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. - - - - - - - - - - - - Meeting with Activists - - - - - - - - - - - - ¶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. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Supporting Reform and its Advocates - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ¶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 MUSCAT 00000351 002 OF 002 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. - - - - - - - - - Student Outreach - - - - - - - - - ¶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. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Strengthening Civil Institutions - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ¶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