TUNISIA: PROMOTING THE PRESIDENT'S FREEDOM AGENDA

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 05 TUNIS 001064 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR NEA A/S WELCH FROM AMBASSADOR GODEC E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/06/2017 TAGS: PHUM PREL KDEM KPAO TS SUBJECT: TUNISIA: PROMOTING THE PRESIDENT'S FREEDOM AGENDA -- WHAT WE'VE DONE; WHAT WE WILL DO REF: A. STATE 108924 ¶B. STATE 88465 ¶C. TUNIS 1058 ¶D. TUNIS 1044 ¶E. TUNIS 1025 ¶F. TUNIS 1040 ¶G. TUNIS 1004 ¶H. TUNIS 986 ¶I. TUNIS 985 ¶J. TUNIS 939 ¶K. TUNIS 938 ¶L. TUNIS 936 ¶M. TUNIS 904 ¶N. TUNIS 840 ¶O. TUNIS 410 ¶P. TUNIS 409 ¶Q. TUNIS 389 ¶R. TUNIS 288 Classified By: Ambassador Robert F. Godec for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) -------------- Summary -------------- ¶1. (SBU) Advancing the President's Freedom Agenda is Post's number one Mission Strategic Plan goal. As part of our push on freedom in Tunisia, the Ambassador and other Embassy officers meet frequently with democracy and human rights advocates, opposition political party members, and civil society representatives. We include them in our programs, and support some of their projects through the Middle East Partnership Initiative. We attend trials of Tunisians being prosecuted for backing freedom, and offer them and their families moral and practical aid. We speak about the importance of freedom and democracy with GOT leaders, journalists, the young and Tunisians across the country. Using many tools, from speeches to educational exchanges to musical performances, we reach far and wide to press the Freedom Agenda. All members of the Mission are engaged. ¶2. (SBU) Below, as requested in Refs A and B, we provide a snapshot of our Freedom Agenda activities in July. They included outreach to promote freedom of expression and association, women's rights, youth activism, and economic freedom. The Ambassador and Emboffs met with dozens of opposition and civil society leaders, hosted visiting speakers, and carried out educational programs. The Ambassador met with GOT officials on the Agenda, and distributed the President's Prague speech widely. Freedom was the central theme of the Ambassador's July 4th speech, which was distributed to the media. The Ambassador also held a media roundtable focused on Freedom Agenda issues. Our work in July advanced our strategic plan on freedom in Tunisia, set out Refs P and Q, as well as in the MSP. In this message, we outline, too, our future plans, including our proposal for a democracy best-practices conference. End Summary. -------------- Mission Job One: the Freedom Agenda -------------- ¶3. (C) "Democratic Reform and Respect for Universal Human Rights" is Embassy Tunis' number one MSP goal. Tunisia, we believe, is ready for progress on freedom. If achieved, it will bring economic and security, as well as political, benefits. Our strategic plan to advance freedom in Tunisia was outlined in Refs P and Q, as well as the MSP. ¶4. (C) Beginning with their first meeting, the Ambassador has regularly discussed Freedom Agenda issues with Foreign Minister Abdallah. In two meetings in July, the Ambassador briefed Abdallah and his Chief of Staff, Hatem Atallah, on the President's speech in Prague and previewed for them that the Embassy would make a concerted push in July. Our outreach efforts were noticed (septel reports on the range of reactions that our work generated). For example, in a July 24 meeting with the Ambassador, Foreign Minister Abdallah noted Post's "repeated meetings" with members of "extremist" opposition activists (Ref I). The Foreign Minister, however, also acknowledged for the first time that Tunisia needs further progress on human rights and democracy. In addition, GOT-loyal journalists have denounced in several late July editorials civil society activists who meet with foreign diplomats as "traitors". -------------- TUNIS 00001064 002 OF 005 Meetings with Opposition Leaders -------------- ¶5. (C) Ambassador and other EmbOffs held a series of meetings with opposition leaders. In each of these meetings, the Ambassador emphasized US commitment to the Freedom Agenda, with a specific emphasis on freedom of expression and freedom of association. -- On July 3, the Ambassador met with Mustapha Ben Jaafar, Secretary General of the independent Democratic Forum for SIPDIS Labor and Liberty (FDTL). Ben Jaafar also touched on the threat of Islamic extremism and the need for US support for civil society (Ref M). -- Following an incident during a June 29 joint FDTL and Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) event