SHI'A LEADERS MEET WITH KING AFTER MEDINA INCIDENT

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 DHAHRAN 000014 SIPDIS PASS TO NEA/ARP FOR JOSHUA HARRIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 3/4/2019 TAGS: SA PGOV PINR PHUM PREL KDEM KIRF KISL SUBJECT: SHI'A LEADERS MEET WITH KING AFTER MEDINA INCIDENT REF: 09 RIYADH 346, 09 DHAHRAN 8, 09 JEDDAH 85, 09 RIYADH 270 DHAHRAN 00000014 001.2 OF 002 CLASSIFIED BY: Joseph Kenny, Consul General, EXEC, DOS. REASON: 1.4 (b),(d) ¶1. (C) Key Points: -------------- -- King Abdullah met with more than 100 Shi'a leaders from Qatif, al-Ahsa, and Medina related to the sectarian clashes at Baqi'a cemetery (ref A). -- Following the meeting, the King announced the immediate release of all 38 detainees involved in the Medina incident. -- The Shi'a leadership considers the meeting to be a small victory that should calm frustrated Shi'a youth and ease tensions that have persisted since the Baqi'a incident. -- Shi'a contacts say the Islamic month of Rajab (June 24 - July 22) will be a good indication of whether sectarian tensions have calmed, since Shi'a from all over the world make pilgrimages to Mecca and Medina during that month. ¶2. (C) Comment: -------------- -- By meeting with such a high-profile delegation of Shi'a leaders, the King has sent a strong signal of his personal commitment to religious tolerance and desire to bring change and reform to Saudi Arabian society. However, as the King makes progress, expectations among the Shi'a and other Saudis are likely to rise even higher. This meeting with the King should go a long way in relieving sectarian tensions in the Kingdom for now, but the Shi'a will certainly continue to demand more rights. End key points and comment. ¶3. (C) SHI'A LEADERS DELIVER MESSAGE TO KING. Following the February 20 sectarian conflicts at Baqi'a cemetery in Medina (ref A),and the unrest that followed in Saudi Shi'a communities (refs B, C),a delegation of 109 Shi'a leaders led by Sheikh Abdullah al-Jeshi met with King Abdullah. The delegation represented the Shi'a communities of al-Ahsa, Qatif, and Medina. According to a prominent Shi'a leader, the delegation presented their concerns about Wahabbi extremists - including but not limited to the religious police - harassment of Shi'a based solely on religious beliefs and practices. They also communicated their version of the incidents leading up to and following the conflict at the Baqi'a cemetery. This meeting took place after the initial request to meet the King on Sunday, March 1 was denied (ref B). The delegation consisted mainly of Shi'a sheikhs and other religious figures. ¶4. (C) KING IMMEDIATELY RELEASES ALL DETAINEES. Following the delegation's meeting with the King, he reportedly announced the immediate release of all 38 detainees from the Medina incident. Post has not confirmed whether all detainees have been physically released, but Shi'a contacts are certain that it will happen. However, XXXXXXXXXXXX (protect),an elected municipal council member and prominent Shi'a leader, said that the delegation would have eventually secured the detainees' release separately from Prince Mohammed bin Nayef bin Abdulaziz Al Saud (MbN),Assistant Minister of Interior for Security Affairs, though he admitted that the King made it much easier and quicker. ¶5. (C) JUSTICE IS LESS IMPORTANT. The delegation also demanded a full, transparent and independent investigation into the incidents at Baqi'a. However, XXXXXXXXXXXX does not expect the results of any investigation to be made public or any unlawful acts to be punished. He said that MbN showed the delegation a video clip of the Baqi'a incident that had clearly been edited in an attempt to convince them that no wrongdoing was committed. XXXXXXXXXXXX believes that punishment is not important now in any case and that the meeting was a good "first step" to reducing sectarian tensions in Saudi Arabia and addressing Shi'a concerns. ¶6. (C) TENSIONS HAVE COOLED DOWN...FOR NOW. Most Shi'a sources believe that the mounting frustrations among the Shi'a youth will diminish after the meeting with the King and the release of the detainees. However, they believe that more will need to be done beyond just clamping down on harassment by the religious police or expanding visiting hours at Baqi'a cemetery. They believe that the SAG must make more public and bold gestures acknowledging the legitimacy of Shi'a Saudis as citizens of equal standing to their Sunni co-religionists. According to a couple of Shi'a activists from Qatif, the Islamic month of Rajab (June 24 - July 22) will be a good test of whether the SAG has addressed the root causes of sectarian tensions. During this month Shi'a from all over the world come to Mecca and Medina during summer holidays and will visit Baqi'a cemetery and other Shi'a holy sites. KENNY