OMANI ACTIVIST SPEAKS OUT ON AL HURRA

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 MUSCAT 000661 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ARP, DRL E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/01/2017 TAGS: PHUM PREL PGOV PINR KMPI KPAO SCUL SOCI MU SUBJECT: OMANI ACTIVIST SPEAKS OUT ON AL HURRA REF: A. 05 MUSCAT 1109 ¶B. 05 MUSCAT 716 ¶C. 05 MUSCAT 1132 ¶D. 06 MUSCAT 1627 Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Alfred A. Fonteneau for Reasons 1.4 (b ) and (d). ¶1. (C) Summary: In what contacts say is a first, an Omani human rights activist appeared recently on the al-Hurra television network to criticize the Omani government's record on human rights. The activist, Tayba al-Ma'wali ) who was imprisoned in 2005 after speaking against the actions of government officials - told POLOFF that internal security has been monitoring her activities since the interview aired, but that she had not received any threats of retribution. While the main public and private news outlets ignored the interview, comments on Oman's internet chat rooms about al-Ma'wali's interview and opinions have largely been positive. End summary. - - - - - - - - The Interview - - - - - - - - ¶2. (C) On June 16 and 17, 2007, international television station al-Hurra aired a previously-taped interview with Tayba al-Ma'wali, a human rights activist and former member of Oman's Majlis Al-Shura (the directly elected lower chamber of Oman's bicameral advisory body),on its program "Equality." Al-Ma'wali spoke about women's rights and personal freedoms in Oman, as well as her own experience in an Omani jail, where she served a six-month sentence in 2005 on charges of insulting a public figure (ref A). Al-Ma'wali largely has been out of the public eye since her incarceration, quietly supporting other activists while holding a position at the Ministry of Regional Municipalities, Environment and Water Resources provided by the government after her release. In a discussion with poloff almost ten days after the interview aired, al-Ma'wali said that she accepted the program's invitation to be interviewed, and traveled to Doha for the taping in May without seeking government permission, in order to tell her story to a wider audience and to call attention to persistent deficiencies in the protection of women's rights, particularly in Oman's judicial system. ¶3. (U) During the hour-long interview, al-Ma'wali directed her sharpest criticism toward Oman's security services and courts. Al-Ma'wali claimed that after her arrest, officers of the Internal Security Services (ISS) and the Royal Oman Police's (ROP) Special Branch, as well as others who refused to identify themselves, interrogated her, and tried to force her to confess that she was a member of a secret organization working to undermine national security. (Note: Some of al-Ma'wali's allegedly slanderous statements were in protest of the government's arrest of 31 Ibadhis in 2004 for attempting to overthrow the government (ref B). Al-Ma'wali did not/not allege that she was physically abused by security forces in attempting to extract a confession. End note.) She also asserted that her judges in the court of first instance and the appeals court did "not offer (her) a fair chance to defend (her)self," by limiting access to information about the charges against her and providing her with only ten days to prepare her defense. She accused the government of forcing her to serve her six-month jail sentence "with women convicted of adultery, murder, (and immigration violations)," and denying her family regular visitation rights in a conscious attempt to insult and demoralize her. ¶4. (U) Al-Ma'wali was careful to credit the Sultan's leadership for establishing a legal framework for human rights in Oman. She argued, however, that the government is not fully implementing or enforcing those rights, particularly the rights of women. "The regulations guaranteeing women's rights are there - the problem remains in reality," she claimed. Al-Ma'wali minimized the role of the country's 47 Women's Associations, saying that the government has not allowed them to perform any function other than that of "social organizations." (Note: Depending on the local branch and its leaders, many women's associations are actively engaged in community life and vigorously trying to expand opportunities for women. End note.) At one point, after joking that Omani women have equal status "to be arrested," she said, "I'm the first Omani woman to be jailed for expressing her point of view, and I'm prepared to pay whatever price to defend my principles." - - - - - - - - Visibly Nervous MUSCAT 00000661 002 OF 