JORDAN REVERSES DEPORTATION DECISIONS FOR THREE

C O N F I D E N T I A L AMMAN 000802 SIPDIS SIPDIS FOR NEA/ELA; DRL/IRF NSC FOR PASCUAL AND SINGH E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/12/2018 TAGS: PHUM KIRF PGOV SOCI CASC JO SUBJECT: JORDAN REVERSES DEPORTATION DECISIONS FOR THREE AMERICAN EVANGELICALS REF: A. AMMAN 612 ¶B. AMMAN 104 Classified By: Ambassador David Hale for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) Jordan's General Intelligence Director Lt. General Mohammad Dahabi agreed to reverse deportation orders for three American Evangelical missionaries (reported ref B) during a March 9 meeting with the Ambassador. Dahabi told the Ambassador that these individuals, if outside Jordan, would be welcome to return, and, if inside Jordan, would be welcome to stay and would be granted the appropriate residence documents. The three Americans (Bob Robertson, Charles Kohl, and Mark Renfroe) were on a list of deportees given to Dahabi by the Ambassador on January 2 (ref b). Each maintained long-standing ties to communities in Jordan. Robertson, for example, has lived in Jordan for more than 30 years. ¶2. (SBU) On March 10, poloff contacted the three Americans to inform them that the GOJ had told us they would be welcome to return. We asked that they keep the Embassy apprised of future developments in their cases. ¶3. (C) The Jordanian decision comes after continuous Embassy engagement with Jordan's senior leadership. Since Post's recognition of an up-tick in deportations, Ambassador has discussed the matter three times with King Abdullah (en route to Washington, during the recent Abdullah visit to Washington, and during a meeting at the palace February 10) and in numerous conversations with ROYAL Court Chief Bassem Awadallah, Prime Minister Nader Dahabi, Foreign Minister Bashir and GID Director Dahabi. These senior leaders suggested to the Ambassador that they hoped that readmitting the affected missionaries might send a positive signal to the evangelical community (and the GOJ's critics). The ultimate decision, though delivered by Dahabi, clearly originated from the King. COMMENT -------------- ¶4. (C) Within the small and loose-lipped Jordanian evangelical community, word of these reversals will spread quickly. Despite the recent torrent of negative press coverage (ref A),this signal will be interpreted as a positive sign by evangelicals looking to regain their foothold in Jordanian society. Within these communities, the timing (immediately following King Abdullah's return from Washington) will leave little doubt as to the architects of these pardons and contribute further to the perception that senior American intervention is needed - and effective - in advancing their cause. HALE