LEBANON: DEPOSED TYRE SHIA MUFTI PROPOSES FORMING

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIRUT 000918

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR NEA/FO, NEA/ELA, NEA/PI, DRL/FO
NSC FOR ABRAMS/SINGH/YERGER/GAVITO AND ZARATE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/19/2018
TAGS: PHUM PTER EAID PINR IQ IR LE
SUBJECT: LEBANON: DEPOSED TYRE SHIA MUFTI PROPOSES FORMING
MODERATE SHIA LEAGUE

REF: A. BEIRUT 710

B. BEIRUT 912

C. BEIRUT 608

Classified By: Charge d'Affaires a.i. Michele J. Sison for reasons 1.4
(b) and (d).

SUMMARY
--------------


1. (C) On June 19, Charge and visiting S/P advisor met
deposed Shia Mufti of Tyre Sayyed Ali al-Amin, who remains in
Beirut after Hizballah drove him out of his position during
the May clashes. Al-Amin described the lack of support from
Iraqi Shia, whom he describes as afraid to confront Iranian
influence in Iraq. Amin lamented that it was unlikely there
would be alternative, independent Shia representation in the
new Lebanese cabinet. Instead, he said, there will likely
be Shia representation only through Shia parties Hizballah
and Amal. Noting that the efforts of Lebanese independent,
moderate Shia are "ineffective and disparate," Amin proposed
forming a "Shia League" composed of clerics, businessmen, and
others who share a moderate religious ideology. This
coalition is important, he said, because "you cannot fight
Hizballah with prayers alone." End summary.


2. (C) On June 19, the Charge met with Sayyed Ali al-Amin,
the deposed Shia mufti of Tyre and the Jebel Aamel district
at his apartment in Beirut, where he has been staying since
his office was ransacked by Hizballah during the May clashes
(Ref A). Visiting Policy Planning staff member Jared Cohen,
PolOffs, Shia Sheikh Maarouf Rahal, and Amin's son, Sayyed
Hassan al-Amin also attended the meeting.

&WHERE ARE THE MODERATES?8
IRAQI SHIA CANNOT CONFRONT IRAN
--------------


3. (C) Expressing his disgust for the demonstration levied
against the Charge and independent Shia activist Abdullah
Bitar by Hizballah supporters June 18 in Nabatieh in southern
Lebanon (Ref B),Amin called the Charge,s trip a
&breakthrough into the fiefdom of Hizballah.8 He noted
that he had been lobbying without success with the GOL,s
ministers to make similar visits to southern Lebanon, adding
that they instead rely on others to carry out this work and
had not yet visited Hizballah-controlled areas.


4. (C) Relaying that Hizballah continues to occupy his
office in Tyre, Amin declared that he is &ready to pay the
price, but where are the other moderate voices?8 He said
that some moderate Shia from Iraq, the UK, Australia, and
inside of Lebanon telephoned him to express their support,
but added that the religious clerics in Iraq remained quiet,
presumably because of their ties to Iran.


5. (C) Hamed Khafaf, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani,s
representative in Lebanon, had not contacted him after he was
threatened in Tyre, Amin said. According to Amin, Sistani
funds Hizballah and Amal Movement. Amin told us he is
friends with Jawad Sistani, the Grand Ayatollah,s
son-in-law, who is responsible for Sistani,s financial
transactions, but that they do not share political views.


6. (C) Mentioning that he had received an Iraqi religious
figure the previous day, Amin assessed that Iraqi Shia do not
have the courage to publicly confront Iran, &which has a big
influence in Iraq.8 He continued, &neither the Iraqi
religious authority nor the government can protect the Iraqi
Shia.8


7. (C) He criticized Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri (who
&wears a suit by day and military gear by night8) for
excluding the Shia moderates from participating in the new
cabinet and for ensuring that Hizballah is the sole
representative for Shia. Amin recommended that a moderate
like MP Bassem Sabaa, a Shia who belongs to Druze leader
Walid Jumblatt,s bloc, be appointed a minister, admitting
that this was unlikely.

PLANS TO BUILD A
COALITION OF SHIA
--------------

BEIRUT 00000918 002 OF 002




8. (C) Acknowledging that he is only able to communicate
with his supporters in Tyre via the telephone, Amin said he
is looking for office space in Beirut. He told us that the
number of Lebanese Shia speaking against Hizballah is
increasing, including students, who form a close community
through their schools. Amin proposed forming an independent
&Shia League8 composed of moderate clerics and civilians,
similar to the existing Maronite League.


9. (C) Because there are many &ineffective, disparate
efforts,8 Amin envisions a consolidated group based upon a
shared religious ideology. He noted the timing is important
because prior to the July 2006 war, it was not possible for a
group such as the proposed "Shia League" to take a position
against Hizballah, but since then, it is more likely. Amin
noted that he would need resources for the center because
&you cannot confront Hizballah by prayers alone.8 He also
mentioned that he had proposed the creation and funding of a
satellite television network highlighting moderate Shia views.

COMMENT
--------------


10. (C) Amin appeared resolute, strong, and prepared for what
lies ahead, despite having witnessed a gun held to a family
member's head during the May clashes in Tyre and having to
have his family moved into hiding in the Chouf Mountains
(Druze area) for several weeks. Amin repeated a sentiment he
had shared with us during our May 4 meeting (Ref C): "he who
is afraid is of no help to me." Amin's courage was certainly
tested in May, and he seems to have emerged from the
experience with even greater determination and courage. In
the May meeting, he had spoken in more abstract terms
regarding the empowerment of moderate Shia clergy and
providing social services in the south. In contrast, on June
19, Amin's proposals to establish a new office as well as to
form a Shia League were concrete, practical, and stated with
great urgency. Amin did not label this effort as a rival to
the official Higher Islamic Shia Council, but it may be
viewed by Amal and Hizballah as such. As a footnote, much to
our surprise, Actint Higher Islamic Shia Council head Abdel
Amir Qabalan telephoned June 20 to denounce the Nabotieh
incident and declared that it was "not the tradition of the
Lebanese Shia to hurt others." End Comment.
SISON