Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07MANAMA412
2007-05-06 08:54:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Manama
Cable title:
ARAB NATIONALIST CONFERENCE FOCUSES ON IRAQ,
how-toVZCZCXRO6773 OO RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHKUK RUEHROV DE RUEHMK #0412/01 1260854 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 060854Z MAY 07 FM AMEMBASSY MANAMA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6782 INFO RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY RHBVAKS/COMUSNAVCENT PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 MANAMA 000412
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/02/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV BA REGION
SUBJECT: ARAB NATIONALIST CONFERENCE FOCUSES ON IRAQ,
PROVOKES CONTROVERSY
Classified By: DCM Susan L. Ziadeh for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
-------
Summary
-------
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 MANAMA 000412
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/02/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV BA REGION
SUBJECT: ARAB NATIONALIST CONFERENCE FOCUSES ON IRAQ,
PROVOKES CONTROVERSY
Classified By: DCM Susan L. Ziadeh for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
--------------
Summary
--------------
1. (C) A three-day Arab nationalist conference in Bahrain
was marked by the comments of an Iraqi cleric calling for
closer coordination between the insurgency and Al Qaeda, and
the showing of a supposed "documentary" on violence in Iraq
that had a subtitle reading, "This is what happens to Sunnis
in Iraq." These incidents led to a great deal of criticism,
including inside the conference itself, and local columnists
condemned those using the event to incite sectarianism.
Other speakers addressed more traditional topics, with former
Knesset member Azmi Bishara calling for all Arabs to get
together to further expose the "imperial designs" of the
United States and Israel. Conference participants told the
DCM that Shura Council member and pro-Saddam Baathist
columnist Samira Rajab was the driving force behind the
event, saying she had put together the list of attendees
opposed to the new Iraq - "mostly rejectionists and
pro-Baathists, not Arab nationalists." Local activists
complained about the extremism voiced at the conference and
attempts to "widen our differences." End Summary.
-------------- --------------
Cleric Calls for Insurgency-Al Qaeda Coordination
-------------- --------------
2. (SBU) A three-day Arab nationalist conference held in
Bahrain April 28-30 under the patronage of local daily Akhbar
Al Khaleej ignited controversy by seemingly focusing more on
the situation in Iraq than on traditional nationalist causes.
The conference, which was chaired by Moroccan Secretary
General Dr. Khalid Al Sofyani and attended by some 600
delegates, was marked by the comments of a Sunni Iraqi cleric
who called for closer coordination between the Iraqi
"resistance" (insurgency) and Al Qaeda, and a "documentary"
film showing gruesome images of Sunni victims of violence in
Iraq. On the first day of the conference, head of the
(Sunni) Ulama Council in Iraq Hareth Al Dhari (apparently
living in exile) called for a better mechanism to promote
collaboration between the Sunni insurgency and Al Qaeda. He
denied there is a sectarian war in Iraq and said the
"occupation" is in very bad shape because of the tough
resistance. He asserted that the source of terrorism is the
coalition forces and Iraqi government.
3. (SBU) His comments unleashed a torrent of criticism,
including by columnist Esmat Al Mousawi, who wrote a scathing
article stating sarcastically, "Perhaps the conference should
have invited some Al Qaeda leaders to participate under the
claim of political transparency. We hope that his call does
not find a place on the list of recommendations that the
conference will issue, otherwise the conference will turn
into another disaster to add to our long list of disasters in
the Arab world."
--------------
"Documentary" Incites Sectarianism
--------------
4. (SBU) The film shown the next day, April 29, proved to be
even more explosive. Abdul Jabbar Al Azzawi, who said he is
the advisor to the Iraqi Prisoners and Detainees Union,
showed the film during a break in the conference proceedings.
It featured scenes of bloody incidents in Iraq with a
subtitle that read, "This is what happens to Sunnis in Iraq."
It caused a shouting match among the delegates and the
leadership intervened to turn it of, complaining that it was
played without the perission of the General Secretariat. In
response t questions, Al Azzawi said he did not intend to
nstigate sectarianism by playing the film.
5. SBU) Al Wasat editor-in-chief Mansour Al Jamri wroe
April 30 that the incident "expresses the tragdy of the
project...to revive Arab nationalism. So instead of
reinforcing nationalism we discovered that some of the
participants are up to their ears in sectarianism to the
extent that a film against the essence of the nationalist
movement was displayed at the conference... Isn't the Arab
nationalist identity supposed to melt all other identities?"
--------------
Speakers Address Regional Issues
--------------
6. (SBU) Regional personalities who addressed the conference
were former Lebanese PM Salim Al Hoss, former Knesset member
MANAMA 00000412 002 OF 003
Azmi Bishara, and former Saddam-era Iraqi Ambassador to the
UN Mohammed Al Douri. Al Hoss said the conference would help
bridge gaps between Arab nations. "Continuous development
should be our major focus," he said, "because with it our
unity will strengthen and our differences will dissolve."
