OIC SYG: IMPROVE UNDERSTANDING OF ISLAM IN THE US;

C O N F I D E N T I A L JEDDAH 000253

SIPDIS

RIYADH PLEASE PASS TO DHAHRAN, DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ARP,
HERRO MUSTAFA IN P, S/E CUMBER IN IO

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/09/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV KISL SOCI SA
SUBJECT: OIC SYG: IMPROVE UNDERSTANDING OF ISLAM IN THE US;
JCCI: SAUDI CONSULTATIVE COUNCIL "USELESS;" JEDDAH
MUNICIPAL COUNCILORS: SAG "UNSUPPORTIVE"

REF: JEDDAH 248

Classified By: Acting Consul General CB Toney for Reasons 1.4(b) and (d
).


1. (C) In June 4-5 Meetings Senate Homeland Security and
Governmental Affairs Committee staff member Wendy Anderson
met with the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC)
Secretary General, Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry
(JCCI) board members, Jeddah Municipal Councilors, and other
civil society and business leaders to discuss international
security issues, U.S. policy in the Middle East, and Saudi
government (SAG) consultative/reform efforts. OIC Secretary
General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu asked the USG to provide more
support to U.S. Special Envoy to the OIC Sada Cumber and
another OIC official briefed on the OIC strategy for
combating terrorism (septel). JCCI board members deemed the
Saudi Consultative Council, the Majlis Ashoura, "useless" and
Jeddah Municipal Councilors criticized the SAG for lack of
support and some stated that they would not accept
re-appointment to remain for a second term. Dominating
discussion with civil society and business leaders included
issues such as optimism toward SAG reform efforts, dismay
with U.S. visa policy, and suggestions on improving how
Americans and Saudis view one another.

OIC SYG: "GIVE MORE SUPPORT TO S/E CUMBER"


2. (C) In describing how to improve the understanding of
Islam in the United States, OIC Secretary General Ihsanoglu
stated that the U.S. government should provide more support
to U.S. Special Envoy to the OIC Sada Cumber. He added that
he believed Mr. Cumber "had proven to be a good choice for
the position" and that he has the potential to build support
for the U.S. in the Muslim world. He also noted how
President Bush's last June announcement of plans for an envoy
was significant but lamented the lack of American media
coverage. While Ihsanoglu spoke positively of his
experiences with speaking about Islam in the U.S., he
expressed concern that it was not spreading "beyond the
elite." In response to Ihsanoglu's suggestion that he meet
with U.S. Senators in charge of Middle East-relevant
Committees, Anderson offered to assist him with working
through the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) to facilitate
opportunities to speak about Islam in the U.S. (NOTE:
Anderson is a Term Member of CFR. END NOTE.)

OIC SYG HIGHLIGHTS THE ORGANIZATION'S CHALLENGES


3. (C) Switching topics to challenges the OIC faces,
Ihsanoglu highlighted three: transforming the Organization
from a secretariat that organizes conferences to one that can
address problems in the Muslim world; enabling Muslim
countries to transform into "knowledge societies;" and
implementing the Ten-Year Program of Action that includes OIC
institutional reform as well as an outline for future
activities around the World. When asked how the OIC measures
success, Ihsanoglu stated: "We are trying to reform
institutions here." (COMMENT: Ihsanoglu did not address how
to measure reform efforts in the Muslim world. END COMMENT.)

JCCI BOARD MEMBERS "MAJLIS ASHOURA: WHO ARE THEY WORKING FOR?"


4. (C) In a conversation about general reform efforts, JCCI
board members Sami Fouad Bahrawi and Lama Suleiman spoke
about the need for a change in the Majlis Ashoura members as
well as how they operate. Bahrawi and Suleiman complained
that there were "too many Academics," and as a result,
discussion was "too Academic." They also said that they lack
initiative, adding that they receive their mandate directly
from the Council of Ministers. (NOTE: Friday mornings some
Majlis Ashoura debates are broadcast Kingdom-wide. END
NOTE.) They cited one example in which the Council chose to
focus on unifying closure times for shops and businesses.
They said that such a debate was futile as the measure was
infeasible for Jeddah, and furthermore, that the debate
focused on word choice rather than substance. Referring to a
more recent case, they criticized the Council's decision to
discuss sexual harassment policies when "Less than 1% of the
working Saudi women are in a mixed (gender) environment."

JEDDAH CITY COUNCILORS COMMENT ON INSUFFICIENT SAG SUPPORT


5. (C) Reiterating the common complaint of not receiving
support from the SAG (reftel),Council President Tarek Fadaak
and Vice President Hasan Zahrani stated that they needed a
larger mandate and accompanying budget. As a result, they


said that the Council's credibility among Jeddah residents
will remain a challenge through the June 2009 Municipal
elections. At least two of the appointed Councilors, Fadaak
as well as Councilor Abdulrahman Yamani, stated that they
would not accept re-appointment to remain on the Council for
a second term. (NOTE: The Council comprises 14 members: 7
appointed (liberal) and 7 elected (conservative). END NOTE.)
Abdulrahman added bluntly: "I am not happy with my
performance; I am not happy with the results."

JEDDAH ELITE ADDRESS SAG REFORM EFFORTS, US VISA POLICY, AND
US-SAUDI PERCEPTIONS


6. (C) Over the course of Anderson's two-day visit, Saudi
civil society and business leaders shared their opinions on
several issues. Samar Fatany, Anchor of Saudi Radio English
Broadcast, stated (without identifying any examples) that she
received positively the SAG's recent reform efforts. In the
past, she said, the SAG would create several committees to
deal with an array of issues but they would never produce
results. In contrast, she added, there is now "a strong
political will for change." (COMMENT: Those seated nearby,
including Saudi young professional and Jeddah Economic Forum
staff member Rasha Hefzi, nodded in agreement. END COMMENT.)


7. (C) Another issue that arose frequently was dismay with
U.S. visa policy: several elite, including King Abdullah
University English Literature Professor Afnan Fatani,
bemoaned the change in the visa application process since
9/11, and said as a result that they no longer felt "welcome"
in the United States. (COMMENT: This is a common statement
in Jeddah, as the Consulate General no longer issues visas.
However, ConGenoffs frequently remind Post contacts of the
USG desire for Saudis to visit and study in the U.S. END
COMMENT.) On improving U.S.-Saudi perceptions,
businessperson and writer Hanan Shobokshi, stated that there
existed a strong need for Americans and Saudis to improve how
they view one another and many, such as activist and writer
Fatin Bundagji, cited increased exchange programs and
inter-faith dialogue as possible solutions.
TONEY