003 - - - - - - - - ¶5. (C) During her subsequent June 27 meeting with POLOFF at the Ministry, al-Ma'wali seemed nervous and uptight. (Note: Al-Ma'wali prefers holding meetings with POLOFF at the Ministry, perhaps to avoid allegations that she is meeting secretly with foreign government officials. End note.) Her SIPDIS personal demeanor belied her frequent assurances that she does not fear retribution from the ISS for the comments she made on al-Hurra Whereas she conducted previous meetings with POLOFF from behind her desk in shared office space, she chose to hold this meeting in a private office with the door closed and the blinds drawn. She stopped the discussion at one point to remove the battery from her mobile phone. Al-Ma'wali claimed that since al-Hurra aired the interview, security personnel have been monitoring her movements, and that she has seen them near her house. She also said that she is sure the ISS is monitoring her phone and internet usage, as it had done in the past (ref C). ¶6. (C) Despite this, al-Ma'wali asserted that she has nothing to fear because she "did nothing wrong." She decided to raise publicly her concerns about human rights in Oman in order to spark debate, she claimed, as this was ultimately in the country's best interests. Al-Ma'wali added that she chose to share "only 5%" of what she could have said about problems in Oman in order not to appear as if she were disloyal to her country or the Sultan. She stated, for instance, that women have told her many stories of physical abuse in prison, as well as accounts of humiliation and a lack of due process in Oman's family status courts. Al-Ma'wali said that she ultimately wants the Sultan to "exonerate" her, thereby recognizing her right to freely express critical opinion, and that she has sent a letter to the Sultan asking him to personally review her case. She candidly stated, however, that she believes she has no future in Oman, and that she might be more effective as a human rights advocate from outside the country. - - - - - - - The Response - - - - - - - ¶7. (C) Oman's independent internet forums, such as Sablah al-Omania, which the government shut down several months ago for publishing allegedly slanderous comments about public officials (ref D),received hundreds of postings about al-Ma'wali's interview. Most of the comments supported her position, but negative responses criticized her for defaming the country and questioned her motives for appearing on al-Hurra, a USG-sponsored television station. Barka al-Bakri (protect),director of the Muscat-based non-governmental association (NGO) Al Noor Association for the Blind, told poloff that while she had not seen the interview, "very few are as willing or as brave" as al-Ma'wali to publicly criticize the government. Al-Ma'wali has a large following, al-Bakri asserted, and her opinions are noticed. ¶8. (C) Local private and government-owned press did not cover the interview. One official at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) dismissed al-Ma'wali's appearance, asserting - in contradiction to al-Bakri - that she has very little domestic following. The official told POLOFF that al-Ma'wali is "her own worst enemy," and is an outspoken woman who is pushing "too fast" to try to transform traditions and institutions that are not ready for change. He further claimed that unlike al-Ma'wali, other Omani women are working much more effectively from within the system to promote women's rights, and with much greater success. - - - - Comment - - - - ¶9. (C) Contacts say that al-Ma'wali's interview marks the first time that an Omani activist has appeared before an international audience to openly criticize the actions of government officials and the security services. Given al-Ma'wali's international notoriety - Amnesty International posted regular status reports regarding her case and welfare in 2005 - most contacts believe that she is no danger of further incarceration. Some speculate that the government will choose to quietly hem her in by monitoring her communication and interactions. The MFA official with whom poloff spoke was adamant that al-Ma'wali would not face any form of retribution for her comments. ¶10. (C) Comment continued: It is difficult to assess the size of al-Ma'wali's following, or the impact her interview will have, if any. Some contacts say that al-Ma'wali succeeded in conveying her message, now carried through MUSCAT 00000661 003 OF 003 Oman's internet chat rooms, that there are human rights problems in Oman that need to be addressed. Post plans to stay in touch with al-Ma'wali, who said that she welcomes continued interaction with the Embassy. FONTENEAU