Addressing the tensions between Lebanon and Syria, Al Hoss
called on Syria to be a "respectable neighbor, with whom we
have to further strengthen our ties. There are problems
still between both countries at various levels and it is not
in the best interest of either nation that it continues to be
so."
7. (SBU) Bishara stated that "the total failure of the
Americans in Iraq and the humiliation of Israel in Lebanon
last summer mark the beginning of the end for their
imperialistic policies in the region." This, he said,
creates an opportunity for all Arabs to get together and
expose even more the imperial designs of the United States
and Israel. Al Douri said that what has happened in Iraq
"cannot get any worse. Blame it on the Americans or on the
Iraqis, it is sad that a once great civilization is in
shambles." He said, "We need to make the world understand
that we (the Iraqi people) need their backing at this
critical juncture, so that we can resist those who have
ruined our country and destroyed our civilization."
8. (SBU) The conference issued a final declaration May 1
expressing concern about the Arab nation being penetrated by
foreign military bases in the Gulf region. It denounced the
"political assassination" of Saddam Hussein and called on
Arab governments to boycott the United States and the Iraqi
government, which is "an agent to the occupation." It also
included familiar language on supporting the Palestinian
people and rejecting normalization with Israel, and called
for enhancing democratic, political, and civil freedoms,
releasing all political detainees, and opening the doors to
peaceful transitions of power.
--------------
Rajab Manipulates Conference Message
--------------
9. (C) Two long-time supporters of Arab nationalism who
attended the conference told the DCM that it was "a gathering
of rejectionists and pro-Baathists, not Arab nationalists."
They learned that Bahraini Shura Council member and Akhbar Al
Khaleej columnist Samira Rajab received BD 250,000 (over
$660,000) from the Prime Minister to fund the conference. As
a key member of the executive committee, she put together the
list of attendees, which had a primary focus on opponents of
the new Iraq. In the opinion of the two participants, 40
percent of the attendees were old guard Arab nationalists
while 60 percent were not seen as legitimate. They said that
Hamas had sent a delegation that attended only the opening
and closing sessions and spent the rest of its time
networking with local Islamist groups. There were tensions
among the representatives from Lebanon, some who were aligned
with Hariri and some with Hizballah. Because many viewed
Rajab and the forum as pro-Saddam, there were no
representatives from Kuwait, which has a long tradition of
Arab nationalism, the UAE, and Qatar. The final communique,
they said, took hours to draft due to the parochial
in-fighting.
10. (C) In their April 30 meeting, the Ambassador asked
Foreign Minister Shaikh Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa his views
of the conference, particularly Rajab's role in pushing a
sectarian agenda by delivering a controversial speech and
having the "documentary" shown. Shaikh Khalid said the event
was a "gathering of relics" and he would not meet with any of
the delegates. They should not have allowed a sectarian film
to be shown. He noted that the conference opened on Saddam
Hussein's birthday, April 28, which he did not think was a
coincidence.
--------------
Participants, Activists Complain
--------------
11. (C) Chairman of the Al Meethaq political society Ahmed
Juma told EmbOff that although he supports the conference, he
could not understand how one of the speakers, Al Dhari, could
call for Osama Bin Laden to interfere in Iraq. Many of the
participants, he said, thought this was unwise and pointed
out that one of the main problems in the Arab world is the
existence of this type of extremism. Former MP Farid Ghazi
and Al Waad political society chairman Ibrahim Sharif
complained about the organizers of the conference, who "tried
to impose their own agenda" about Iraq, Ghazi said. Sharif
stated that most participants totally rejected the film about
MANAMA 00000412 003 OF 003
Iraq and Rajab's speech. "We are here to strengthen our
unity, not widen our differences," he commented.
12. (C) That said, Sharif thought the conference was a good
opportunity for Arab intellectuals and activists to meet and
openly discuss the problems and concerns the Arab nation is
facing, such as Palestine, Iraq, Lebanon, and sectarianism.
Human rights advocate Abdul Nabi Al Ekri noted that a
positive aspect of the conference was that the delegates
discussed democracy, including praising the recent
presidential election in Yemen and transition of power in
Mauritania. The more cynical Ghazi commented, "I am not
convinced of the usefulness of these conferences. It was
just a repetition of what all the Arabs know very well and
learned by heart hundreds of years ago: we speak the same
language, have the same religion, and share the same destiny.
But I don't think Arab leaders will listen."
--------------
Comment
--------------
13. (C) An outspoken, divisive Baathist sympathizer, Samira
Rajab hijacked the Arab nationalist conference and focused it
on Iraq. Through her speech and decisions about delegates,
speakers, and activities, she was able to spread her virulent
views in favor of the armed insurgency and against the United
States, Iraqi government, and those supporting it. The
conference was also used as a forum for further sectarian
incitement. To their credit, participants, analysts,
politicians, and activists saw through Rajab's ploy,
resulting in a flood of negative commentary.
