CONVERSATIONS WITH SAUDI EDUCATION OFFICIAL AND

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 JEDDAH 000359 SIPDIS NEA/ARP, NEA/PPD; DRL; R, ECA E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/06/2019 TAGS: ASEC KPAO PGOV PHUM PREL PTER SA SCUL SOCI SUBJECT: CONVERSATIONS WITH SAUDI EDUCATION OFFICIAL AND JOURNALIST DESCRIBING WIDESPREAD DISCONTENT AND ANTI-AMERICANISM IN THE KINGDOM -- SPORTS AND PEOPLE-TO-PEOPLE EXCHANGES SEEN AS ONE REMEDY JEDDAH 00000359 001.2 OF 003 Classified By: Consul General Martin R. Quinn for reasons 1.4 (b) and ( d) ¶1. (C)SUMMARY: In separate meetings with Poloff, Jeddah Education Ministry official Mustafa Hersi (strictly protect) and Al Sharq Al Awsat columnist Hussein Shabokshi (strictly protect),described what they viewed as rampant anti-Americanism and widespread discontent with the SAG among young and less affluent Saudis due to their poor economic conditions and perceptions of unfair treatment, high-level corruption, and un-Islamic government practices. Both interlocutors felt that increasing the level of U.S. people-to-people exchanges, cultural and sports programming might help to address pervasive anti-American sentiment. Despite the risks of generalizing, these negative assessments of common Saudi attitudes by two established professionals who have spent considerable periods of time in the United States are troubling. END SUMMARY. SIMMERING ANGER AMONG DISADVANTAGED SAUDIS OVER UNEMPLOYMENT, POVERTY AND DISCRIMINATION -- ESPECIALLY THE FOREIGN-BORN, "TARSH AL-BAHR" -------------- -- ¶2. (C) In an August meeting with Poloff, Mustafa Hersi (strictly protect),Assistant Director of the English Division in the Jeddah Public Schools, described simmering public anger over poverty and unemployment among middle and lower class Saudis. Hersi -- who has grown fond of America through his participation in various U.S. exchange programs such as "Teaching English as a Foreign Language" at San Diego State University and Seeds of Peace's "Beyond Borders: Arabs and Americans in the 21st century" held in Amman, Jordan -- claimed that many Saudis are particularly angry with the country's leadership over what they perceive as extensive corruption co-existing with high unemployment and poverty rates in the Kingdom. "There are many Saudis who live in poverty and are unable to get a job,8 he declared. &Some say the poverty rate is 25 percent!8 Hersi noted that as a result of widespread hiring practices based on nepotism and tribal identity rather than merit, a significant percentage of the population believe they are regularly subject to discrimination. Hersi claimed that anger towards the Saudi government is growing in the most disadvantaged sectors because the leadership is not seen as having attempted to correct the problem. ¶3. (C) According to Hersi, the situation is worse for Saudis of foreign origin. A Saudi of Somali descent, Hersi claimed Saudis like himself with foreign roots are often referred to as "tarsh al-bahr" (vomit of the sea) by other Saudis. Although he has a job in the Ministry of Education, Hersi says he is often discriminated against and has been passed over for promotion in favor of less qualified candidates who have tribal ties. ¶4. (C) Al Sharq Al Awsat columnist Hussein Shabokshi (strictly protect),a graduate of the University of Oklahoma, also cited poverty and corruption as major social problems in the country: &The lack of transparency, nepotism, tribalism all exist. I have no doubt that a corrupt official is just as much a terrorist as those that blow things up, considering the damage they inflict upon society.8 He pointed to the justice system as a source of much discontent: &If I don,t feel my rights will be addressed in a system that is free of corruption there is something wrong," said Shabokshi, adding: &Many cases in our justice system take 10)15 years to be resolved. I,ve even seen cases that have gone for 40 years without resolution.8 ¶5. (C) Regarding the poverty rate, Shabokshi said that the 25 percent number is probably true but added that government spending priorities in the Kingdom have not helped the problem: &We have a serious divorce issue in the Kingdom. There are many divorced women without income and in need. The government should have funds in place to help them as well as those who are unemployed. However, there is pressure by the scholars (Muslim ulema) to push money in other directions.8 JEDDAH 00000359 002.2 OF 003 SINGING THE NATIONAL ANTHEM -- AN "UN-ISLAMIC" RITUAL; LACK OF EXTRA-CURRICULAR OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUTH -------------- -------------- ¶6. (C) While some less privileged Saudis may be aroused over allegations of corruption, others are reportedly angry at government practices they regard as distinctly un-Islamic. Hersi cited the singing of the Saudi national anthem as one example. All public schools within the Kingdom hold a morning assembly in which students and teachers are required to sing the country's national anthem. The anthem, adopted by the SAG in 1984, is entitled "Aash Al-Maleek" (The Royal Salute). According to Hersi, many teachers in schools throughout the Mecca region were skipping morning assembly or attending but not participating in the singing of the anthem because they regard music as well as paying homage to the king as "haram" (forbidden under