UPDATED DEMOCRATIC REFORM STRATEGY FOR QATAR

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 DOHA 000983

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/FO, NEA/PI, DRL AND NEA/MAG (HARRIS AND
HOPKINS)
ABU DHABI FOR MEPI RO
TUNIS FOR MEPI RO

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL KMPI AMGT KDEM ECON KPAO QA
SUBJECT: UPDATED DEMOCRATIC REFORM STRATEGY FOR QATAR

REF: A. SECSTATE 130991

B. 05 STATE 152818

C. 05 DOHA 881


1. (U) Embassy Doha continues to use a combination of
programmatic and diplomatic means to assist the GOQ in its
efforts to build and sustain democratic institutions. In
line with the Mission Strategic Plan, Post has expanded its
areas of emphasis to include: promoting democratic
elections, promoting rule of law and legislative reform,
supporting civil society development, supporting freedom of
expression and independent media, and engaging youth.


2. (SBU) Qatar has proceeded at a steady but markedly
measured pace toward building democratic institutions since
the current Amir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, took
power in 1995. At that time, the establishment of democratic
governance was among his top national objectives. Since
then, Qatar has held three municipal elections with full
women's participation and has promulgated a new constitution
that establishes a two-thirds elected legislative body.
These steps, in the Qatari view, place Qatar in the vanguard
of Arab political reform. It is important for the USG to
bolster this reform effort as much as possible while
respecting Qatar's own vision and being careful not to
dominate the reform discourse. Thus, our strategy is based
on mirroring Qatari goals wherever possible, filling in with
USG technical and programmatic assistance to strengthen the
reform foundation. Democratic reform remains a "top-down"
priority in Qatar; therefore, major efforts will continue to
increase awareness of the benefits of reform and broader
political participation from the "bottom-up."


3. (SBU) Since the establishment of the Democratic Reform
Strategy for Qatar in 2005 (refs B and C),there has been a
marked increase in the willingness of GOQ stakeholders to
cooperate with USG democracy efforts in the region, and in
Qatar itself, with one big caveat: there should not be even
the perception that democratic reform, especially
USG-initiated reform, is being imposed. With this in mind,
careful efforts have been made to ensure that programmatic
and diplomatic efforts reflect the needs and the will of the
Qatari people and the GOQ. The following, resources
permitting, comprise Post's Democratic Reform Strategy for
2008:

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Promoting Democratic Elections
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4. (U) Qatar held its third elections for the Central
Municipal Council in April 2007. USG programmatic efforts
centered on providing technical assistance to the Qatar
Permanent Election Committee (PEC) with emphasis on
increasing voter awareness and candidate training. Qatar is
expected to hold the first elections for its parliamentary
body, the Advisory Council, as soon as November 2008. The
PEC has planned training and awareness programs in
anticipation of the elections and has requested USG
assistance.


5. (U) Programmatic strategy will include:

- Technical assistance to the PEC in advance of the
anticipated legislative elections.
- Increasing capacity of civil society actors to spread
awareness of the legislative elections and benefits of full
participation.
- Technical assistance to the Ministry of Interior in its
effort to run the technical aspects of the election.
- Legal assistance in evaluating the upcoming election law.


6. (U) Diplomatic strategy will include:

- Engaging election officials at the PEC and the MOI to judge
the capacity to prepare for and run fair, competitive
elections.
- Engaging GOQ stakeholders to expand capacity to stand for
office to all citizens.

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Promoting Rule of Law and Legislative Reform
--------------


7. (SBU) The Qatar legal system has generally improved in
line with its goal to become independent and consistent with
international standards, while at the same time retaining

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fair and equitable Shari'a standards with regard to family
and civil law. Still, more improvements can and must be
made. The current legislative process is not transparent and
most deliberations take place behind the closed doors of the
Amiri Diwan and the Council of Ministers. The expected
establishment of a parliamentary body that will have
legislative powers makes the establishment of parliamentary
and legislative procedures imperative to the success of the
Advisory Council and a democratically-elected body. The
elected Central Municipal Council currently has no
legislative or legal power over municipal affairs and is
unaware of its potential ability to influence the
establishment of or amendments to legislation. The current
sponsorship and immigration laws in many instances promote
modern-day slavery conditions among the large migrant worker
population of Qatar, often resulting in government-condoned,
non-prosecuted trafficking-in-persons (TIP) cases.


8. (U) Programmatic strategy will include:

- Technical assistance to the Qatar University College of Law
on curriculum reform.
- Visitor program opportunities for members of the legal
system in Qatar to experience legal systems outside of Qatar.
- Technical assistance to the currently appointed Advisory
Council and administrative staff on parliamentary and
legislative procedures.
- Technical assistance to the Central Municipal Council and
administrative staff on parliamentary procedures and means of
advocacy.
- Technical assistance through the Supreme Judicial Council
and the Ministry of Labor on internationally accepted labor
practices and law.
- Technical assistance through the MOI regarding the
identification of TIP violations and protection of victims.
- Legal assistance to Labor Ministry in effort to reform
labor laws.
- Commercial law development assistance.


9. (U) Diplomatic strategy will include:

- Advocating legal reform in accordance with internationally
accepted norms.
- Advocating transparency in the legislative process.
- Engaging Advisory Council members and staff on duties and
responsibilities of the body.
- Engaging CMC members and staff on ability to influence
municipal legislation.
- Engaging GOQ and civil society stakeholders on the extent
and effects of forced labor and TIP.
- Encouraging best practices with regard to combating TIP.