********************************************* ********
Visit Embassy Manama's Classified Website:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/manama/
********************************************* ********
MONROE
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/02/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV BA REGION
SUBJECT: ARAB NATIONALIST CONFERENCE FOCUSES ON IRAQ,
PROVOKES CONTROVERSY
Classified By: DCM Susan L. Ziadeh for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
--------------
Summary
--------------
1. (C) A three-day Arab nationalist conference in Bahrain
was marked by the comments of an Iraqi cleric calling for
closer coordination between the insurgency and Al Qaeda, and
the showing of a supposed "documentary" on violence in Iraq
that had a subtitle reading, "This is what happens to Sunnis
in Iraq." These incidents led to a great deal of criticism,
including inside the conference itself, and local columnists
condemned those using the event to incite sectarianism.
Other speakers addressed more traditional topics, with former
Knesset member Azmi Bishara calling for all Arabs to get
together to further expose the "imperial designs" of the
United States and Israel. Conference participants told the
DCM that Shura Council member and pro-Saddam Baathist
columnist Samira Rajab was the driving force behind the
event, saying she had put together the list of attendees
opposed to the new Iraq - "mostly rejectionists and
pro-Baathists, not Arab nationalists." Local activists
complained about the extremism voiced at the conference and
attempts to "widen our differences." End Summary.
-------------- --------------
Cleric Calls for Insurgency-Al Qaeda Coordination
-------------- --------------
2. (SBU) A three-day Arab nationalist conference held in
Bahrain April 28-30 under the patronage of local daily Akhbar
Al Khaleej ignited controversy by seemingly focusing more on
the situation in Iraq than on traditional nationalist causes.
The conference, which was chaired by Moroccan Secretary
General Dr. Khalid Al Sofyani and attended by some 600
delegates, was marked by the comments of a Sunni Iraqi cleric
who called for closer coordination between the Iraqi
"resistance" (insurgency) and Al Qaeda, and a "documentary"
film showing gruesome images of Sunni victims of violence in
Iraq. On the first day of the conference, head of the
(Sunni) Ulama Council in Iraq Hareth Al Dhari (apparently
living in exile) called for a better mechanism to promote
collaboration between the Sunni insurgency and Al Qaeda. He
denied there is a sectarian war in Iraq and said the
"occupation" is in very bad shape because of the tough
resistance. He asserted that the source of terrorism is the
coalition forces and Iraqi government.
3. (SBU) His comments unleashed a torrent of criticism,
including by columnist Esmat Al Mousawi, who wrote a scathing
article stating sarcastically, "Perhaps the conference should
have invited some Al Qaeda leaders to participate under the
claim of political transparency. We hope that his call does
not find a place on the list of recommendations that the
conference will issue, otherwise the conference will turn
into another disaster to add to our long list of disasters in
the Arab world."
--------------
"Documentary" Incites Sectarianism
--------------
4. (SBU) The film shown the next day, April 29, proved to be
even more explosive. Abdul Jabbar Al Azzawi, who said he is
the advisor to the Iraqi Prisoners and Detainees Union,
showed the film during a break in the conference proceedings.
It featured scenes of bloody incidents in Iraq with a
subtitle that read, "This is what happens to Sunnis in Iraq."
It caused a shouting match among the delegates and the
leadership intervened to turn it of, complaining that it was
played without the perission of the General Secretariat. In
response t questions, Al Azzawi said he did not intend to
nstigate sectarianism by playing the film.
5. SBU) Al Wasat editor-in-chief Mansour Al Jamri wroe
April 30 that the incident "expresses the tragdy of the
project...to revive Arab nationalism. So instead of
reinforcing nationalism we discovered that some of the
participants are up to their ears in sectarianism to the
extent that a film against the essence of the nationalist
movement was displayed at the conference... Isn't the Arab
nationalist identity supposed to melt all other identities?"
--------------
Speakers Address Regional Issues
--------------
6. (SBU) Regional personalities who addressed the conference
were former Lebanese PM Salim Al Hoss, former Knesset member
MANAMA 00000412 002 OF 003
Azmi Bishara, and former Saddam-era Iraqi Ambassador to the
UN Mohammed Al Douri. Al Hoss said the conference would help
bridge gaps between Arab nations. "Continuous development
should be our major focus," he said, "because with it our
unity will strengthen and our differences will dissolve."
Addressing the tensions between Lebanon and Syria, Al Hoss
called on Syria to be a "respectable neighbor, with whom we
have to further strengthen our ties. There are problems
still between both countries at various levels and it is not
in the best interest of either nation that it continues to be
so."