where the president of the Tunisian Journalists Syndicate was reportedly put in a headlock by plainclothes police, thrown to the ground and kicked (Ref I),PolOff made a point of attending a subsequent PDP/FDTL event on July 7. The event proceeded unhindered. Nejib Chebbi, a member of the PDP's political bureau, told PolOff he did not know why the FDTL encountered difficulty on June 29 but not on July 7, speculating that incidents seem to diminish when there is a diplomatic presence. He noted that the United States was the only diplomatic mission to send a representative. -- On July 26, the Ambassador met with Mohamed Harmel, the outgoing Secretary General of the Renewal Movement (Et-Tajdid) party. Harmel spoke at length about the need for greater freedom of expression in Tunisia, including media access and public debate. In addition to this meeting, PolOff attended the opening session of the July 27 Et-Tajdid party congress (Ref F). -- The Ambassador also spoke with GOT-loyal opposition party leaders. On July 10, the Ambassador met with Mohamed Bouchiha (Secretary General of the Popular Unity Party), Mongi Khamassi (Secretary General of the Green Party for Progress or PVP),and Mondher Thabet (Secretary General of the Liberal Social Party). (Note: These parties maintain their status as separate political parties, but they have come together under an umbrella group known as the Democratic Alliance. End Note.) In addition to freedom of the press, they discussed Tunisian politics and regional issues (Ref K). -------------- Reaching out to Civil Society -------------- ¶6. (C) The Embassy has been active in reaching out to Tunisian civil society, as well. In these meetings, too, EmbOffs reiterated US support for the Freedom Agenda: -- Mohamed Abbou, an attorney and activist who was jailed in 2005 in connection with articles he posted on the Internet critical of the Ben Ali regime, was released on July 24, the beneficiary of a presidential pardon. Abbou's wife, Samia Abbou, had attended the Embassy's Fourth of July reception, during which she and the Ambassador had a lengthy conversation and the Ambassador offered further Embassy assistance. In a July 25 telcon, Pol/EconCouns congratulated Abbou on his release; EmbOffs visited Mohamed and Samia Abbou on July 31. EmbOffs shared a copy of the transcript of the July 30 State Department press briefing in which the Department welcomed Abbou's release and called for the GOT "to continue to take steps that are consistent with its own declared intentions to pursue democratic reform" (Refs D and H). -- The Ambassador met with leaders of the independent Tunisian Association of Democratic Women (ATFD) on July 11. His interlocutors outlined challenges for independent civil society and urged the USG to take greater steps to promote freedom of expression and association (Ref L). -- During July, the Ambassador met with representatives of both the independent and the pro-GOT factions of the Tunisian Human Rights League (LTDH). (Note: Created in 1977, the LTDH is the oldest human rights association in the Arab world. Its activities have effectively been frozen for the past several years as a result of a number of legal cases brought by the pro-GOT faction. End Note.) In both meetings, the Ambassador voiced USG support for independent Tunisian civil society, including the LTDH (Ref G). Separately, on July 24, the Ambassador told the Foreign Minister the LTDH must be allowed to conduct its regular TUNIS 00001064 003 OF 005 activities. The FM responded that President Ben Ali "wants an end" to the LTDH crisis. -- The Ambassador on July 26 met with five civil society activists associated with the Movement of 18 October, an alliance of disparate human rights activists that includes moderate Islamists who advocate for freedom of expression, freedom of association, and release of political prisoners. The group expressed concern over the lack of freedom of expression and freedom of association in Tunisia, especially in the lead-up to the 2009 parliamentary and Presidential elections. When the Ambassador solicited the group's thoughts on how USG could best support civil society, several participants opined that the democracy movement in Tunisia should be first and foremost a Tunisian-driven enterprise, though some advocated for increased USG pressure on the GOT (Ref C). -- On July 20, A/DCM met with Neila Hachicha, founder of the now-defunct Mediterranean Liberal Party. A/DCM reviewed the President's Prague speech, the message of which resonated with Hachicha, who said she had "no