Islam). To handle the growing problem of non-participation in morning exercises, the Governor of Mecca, Prince Khaled Al Faisal, held a meeting in March 2009 with Mecca Ministry of Education officials in which he reportedly ordered all teachers to participate in the singing of the national anthem during the morning assembly. Hersi says there has been little push-back from teachers who object to singing the anthem because none want to be labeled as terrorists -- &the worst label the government can pin on you." ¶7. (C) Shabokshi confirmed that there are still "extremist Saudis" who believe the anthem to be un-Islamic because in their eyes it praises and exalts an entity other than God. He said what concerns him the most is the fact that many teachers hold these extremist views. &If they are teaching this to the children what else are they teaching them?8 ¶8. (C) Shabokshi further argued that the Kingdom's unemployment problem is directly tied to the lack of quality education. This 40-something journalist said that he regularly encounters students who are unable to write Arabic well or speak any English and are thus ill-prepared to find jobs upon graduation. He noted that growing up in Jeddah he was exposed to many extra-curricular activities that enabled him to be successful such as playing the piano and violin and participating in the Boy Scouts. According to Shabokshi, none of these opportunities exist or are available to Saudi youth today. WIDESPREAD ANTI-AMERICANISM AMONG YOUNG AND LOWER CLASS SAUDIS: "STOP HANGING OUT WITH AMERICANS" -------------- -------------- ¶9. (C) Hersi spoke extensively about anti-American feelings that he said many Saudis harbor. He noted that while the U.S. election excited the Saudi population, quite a large number still harbor strongly negative feelings toward the US. While USG support for Israel remains the central reason for most anti-American sentiment in the Kingdom, Hersi claims that lower class Saudis, in particular, simply do not like America or Americans because they feel the U.S. lacks basic morality: "These Saudis believe that Americans engage in haram (forbidden) practices." ¶10. (C) Hersi claims that a former co-worker who often frequented U.S. Consulate events in past years was ordered to stop doing so by his boss and that he himself has been warned by friends "to stop hanging out with the Americans so much." Despite his fondness for America, Hersi claims even his children have a negative view of the U.S, a country both say: &they never want to visit.8 He reasoned that the children must have adopted this sentiment by watching Arab TV channels. UNITED STATES STILL THE NUMBER ONE DESTINATION -------------- -- ¶11. (C) Regarding anti-Americanism in the region, Shabokshi was emphatic: &the U.S.-Saudi relationship has always been hypocritical. There have always been issues. We just don,t discuss them. In general, Saudis believe Americans are immoral while Americans believe Saudis are religious JEDDAH 00000359 003.2 OF 003 extremists.8 Nevertheless: &the United States remains the number one destination for Saudis.8 While many Saudis harbor negative attitudes towards the United States it is difficult to gauge a percentage: &I don,t think it,s a majority, but no one has ever conducted any kind of survey.8 THE FLIP SIDE: "FIX MY FLAT TIRE," THE AMERICAN GOOD SAMARITAN -------------- ¶12. (C) The flip side, according to Hersi, is that anti-American sentiment is not usually shared by (more affluent) Saudis who have visited the United States and interacted personally with Americans. Although they may reject or be sharply critical of USG policy, Saudi visitors to the U.S. generally like Americans. He commented that one of his Saudi friends often talks about how so many Americans stopped to help him when he had the misfortune of having a flat tire in the state of Indiana: "If the same thing would have happened in Saudi Arabia, no Saudi would have stopped to help me." APPETITE FOR MORE AMERICAN CULTURE AND SPORT -- BRING ON THE NBA, BASEBALL AND SMITHSONIAN -------------- -- ¶13. (C) Despite their harsh observations, both Hersi and Shabokshi recommended the USG try to combat pervasive anti-American attitudes, especially among the youth, by more aggressively promoting positive interaction and people-to-people exchanges on a larger scale. Like Hersi, Shabokshi argued that Saudis who have visited the United States and interacted with Americans generally hold more favorable views and subsequently contribute to changing the minds of other Saudis. He also suggested the development of more cultural exchanges between the two nations such as having the Smithsonian arrange an exhibit or bringing NBA and major league baseball teams to the Kingdom for exhibition games. WORRISOME THREAT OF UNREST AMONG THE YOUTH AND THE POOR? -------------- -------------- ¶14. (C) COMMENT. While one should not draw sweeping conclusions from the views of only two individuals, the points expressed are nonetheless arresting because of their surprising sources: established contacts among the new generation of Saudi professionals. Their perception of rampant anti-Americanism and simmering resentment of the SAG among ordinary Saudis (the Saudi Arabian "street") is troubling given Saudi youth's history of susceptibility to extremist ideology and the dire consequences that have followed. END COMMENT. QUINN