FOLLOW UP ON OUTREACH TO ACTIVISTS: OMAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MUSCAT 000351

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ARP, NEA/PI, DRL/SEA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/12/2018
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL KDEM KMPI KPAO MU
SUBJECT: FOLLOW UP ON OUTREACH TO ACTIVISTS: OMAN

REF: A. STATE 44903

B. MUSCAT 304

C. MUSCAT 208

D. 07 MUSCAT 720

E. 07 MUSCAT 661

Classified By: Ambassador Gary A. Grappo for Reasons 1.4 b/d.


1. (U) This cable provides updated information on Post's
actions to engage with democracy and human rights activists
and promote democratic reform in support of the President's
Freedom Agenda in Oman.

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Meeting with Activists
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2. (C) There are very few democracy activists in Oman, and
the country's highly restrictive non-governmental
organization (NGO) environment and censored media limit
outreach opportunities for Mission officers. Tayba
al-Maw'ali, a former parliamentarian who was jailed in 2005
on charges of insulting a public official, is the most well
known and outspoken among them, although she appears to have
a small domestic following (ref C). Post maintains regular
contact with her, which she chooses to keep private. In 2007
and 2008, she appeared on the international television
channel al-Hurra to speak about democracy and the role of
women in Oman. Other activists on political issues such as
human rights are subject to government scrutiny and as a
result, some consciously limit their profiles and actions.


3. (C) In order not to expose these few activists to unwanted
attention, the Ambassador has chosen low-profile ways to
interact with them and show support. For instance, the
Ambassador invited activists to his Iftaar receptions during
Ramadan in 2007. One accepted the invitation and spoke with
the Ambassador about human rights in Oman over the course of
the evening. The Ambassador also has instructed the
Embassy's Political/Economic Section to quietly seek out and
meet with democracy activists to elicit their opinions and
gauge their freedom to speak openly. The government is aware
of this outreach of the Mission, and the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs has questioned the diplomatic probity of our efforts.
Nevertheless, barring a dramatic shift in Oman's internal
political environment, Post plans to continue its outreach
during the coming year.

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Supporting Reform and its Advocates
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4. (SBU) Given the dearth of activists and NGOs directly
advocating Western-style democracy in Oman, Post has pursued
a policy of engaging pro-reform elements in civil society,
government and business as the most effective way to promote
the President's Freedom Agenda. Post's democracy-related
programming seeks to develop the capacity of civil society
institutions to encourage reform and support a culture of
civic engagement from which future activists may emerge.


5. (SBU) Post is helping to foster the development of vibrant
independent labor unions, which offer the most promising
opportunities to provide Omanis with examples of grassroots
democracy at work. Since 2006 when the government issued
reforms that legalized unions, workers have organized more
than 40 unions at the enterprise level and held direct
elections for their leadership. As part of our effort to
support this momentum, the Embassy sponsored a number of
roundtable discussions for union, business and government
leaders to encourage dialogue and broad-based support for
reform. One such discussion aimed primarily at union leaders
who are organizing workplace elections was led by the
resident representative of the International Republican
Institute (IRI),who shared his insights about elections and
successful campaigns in the U.S. Through a MEPI grant to the
International Labor Organization (ILO),the USG has helped
the General Federation of Oman's Laborers, the provisional
national-level workers' representative body, draft a
constitution and prepare for national elections, which are
scheduled to take place before the end of 2008 (ref C). The
Embassy also is pushing strongly for an Omani labor
delegation led by Minister of Manpower Juma bin Ali al-Juma
to visit Washington in the coming months.


6. (SBU) Post also works to enhance women's participation in
politics, society and the economy, including through its work
with Oman Women's Associations (OWAs) located throughout the
country. In response to overwhelming demand for
participation in the MEPI-funded Women in Technology (WIT)
program, which helps develop women's computer skills and

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literacy at OWA-based computer centers, Post is supporting
the program's expansion to an anticipated 18 locations by the
end of 2009. Many Omanis were disappointed when none of the
female candidates in the October 2007 elections for the
Majlis al-Shura, the lower house of Oman's bicameral
proto-legislative body, won a seat. One Muscat-area OWA
responded by organizing a women's legal rights seminar to
help engage women in the political process (ref B). Post
hopes to work with this association through a MEPI local
grant to develop follow-on activities that may provide a
model for similar community-based initiatives in other parts
of Oman.

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Student Outreach
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7. (SBU) The Ambassador and Post's Public Affairs Section
continue to reach out to students in Oman's universities and
colleges in order to create opportunities for discussion
about America's history, civic values, and political system.
The Ambassador has placed particular emphasis on engaging
young people outside of the greater Muscat area who do not
have regular contact with Americans or Embassy officials.
During the current academic year, more than 6,000 college and
high school students have participated in over 50 programs
ranging from small group discussions to large-scale lectures,
as well as cultural events and exhibitions involving the
Ambassador, emboffs and other USG representatives.

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Strengthening Civil Institutions
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8. (SBU) Post helps to strengthen the rule of law and develop
Oman's fledgling legislature through two MEPI-funded programs
run by the American Bar Association (ABA) and IRI,
respectively. Through the ABA's Rule of Law Initiative,
Omani judges are increasing their ability to write
well-reasoned legal decisions in accordance with Omani laws
while the Ministry of Legal Affairs is launching a public
awareness campaign to educate younger Omanis about the
country's laws and legal system. Building on its work with
legislative staff, the IRI has for the first time provided
training directly to members of the Majlis al-Shura,
including an orientation course for new election winners. In
future training workshops, it plans to help elected members
learn to conduct press interviews and otherwise engage with
the media, as well as to more effectively reach out to their
constituents.
GRAPPO