regrets" over her previous activism for the same causes. Referring to her husband's recent imprisonment and doctored photos of her daughter that had been distributed, she noted, however, that she and her family had paid a heavy price. She said that she had been mistaken in her belief that, because she was "pro-democracy, not anti-Ben Ali," that she would spared from GOT retribution. She also felt that she had been naive in her expectation that the United States would be able to protect her and her family. Even so, she said she hoped that one day she would "have the courage" to return to political activism. In the meantime, she said, she remained unapologetically pro-American. She also offered to brainstorm about concrete ways the Embassy could help advance freedom of expression in Tunisia. -- The Embassy hosted a Human Rights Roundtable on July 10, at which visiting Diplomat in Residence at the University of Michigan Robert Smolik gave a presentation on Good Governance and Economic Growth. Participants included lawyers, journalists, and representatives of political parties and NGOs. The group's consensus was that freedom of expression was, to them, the most critical aspect of good governance. Copies of President Bush's June 5 Prague speech were distributed in English and Arabic (Ref E). -------------- Public and Youth Outreach -------------- ¶7. (SBU) The Embassy engaged in a number of public and media outreach activities in support of the Freedom Agenda: -- The speech the Ambassador delivered before a crowd of close to 2000 at the Embassy's Fourth of July reception focused on freedom. The text of the speech was posted on the Embassy's website and transmitted as a press release. -- The Ambassador held a roundtable on July 17 with local and international journalists. The Freedom Agenda was a recurring theme in his remarks. -- As part of a series of on-the-record roundtable discussions partly funded by the Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI),the DEFI/SARL media group convened a discussion on July 12 on the role of the media in combating extremism. The four-part series of roundtable discussions, the proceedings of which will be disseminated in French and Arabic as supplements in local newspapers, represents a noteworthy effort to foster dialogue on important issues at the societal level. EmbOffs participated in the roundtable as observers. ¶8. (SBU) Some of our outreach efforts involved musical performances that also served as useful vehicles for promoting the Freedom Agenda's underlying values. -- The Embassy helped sponsor the musical group "Kantara" to perform with the Sicilian Philharmonic Orchestra in two well-known (and well-attended) music festivals in Tunisia-- Carthage and El Jem. A third concert was held at the Ambassador's residence. Kantara, which means "bridge" in Arabic includes guitarist/mandolin player/vocalist Brennan Gilmore, who until this May was a Political Officer at the Embassy, along with several other well-known Tunisian and American musicians, who, together, have created an extraordinary fusion of Arab and Appalachian music (Ref R). TUNIS 00001064 004 OF 005 Kantara's songs carry a message of tolerance and peace, messages that went over well with their audiences at all three locations. -- As part of a regional effort, the Embassy co-sponsored with the Ministry of Culture, a concert with Ozomatli, a nine-member, Latino/hip-hop/funk band from Los Angeles. The multi-ethnic ensemble performed for an audience of over 1000, mostly young Tunisians. Ozomatli's music, and message of tolerance, resonated with the group. The group also performed for approximately 100 disadvantaged youth studying English through the DOS-funded Access Microscholarship Program, even inviting one musician among them to play with them. Ozomatli received extensive and favorable local media coverage, which duly noted their diversity and appeal to youth. ¶9. (SBU) The Embassy has also taken full advantage of a range of exchange programs and other events to reach out to Tunisian youth who show promise as future democratic leaders: -- Through the Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI), young Tunisian leaders are able to participate in three-month Leadership for Democracy Fellowships (LDFs),where they undergo a six-week course on leadership and democracy, followed by an internship in the field of their choice. The Embassy invited the two recently returned Tunisian 2007 LDF graduates to participate in a roundtable with EmbOffs to share their impressions about their experiences and lessons learned. Meanwhile, two