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Supporting Civil Society Development
--------------


10. (U) GOs, as the term is internationally recognized, do
not exist in Qatar. The current law on associatins and
professional organizations effectively dicorages their
establishment. Instead, the GOQ as created a network of
government-supported civl society organizations (CSOs),most
under the umrella of the Supreme Council for Family Afairs
(SCFA). The GOQ has also established the Qatar National
Human Rights Committee (NHRC). While effective in many basic
ways, their attachment to the GOQ and to government funding
lessens their ability to effect real reform. Civil society
development is crucial to building an effective democratic
society.


11. (U) Programmatic strategy will include:

- Identifying and building capacity of nascent
NGOs/associations within existing legal framework.
- Providing technical assistance to the SCFA in their effort
to establish an NGO training center.
- Providing technical assistance to expatriate community
groups in assisting the legal rights of migrant workers.
- Providing regional and international training opportunities
to civil activists and NGO/CSO management.


12. (U) Diplomatic strategy will include:

- Engaging civil society activists in effort to form NGOs
interested in promoting democracy and human rights.
- Engaging GOQ stakeholders in effort to reform restrictive
laws prohibiting freedom of association and legal formation
of effective NGOs.

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- Cooperating with the NHRC to promote internationally
accepted human rights practices.

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Supporting Freedom of Expression and Independent Media
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13. (SBU) Freedom of expression, although "guaranteed" in the
constitution, is severely restricted in practice. Citizens
will normally not speak out against government policy or the
ruling family in fear of losing favor and/or privileges. The
media is heavily dependent on expatriate journalists who will
normally not attempt to criticize government policy or
actions in fear of losing their jobs and summary deportation.
Although newspapers are privately owned, owners and
management are closely tied to the ruling family. Qatar
Radio and Television are state-owned. Al-Jazeera Arabic is
funded primarily by the government and Al-Jazeera
International (English) focuses its reports on the
lesser-covered "South," i.e. the developing world.


14. (SBU) Article 49 of the Qatari Constitution states:
"Freedom of the press, printing, and publication shall be
guaranteed in accordance with law," referring to Qatar's
Press and Publications Law of 1979. This law contains highly
restrictive provisions fundamentally in conflict with the
concept of "freedom of the press" as understood today. In
addition to promoting professionalism in the local media
through training and exchange programs, the USG should use
its influence to encourage an amended press law, the
establishment of a Qatari journalists' association, and
measures that encourage young Qataris to embrace journalism
as a profession. The Qatar Foundation is currently in
negotiations to open a branch of an American school of
journalism and mass communications, and Qatar University's
College of Mass Communications actively seeks to raise
standards of the program by increasing the College's public
and private partnerships.


15. (U) Programmatic strategy will include:

- Speakers in the areas of free expression of ideas and free
press.
- Professional journalism training to Qatari and expatriate
journalists and managers.
- Ethics training to journalists and managers.
- Specialty training to journalists in the areas of
elections, policy, and human rights.
- Support to Qatari efforts to open an American school of
journalism in Doha.


16. (U) Diplomatic strategy will include:

- Engaging GOQ and media stakeholders in promotion of an
independent, free media.
- Holding roundtables/"salons" promoting the free expression
of ideas.
- Engaging Al-Jazeera (Arabic and English) news staff
regarding the airing of balanced international and regional
coverage, including Qatar.
- Encouraging the development of a stronger College of Mass
Communications and the journalism program at Qatar University
(this could become a programmatic effort).

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Engaging Youth
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17. (SBU) Half of the Qatari citizen population is under 20
years of age. The public system will be unable to absorb the
large numbers of youth entering the labor market. Many young
male Qataris are opting out of advanced education expecting
to be taken care of in the public sector. The lack of
"qualified" jobs for young Qataris may cause dissatisfaction
with regard to status quo policies. While educational
opportunities within Qatar have increased with the
establishment of Education City, many Qataris will continue
to go abroad for education, exposing them to non-Qatari,
non-Arab, and non-Muslim societies.


18. (SBU) The most serious challenge facing Qatari youth is
"the disease of luxury." With so much wealth at their
disposal, young Qataris, especially young men, have little
incentive to seek advanced education or to work hard.
Motivating this generation is Qatari society's biggest
challenge. In 2001, under the banner of "Education for a New
Era," Qatar embarked upon a process to reform the educational

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system from kindergarten through college. Among other
progressive requirements, all independent schools are
mandated to teach science and mathematics in English, and to
include a civic education component in the academic
curriculum.


19. (U) Programmatic strategy will include:

- Technical assistance to increase the offering of civic
education in the schools.
- Cultural exchange opportunities for Qatari youth.
- Technical assistance to the Office of Professional
Development at the Supreme Education Council (SEC) and the
College of Education at Qatar University.
- Support to newly established student/youth clubs and
student councils in local schools and universities.


20. (U) Diplomatic strategy will include:

- Engaging the Ministry of Education and SEC on curriculum
reform.
- Engaging Qatari youth, encouraging creative thinking and
expression of ideas.
- Increasing the number of school visits and educational
outreach programs targeting youth.
RATNEY