7. (SBU) Bishara stated that "the total failure of the
Americans in Iraq and the humiliation of Israel in Lebanon
last summer mark the beginning of the end for their
imperialistic policies in the region." This, he said,
creates an opportunity for all Arabs to get together and
expose even more the imperial designs of the United States
and Israel. Al Douri said that what has happened in Iraq
"cannot get any worse. Blame it on the Americans or on the
Iraqis, it is sad that a once great civilization is in
shambles." He said, "We need to make the world understand
that we (the Iraqi people) need their backing at this
critical juncture, so that we can resist those who have
ruined our country and destroyed our civilization."
8. (SBU) The conference issued a final declaration May 1
expressing concern about the Arab nation being penetrated by
foreign military bases in the Gulf region. It denounced the
"political assassination" of Saddam Hussein and called on
Arab governments to boycott the United States and the Iraqi
government, which is "an agent to the occupation." It also
included familiar language on supporting the Palestinian
people and rejecting normalization with Israel, and called
for enhancing democratic, political, and civil freedoms,
releasing all political detainees, and opening the doors to
peaceful transitions of power.
--------------
Rajab Manipulates Conference Message
--------------
9. (C) Two long-time supporters of Arab nationalism who
attended the conference told the DCM that it was "a gathering
of rejectionists and pro-Baathists, not Arab nationalists."
They learned that Bahraini Shura Council member and Akhbar Al
Khaleej columnist Samira Rajab received BD 250,000 (over
$660,000) from the Prime Minister to fund the conference. As
a key member of the executive committee, she put together the
list of attendees, which had a primary focus on opponents of
the new Iraq. In the opinion of the two participants, 40
percent of the attendees were old guard Arab nationalists
while 60 percent were not seen as legitimate. They said that
Hamas had sent a delegation that attended only the opening
and closing sessions and spent the rest of its time
networking with local Islamist groups. There were tensions
among the representatives from Lebanon, some who were aligned
with Hariri and some with Hizballah. Because many viewed
Rajab and the forum as pro-Saddam, there were no
representatives from Kuwait, which has a long tradition of
Arab nationalism, the UAE, and Qatar. The final communique,
they said, took hours to draft due to the parochial
in-fighting.
10. (C) In their April 30 meeting, the Ambassador asked
Foreign Minister Shaikh Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa his views
of the conference, particularly Rajab's role in pushing a
sectarian agenda by delivering a controversial speech and
having the "documentary" shown. Shaikh Khalid said the event
was a "gathering of relics" and he would not meet with any of
the delegates. They should not have allowed a sectarian film
to be shown. He noted that the conference opened on Saddam
Hussein's birthday, April 28, which he did not think was a
coincidence.
--------------
Participants, Activists Complain
--------------
11. (C) Chairman of the Al Meethaq political society Ahmed
Juma told EmbOff that although he supports the conference, he
could not understand how one of the speakers, Al Dhari, could
call for Osama Bin Laden to interfere in Iraq. Many of the
participants, he said, thought this was unwise and pointed
out that one of the main problems in the Arab world is the
existence of this type of extremism. Former MP Farid Ghazi
and Al Waad political society chairman Ibrahim Sharif
complained about the organizers of the conference, who "tried
to impose their own agenda" about Iraq, Ghazi said. Sharif
stated that most participants totally rejected the film about
MANAMA 00000412 003 OF 003
Iraq and Rajab's speech. "We are here to strengthen our
unity, not widen our differences," he commented.
12. (C) That said, Sharif thought the conference was a good
opportunity for Arab intellectuals and activists to meet and
openly discuss the problems and concerns the Arab nation is
facing, such as Palestine, Iraq, Lebanon, and sectarianism.
Human rights advocate Abdul Nabi Al Ekri noted that a
positive aspect of the conference was that the delegates
discussed democracy, including praising the recent
presidential election in Yemen and transition of power in
Mauritania. The more cynical Ghazi commented, "I am not
convinced of the usefulness of these conferences. It was
just a repetition of what all the Arabs know very well and
learned by heart hundreds of years ago: we speak the same
language, have the same religion, and share the same destiny.
But I don't think Arab leaders will listen."
--------------
Comment
--------------
13. (C) An outspoken, divisive Baathist sympathizer, Samira
Rajab hijacked the Arab nationalist conference and focused it
on Iraq. Through her speech and decisions about delegates,
speakers, and activities, she was able to spread her virulent
views in favor of the armed insurgency and against the United
States, Iraqi government, and those supporting it. The
conference was also used as a forum for further sectarian
incitement. To their credit, participants, analysts,
politicians, and activists saw through Rajab's ploy,
resulting in a flood of negative commentary.
********************************************* ********
Visit Embassy Manama's Classified Website:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/manama/
********************************************* ********
MONROE