promising young Tunisians have been selected for the 2008 LDF program, and EmbOffs included them in some of our July outreach events. The Embassy is already drawing on the alumni of such programs to serve as an invaluable bridge to connect with other promising youth and to help promote a culture of youth activism in Tunisia. -- On July 12 the Ambassador hosted a reception for past and present participants of the YES Exchange program (Tunisian students who study in high schools in the United States for one year, living with host families and engaging in community service). EmbOffs have been encouraging participants' continued interest in community service in Tunisia. ¶10. (SBU) Other outreach has used Tunisians' desire to improve their English-language skills as an entree. -- CAO spent a day at an English language camp run by a Fulbright alumnus, discussing American values and giving most students their first exposure to an American. Several other EmbOffs, including Entry Level Officers, have volunteered for similar speaking engagements as part of the Embassy's overall outreach effort. -- CAO distributed "Shared Future" bookbags to 150 scouts, taking advantage of the opportunity to discuss with them the values shared by the Tunisian and American people. The bookbags, marked "a gift of the American people," include school supplies and a book about the United States. -------------- Looking Forward -------------- ¶11. (C) Many of the above activities were already ongoing; in such cases we made an extra effort to more precisely target our message and to broaden our audience. In that same spirit, we offer the following list of planned future activities as we take our commitment to promoting the Freedom Agenda in Tunisia forward: -- Embassy Tunis has proposed hosting a regional democracy best practices conference for NEA posts to exchange successful ideas, programs, and policies (Ref O). The idea behind this initiative is to provide a venue where officers who cover democracy and political portfolios in the NEA region could exchange ideas and information about best practices in supporting civil society-proposed reforms. -- Embassy Tunis will continue holding monthly roundtables with civil society activists; the next scheduled roundtable, which will mark the one-year anniversary of the series, will be devoted to participant feedback, with the goal of helping ensure that the series is responsive to the needs of our target audience. For example, we are going to experiment with holding the roundtable outside of the Embassy, to see if a venue change helps attract participants reluctant to come -- or to be seen coming -- to the Embassy. TUNIS 00001064 005 OF 005 -- In support of freedom of association, the Embassy will continue to program speakers to address the alumni of the Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship program, and engage in other support and outreach activities with them. In addition, the Embassy will continue to encourage Fulbright alumni in their efforts to form an association. At their request, planning is already underway for a half-day seminar on US foreign policy, with the Ambassador leading the discussion. -- This September, several Tunisian lawyers will participate in a Single-Country Program under the auspices of the International Visitors Leadership Program (IVLP). The program will focus on rule of law issues, with a particular focus on balancing civil rights and security needs in the context of combating terrorism. Several of the Embassy's 2008 IVLP candidates were nominated based on their noted potential to advance Freedom Agenda ideals. The Embassy will continue to look for promising young Tunisians to put forward for this and other programs. -- In follow-up to the Ambassador's meetings with opposition leaders, Ambassador and EmbOffs will continue to reach out to them, taking the pulse on their relative freedom of maneuver. Likewise, we will continue to follow up on our meetings with civil society. If, and as, these interlocutors come to us with requests for assistance, such as intervention with the GOT, we will take action, as appropriate. -------------- Comment -------------- ¶12. (C) The Embassy will continue to develop further plans and activities to follow through on the President's Freedom Agenda in Tunisia. Our message to the GOT, political party figures, and to representatives of civil society will be the same: that the USG's commitment to the Freedom Agenda is enduring. We will also continue in our efforts to work with those inside the GOT who support reform. End Comment. GODEC