Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08ABUDHABI377
2008-03-25 13:55:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Abu Dhabi
Cable title:  

EMBASSY CONVERSATION WITH UAEG ON SHARLA'S CITY OF HOPE

Tags:  PREL PHUM PREF KCRM KWMN ASEC ELAB AE 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO3905
PP RUEHDE RUEHDIR
DE RUEHAD #0377 0851355
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 251355Z MAR 08
FM AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0615
INFO RUEHDE/AMCONSUL DUBAI 7649
RUEHZM/GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
C O N F I D E N T I A L ABU DHABI 000377 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR G/TIP, INL, DRL, NEA/ARP, L/DL, CA/OCS/ACS

G/TIP FOR GPATEL; CA/OCS/ACS FOR GLYNN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/25/2018
TAGS: PREL PHUM PREF KCRM KWMN ASEC ELAB AE
SUBJECT: EMBASSY CONVERSATION WITH UAEG ON SHARLA'S CITY OF HOPE
SHELTER: "NOT A ONE SHELTER TOWN"

REF: A) Dubai 092, B) 07 DUBAI 0629

Classified by CDA Martin Quinn, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L ABU DHABI 000377

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR G/TIP, INL, DRL, NEA/ARP, L/DL, CA/OCS/ACS

G/TIP FOR GPATEL; CA/OCS/ACS FOR GLYNN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/25/2018
TAGS: PREL PHUM PREF KCRM KWMN ASEC ELAB AE
SUBJECT: EMBASSY CONVERSATION WITH UAEG ON SHARLA'S CITY OF HOPE
SHELTER: "NOT A ONE SHELTER TOWN"

REF: A) Dubai 092, B) 07 DUBAI 0629

Classified by CDA Martin Quinn, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) In March 25, 2008 conversation with MinState for Foreign
Affairs (and Chairman of National Committee to Combat Human
Trafficking) Anwar Gargash, Charge emphasized the very positive
experiences both the Embassy and ConGen have had with Sharla
Musabih's City of Hope, with the shelter having accepted and cared
for Amcit victims in particular over a period of several years. CDA
raised our concerns about reports (including in the press) about the
City of Hope being threatened with closing and Sharla herself
possibly being subject to arrest.


2. (C) Gargash was adamant that Sharla is under no threat of arrest
("certainly not at the order of the Government -- of course not") if
she returns. He also agreed that closing the City of Hope would be a
backward step for anti-TIP efforts. Several times Gargash said that
"there is room for more than one shelter in Dubai" and elsewhere in
the country, and claimed that the three Emirati professional women
who are running the Dubai Foundation for Women and Children had left
significant positions to take on this important work. He also
asserted that whatever Sharla's acknowledged good works in the field
of charity (he said he himself "did not doubt" that she had performed
many good services),Sharla herself was not above criticism.


3. (C) Repeating that Dubai is "not a one shelter town," he said
Sharla had been making "relentless efforts to undermine the other
shelter," but by the same token Sharla is "not herself above
criticism." Gargash said she should respond to her critics rather
than "trying to play the part of a moral judge" over everyone else.
Representing the UAE Government, Gargash said he personally had "no
idea about" reports of children being sold or issues of financial

irregularities that had been raised by her detractors, but that NGOs
("like everyone else") are accountable for their actions and subject
to audits.


4. (C) He said that neither the UAE Government nor the National
Committee to Combat Human Trafficking is behind the newspaper stories
and that Sharla should defend herself against critics rather than
suggest that the Government is doing anything against her. He said
the press in the UAE has "a certain margin to say what it wants" and
it is legitimate on its part to ask questions. He said the
Government does not instruct the press on these matters, and added
that the media -- or anyone in the UAE -- was free to look into the
practices (financial and otherwise) of the City of Hope, which should
be accountable for its actions. Gargash commented that there had
been no reaction yet in UAE papers to the N.Y. Times story. (Note:
The City of Hope is reportedly in arrears on rent payments to the
tune of tens of thousands of dollars. End note.)


5. (C) Gargash added that when he saw Ambassador Lagon briefly in
Vienna (at the UN.GIFT conference) there was no time to speak at
length. He said that the UAEG would welcome training proposals for
programs in the UAE and that the UAEG was prepared to pay for
appropriate training. (Note: The MFA has repeatedly pressed the
Embassy, on behalf of Dr. Gargash, for a list of training programs
and options available. End note.)


6. (C) Gargash further mentioned that only yesterday the Government
had decided to start working on a UAE-wide Human Trafficking Annual
Report that would be updated and published on an annual basis.


7. (C) On the political front at the Federal National Council,
Gargash, formerly Minister of State for Federal National Council
Affairs, said the Ministry of Interior was completing a final draft
reading of the new Domestic Labor Law.


8. (C) Comment: With some of the criticism attributed to
personalities clearly identified with the Dubai leadership structure
(including Chairman of the Dubai Women and Children Charity
Foundation Ahmed al-Mansouri),it is somewhat disingenuous for
Gargash to totally distance the UAEG from the allegations. The
Manager of the women's shelter in Dubai, Afra al-Basti, is also
alleged to have worked proactively to dissuade potential donors from
assisting the City of Hope, partially as a result of which Musabih is
reportedly over 180,000 dirham (USD 50,000) behind on her rent. That
said, Musabih has been prone to complicate her own dilemma by holding
the UAE reputation up for criticism rather than dealing specifically
with the problems at hand; Gargash is a keen defender of Dubai and
the UAEG, both of which will protect their honor against detractors.
As Gargash once noted to G/TIP Ambassador Lagon, he is delegated to
look after the "reputational" issues so vital to the UAE. End
comment.

QUINN