ZANZIBAR: HARDLINE ISLAMISTS BLAST KIKWETE ON

C O N F I D E N T I A L DAR ES SALAAM 000564 AF/E FOR JLIDDLE; INR/RAA:FEHRENREICH AND DS/DSS/ITA FOR DROTHSTEIN E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/02/2013 TAGS: KISL PBTS PINR KDEM PNAT TZ SUBJECT: ZANZIBAR: HARDLINE ISLAMISTS BLAST KIKWETE ON ZANZIBAR'S STATUS IN TZ REF: DAR ES SALAAM 444 Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Larry Andre for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (SBU) On September 1 Embassy Zanzibar Affairs Officer obtained an open letter (faxed to AF/E) to President Kikwete from Zanzibari Islamic activist group "The Association for Islamic Mobilization and Propagation," known locally as &UAMSHO.8 The first part of the letter purports to trace the history and Islamic origins of &Greater Zanzibar8 and then describes the eventual union with Tanganyika as a back room deal between two leaders for internal political reasons. ¶2. (U) The letter states that during the last ten years there has been &a delicate move to divide the people of Unguja and Pemba8 (Comment: the two islands making up Zanzibar. End Comment.) The letter goes on to say that this has had the effect of frustrating the sense of nationalism among the Zanzibari people and of distracting efforts to build Zanzibar as a nation. In strong tones the letter criticizes the national government,s Unionist policies, condemnnig in particular the recent move by the national Speaker of the House of Representatives to stop parliamentary discussion on Zanzibar,s status within the Union and by the police to ban a pro-Zanzibar demonstration. ¶3. (U) In conclusion, the letter calls for the people of Zanzibar to unite, askIng rhetorically if the British and Russians with different ideologies joined to fight against German fascism, why not the people of Zanzibar? "We need to remain united in order to liberate Zanzibar,8 the letter concludes. COMMENT: ¶4. (C) UAMSHO bills itself as a non-partisan, non-political association of religious scholars, but in practice it pronounces almost exclusively on political issues, seeking out an &Islamic8 reading of current events. It was legally registered as an NGO in 2001 to &safeguard the rights and interests of Islam.8 Because of its NGO status and the fact that it has not fielded political candidates of its own, UAMSHO thus far has been able to avoid official prosecution or censure by the ruling CCM party. ¶5. (C) COMMENT CONTINUED: Much of UAMSHO,s anti-CCM Government positions are in synch with CUF, and many of CUF,s Zanzibari leadership adopt conservative Islamic dress and manners in contrast to the openly secular stance of many in the CCM leadership. This is not to say, however, that UAMSHO and CUF share the same philosophy. Indeed, the remarks about dividing Pemba and Unguja may also be seen as criticism of CUF, whose power base rests on Pemba. GREEN