYADH3977
2006-05-22 12:30:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Riyadh
Cable title:
CHRISTIAN EXPATRIATE DOCTOR TOLD TO LEAVE KINGDOM
how-toVZCZCXRO2733 PP RUEHDE DE RUEHRH #3977 1421230 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 221230Z MAY 06 FM AMEMBASSY RIYADH TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7696 INFO RUEHZM/GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 2621 RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 0560
C O N F I D E N T I A L RIYADH 003977
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DHAHRAN SENDS
PARIS FOR ZEYA, LONDON FOR TSOU
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/21/2016
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KIRF SA
SUBJECT: CHRISTIAN EXPATRIATE DOCTOR TOLD TO LEAVE KINGDOM
Classified by Consul General John Kincannon for reason 1.4
(d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L RIYADH 003977
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DHAHRAN SENDS
PARIS FOR ZEYA, LONDON FOR TSOU
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/21/2016
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KIRF SA
SUBJECT: CHRISTIAN EXPATRIATE DOCTOR TOLD TO LEAVE KINGDOM
Classified by Consul General John Kincannon for reason 1.4
(d).
1. (C) Mission and DRL contact Roy Markara told PolOff on
May 18 that Dr. Florence Isaac, a Christian doctor of Indian
origin who has been working in the Kingdom for a number of
years, had her medical license suspended and was told by the
SAG that she had to leave the Kingdom before June 16.
According to Markara, who said he had met with her the
previous afternoon, Dr. Isaac's troubles began about one year
ago, when she was accused by the Mutawa' of proselytizing
thanks to several words she had taped on the wall of her
office such as "prayer" and "love." She received a
deportation notice soon thereafter, but the notice was
suspended, perhaps, according to Markara, because of the
intervention of her employer, the director of the Mohammed
Al-Dossari Hospital in Khobar. Yet Dr. Isaac recently
received a notice from the Eastern Province (EP) branch of
the health ministry, Markara said, informing her that her
medical license was suspended and that she had to leave the
Kingdom before June 16. According to Markara, an appeal from
the hospital director to Mohammed bin Naif, deputy Minister
of the Interior, had gone unanswered. Markara said that Dr.
Isaac and her family were resigned to the fact that they had
to leave the Kingdom, recounting that the previous weekend,
shortly after they hosted a meeting of five or six fellow
Christians in their house, Dr. Isaac had received a call from
an unknown person who told her, "this will be the last
meeting in your house."
2. (C) Markara and a friend of his, who is a leader in the
resident expatriate Indian Christian community in the EP and
who was at the meeting with PolOff, noted that, to the best
of their knowledge, Dr. Isaac's case was the first case in
several years where an expatriate Christian resident in the
EP was asked to leave the Kingdom because of alleged
religious activities.
(APPROVED: KINCANNON)
GFOELLER
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DHAHRAN SENDS
PARIS FOR ZEYA, LONDON FOR TSOU
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/21/2016
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KIRF SA
SUBJECT: CHRISTIAN EXPATRIATE DOCTOR TOLD TO LEAVE KINGDOM
Classified by Consul General John Kincannon for reason 1.4
(d).
1. (C) Mission and DRL contact Roy Markara told PolOff on
May 18 that Dr. Florence Isaac, a Christian doctor of Indian
origin who has been working in the Kingdom for a number of
years, had her medical license suspended and was told by the
SAG that she had to leave the Kingdom before June 16.
According to Markara, who said he had met with her the
previous afternoon, Dr. Isaac's troubles began about one year
ago, when she was accused by the Mutawa' of proselytizing
thanks to several words she had taped on the wall of her
office such as "prayer" and "love." She received a
deportation notice soon thereafter, but the notice was
suspended, perhaps, according to Markara, because of the
intervention of her employer, the director of the Mohammed
Al-Dossari Hospital in Khobar. Yet Dr. Isaac recently
received a notice from the Eastern Province (EP) branch of
the health ministry, Markara said, informing her that her
medical license was suspended and that she had to leave the
Kingdom before June 16. According to Markara, an appeal from
the hospital director to Mohammed bin Naif, deputy Minister
of the Interior, had gone unanswered. Markara said that Dr.
Isaac and her family were resigned to the fact that they had
to leave the Kingdom, recounting that the previous weekend,
shortly after they hosted a meeting of five or six fellow
Christians in their house, Dr. Isaac had received a call from
an unknown person who told her, "this will be the last
meeting in your house."
2. (C) Markara and a friend of his, who is a leader in the
resident expatriate Indian Christian community in the EP and
who was at the meeting with PolOff, noted that, to the best
of their knowledge, Dr. Isaac's case was the first case in
several years where an expatriate Christian resident in the
EP was asked to leave the Kingdom because of alleged
religious activities.
(APPROVED: KINCANNON)
GFOELLER