UAE Human Rights Association fractures while former

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ABU DHABI 002002

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

FOR G/TIP, INL, DRL, L/DL, NEA/RA, AND NEA/ARP, ECA/PE/V/R/N

E.O. 12958: DECL:12/12/2017
TAGS: PHUM ELAB KPMI PREL PGOV AE
SUBJECT: UAE Human Rights Association fractures while former
association member/International Visitor Program grantee is assailed
in local press for disloyalty

REFS:
A) 06 ABU DHABI 790 (HR NGO)
B) ABU DHABI 1542 (ACTION PLAN WITH MFA)
C) ABU DHABI 1539 (ACTIVIST VOICES)
D) ABU DHABI 151 (INFLUENTIAL WOMEN)
F) ABU DHABI 1338 (POLICY TOWARD TRANSPARENCY)
G) ABU DHABI 1539 (ACTIVISTS)
H) ABU DHABI 1567 (DISMISSAL OF ACADEMICS)
I) ABU DHABI 1619 (GRASSROOTS DEMOCRACY)
J) ABU DHABI 1869 (DEMOCRACY REFORM UPDATE)

Classified by DCM Martin Quinn for reasons 1.4 b and c

Summary
--------------

1. (C) Four out of seven board members of the only human rights
association in the UAE resigned December 4, putting into effect a
public welfare law that forced closure of the Emirates Human Rights
Association (EHRA). Disgruntled board members cited lack of
transparency and intolerance for opposing views as reasons the
nascent NGO has fractured and disintegrated. The unified protest is
a deliberate act to manipulate federal organizational law and "clean
house" in time for a fresh start in the Human Rights Association's
upcoming January election. In a further development, a member of
the association traveling to the U.S. to participate in an
International Visitor "Democracy and Human Rights" Project had his
computer searched at Dubai airport and became the target of a media
campaign impugning his loyalty and sharply criticizing his
"disgraceful behavior" for delivering "files and photos about labor
rights in the UAE to foreign organizations." End Summary.

No Change in Status Quo
--------------

2. (C) While the establishment of the first-ever Emirates Human
Rights Association (EHRA) (ref A) in 2006 was in itself a step toward
civil engagement (ref J),local Arabic daily Al Ittihad reported that
there has been "no change in the status quo"according to Aisha
Soltan, former vice chair and spokesperson for the four board members
of the association. One board member who recently resigned, Dr.
Ibtisam Al Kitbi (ref D),explained that the hope of the founding
members was to give elected members a voice to represent their
individual views. What she claimed instead to witness was a system
where the voices of board members were muted by " the dictator who
runs the association." Speaking candidly about the chairman of the
association, Abdul Gaffar Hussain, Al Kitbi complained that meetings
were held without elected members (ref F) and that decisions were
finalized by Hussain and his secretary general, Dr. Mohammad Obaid
Ghubash, without consultation. "How can I defend the rights of others
if my own human rights are violated?" said Al Kitbi. In response,
Hussain was quoted in the press as saying members who resigned "gave
nothing to the association and failed to attend [its] meetings." Al
Kitbi told PolOff that board members were not invited to meetings for
the past 5 months. "We never took action solitarily and if they
wished to object, they could have done so without trading
accusations,"countered Hussain in the Gulf News. Ghubash was quoted
as saying that board members could have reported their complaints to
the Social Affairs Ministry which investigates wrong doers rather
than tendering their resignations.

Reasons behind Resignation
--------------

3. (C) The four members who resigned, Aisha Soltan, Dr. Ibtisam Al
Kitbi, Dr. Nisreen Morad, and Khalfan Mosbeh Al Muheiri, sent in
coordinated resignations to protest alleged mismanagement of the
association. Ms. Soltan told Al Ittihad that they had "no choice"
but to resign since they saw a large volume of "transgressions and
legal errors" inconsistent with the statute of the association and
the Law of Public Welfare Organizations (NGOs). She went on to say
that the group attempted to talk with the chairman and the secretary
general on numerous occasions. No attempts were made to include the
group as a whole, and decisions continued to be made without
consultation and released as "unanimous decisions" by all elected
members. Moreover, many of the decisions made in the name of the
group were positions members either did not approve or had no
knowledge of. Soltan added that the members who resigned thought of
waiting until the normal general assembly elections in January, but
the increasing discomfort led the group to feel that there was no
recourse but resignation. (ref. H)

New Board in January
--------------

4. (SBU) Disgruntled founding members hope that a more harmonious
board will be elected in January. They plan to run again for
election, hoping this time that a new board will provide a fresh
start to the now "crippled" association. According to Al Ittihad, Al
Muheiri said that the current board cannot function and has been
"practically paralyzed for many months." He said the current board
has been inconsistent and has many problems and hopes resignations
will force a change. Current resignations have been received by the

ABU DHABI 00002002 002 OF 002


Ministry of Social Affairs which has asked EHRA to provide an
official letter explaining the situation, a formal step followed by
the dissolution of the organization under the Law of Public Welfare
Organizations which provides that if more than half of the board of
directors of any organization resigns, the board is considered
dissolved. This law applies to EHRA with four of its seven board
members having resigned. Commissioner of the Ministry of Social
Development, Naji Al Hay, told Al Ittihad when the official letter
arrives from EHRA, an interim committee will be formed to run the
organization until a new board is elected in January. Many of the
organization's founding members are passionate about the
organization, feel emotional about the decision to resign, and look
forward to a fresh start in the upcoming term. Asked if they hope to
run again, Dr. Al Kitbi told PolOff that she was warned not to run
again, but responded that she most definitely will.

Case of former Association Member, I.V. grantee
-------------- --------------

5. (C) In a further development, Embassy has learned that Mr. Farouq
Dehdar, a former member of EHRA and participant in an International
Visitor Program "Democracy and Human Rights" Project, had his
computer searched at the Dubai airport while on his way to the U.S.
in mid-November. A former chair of the Labor, Naturalization and
Residence Committee of EHRA, Mr. Dehdar was apparently suspected of
transporting "files and photos about labor rights in the UAE to
foreign organizations." Dehdar believes that a case is being
constructed against him and alleges that the Ministry of Social
Affairs has formed a committee to investigate. Emiraat Al Youm
(Emirates Today) newspaper carried December 9 and 11 articles
critical of Dehdar while the tabloid's blog carries numerous comments
on the case. Dehdar told his I.V. program manager that he has been
in touch with his lawyers in the UAE regarding the allegations.


6. (C) EHRA chairman told Emiraat Al Youm that Mr. Dehdar "does not
represent the association." The Arabic paper goes on to recommend
that Dehdar should stop "kissing ass by volunteering information to
the United States" and that he would be better off reporting
"negative comments" to the proper UAE authorities. UAE Minister of
Social Affairs, Mariam Al-Roomi, is quoted in Al Quds Press Wire
Service commenting that " the UAE will not hesitate to take tough
measures against those who attempt to distort the image of the
country's noble works."


7. (C ) Comment: Today's (December 13) Al Ittihad featured three
editorial op-eds about Farouq Dehdar, castigating his "disgraceful
behavior" and impugning his national loyalty. Embassy will conduct
post-project interview with Mr. Dehdar following his return to the
UAE o/a December 16, will monitor the situation, and report further
developments.

Sison