

Currently released so far... 12553 / 251,287
Browse latest releases
2010/12/01
2010/12/02
2010/12/03
2010/12/04
2010/12/05
2010/12/06
2010/12/07
2010/12/08
2010/12/09
2010/12/10
2010/12/11
2010/12/12
2010/12/13
2010/12/14
2010/12/15
2010/12/16
2010/12/17
2010/12/18
2010/12/19
2010/12/20
2010/12/21
2010/12/22
2010/12/23
2010/12/24
2010/12/25
2010/12/26
2010/12/27
2010/12/28
2010/12/29
2010/12/30
2011/01/01
2011/01/02
2011/01/04
2011/01/05
2011/01/07
2011/01/09
2011/01/10
2011/01/11
2011/01/12
2011/01/13
2011/01/14
2011/01/15
2011/01/16
2011/01/17
2011/01/18
2011/01/19
2011/01/20
2011/01/21
2011/01/22
2011/01/23
2011/01/24
2011/01/25
2011/01/26
2011/01/27
2011/01/28
2011/01/29
2011/01/30
2011/01/31
2011/02/01
2011/02/02
2011/02/03
2011/02/04
2011/02/05
2011/02/06
2011/02/07
2011/02/08
2011/02/09
2011/02/10
2011/02/11
2011/02/12
2011/02/13
2011/02/14
2011/02/15
2011/02/16
2011/02/17
2011/02/18
2011/02/19
2011/02/20
2011/02/21
2011/02/22
2011/02/23
2011/02/24
2011/02/25
2011/02/26
2011/02/27
2011/02/28
2011/03/01
2011/03/02
2011/03/03
2011/03/04
2011/03/05
2011/03/06
2011/03/07
2011/03/08
2011/03/09
2011/03/10
2011/03/11
2011/03/13
2011/03/14
2011/03/15
2011/03/16
2011/03/17
2011/03/18
2011/03/19
2011/03/20
2011/03/21
2011/03/22
2011/03/23
2011/03/24
2011/03/25
2011/03/26
2011/03/27
2011/03/28
2011/03/29
2011/03/30
2011/03/31
2011/04/01
2011/04/02
2011/04/03
2011/04/04
2011/04/05
2011/04/06
2011/04/07
2011/04/08
2011/04/09
2011/04/10
2011/04/11
2011/04/12
2011/04/13
2011/04/14
2011/04/15
2011/04/16
2011/04/17
2011/04/18
2011/04/19
2011/04/20
2011/04/21
2011/04/22
2011/04/23
2011/04/24
2011/04/25
2011/04/26
2011/04/27
2011/04/28
2011/04/29
2011/04/30
2011/05/01
2011/05/02
2011/05/03
2011/05/04
2011/05/05
2011/05/06
2011/05/07
2011/05/08
2011/05/09
2011/05/10
2011/05/11
2011/05/12
Browse by creation date
Browse by origin
Embassy Athens
Embassy Asuncion
Embassy Astana
Embassy Asmara
Embassy Ashgabat
Embassy Apia
Embassy Ankara
Embassy Amman
Embassy Algiers
Embassy Addis Ababa
Embassy Accra
Embassy Abuja
Embassy Abu Dhabi
Embassy Abidjan
Consulate Auckland
Consulate Amsterdam
Consulate Adana
American Institute Taiwan, Taipei
Embassy Bujumbura
Embassy Buenos Aires
Embassy Budapest
Embassy Bucharest
Embassy Brussels
Embassy Bridgetown
Embassy Bratislava
Embassy Brasilia
Embassy Bogota
Embassy Bishkek
Embassy Bern
Embassy Berlin
Embassy Belmopan
Embassy Belgrade
Embassy Beirut
Embassy Beijing
Embassy Banjul
Embassy Bangkok
Embassy Bandar Seri Begawan
Embassy Bamako
Embassy Baku
Embassy Baghdad
Consulate Barcelona
Embassy Copenhagen
Embassy Conakry
Embassy Colombo
Embassy Chisinau
Embassy Caracas
Embassy Canberra
Embassy Cairo
Consulate Curacao
Consulate Ciudad Juarez
Consulate Chennai
Consulate Casablanca
Consulate Cape Town
Consulate Calgary
Embassy Dushanbe
Embassy Dublin
Embassy Doha
Embassy Djibouti
Embassy Dili
Embassy Dhaka
Embassy Dar Es Salaam
Embassy Damascus
Embassy Dakar
Consulate Dubai
Embassy Helsinki
Embassy Harare
Embassy Hanoi
Consulate Ho Chi Minh City
Consulate Hermosillo
Consulate Hamilton
Consulate Hamburg
Consulate Halifax
Embassy Kyiv
Embassy Kuwait
Embassy Kuala Lumpur
Embassy Kinshasa
Embassy Kingston
Embassy Kigali
Embassy Khartoum
Embassy Kathmandu
Embassy Kampala
Embassy Kabul
Consulate Kolkata
Embassy Luxembourg
Embassy Luanda
Embassy London
Embassy Ljubljana
Embassy Lisbon
Embassy Lima
Embassy Lilongwe
Embassy La Paz
Consulate Lahore
Consulate Lagos
Mission USOSCE
Mission USNATO
Mission UNESCO
Embassy Muscat
Embassy Moscow
Embassy Montevideo
Embassy Monrovia
Embassy Minsk
Embassy Mexico
Embassy Mbabane
Embassy Maputo
Embassy Manila
Embassy Manama
Embassy Managua
Embassy Malabo
Embassy Madrid
Consulate Munich
Consulate Mumbai
Consulate Montreal
Consulate Monterrey
Consulate Milan
Consulate Melbourne
Embassy Nicosia
Embassy Niamey
Embassy New Delhi
Embassy Ndjamena
Embassy Nassau
Embassy Nairobi
Consulate Naples
Consulate Naha
Embassy Pristina
Embassy Pretoria
Embassy Prague
Embassy Port Of Spain
Embassy Port Louis
Embassy Port Au Prince
Embassy Phnom Penh
Embassy Paris
Embassy Paramaribo
Embassy Panama
Consulate Peshawar
REO Basrah
Embassy Rome
Embassy Riyadh
Embassy Riga
Embassy Reykjavik
Embassy Rangoon
Embassy Rabat
Consulate Rio De Janeiro
Consulate Recife
Secretary of State
Embassy Suva
Embassy Stockholm
Embassy Sofia
Embassy Skopje
Embassy Singapore
Embassy Seoul
Embassy Sarajevo
Embassy Santo Domingo
Embassy Santiago
Embassy Sanaa
Embassy San Salvador
Embassy San Jose
Consulate Strasbourg
Consulate St Petersburg
Consulate Shenyang
Consulate Shanghai
Consulate Sapporo
Consulate Sao Paulo
Embassy Tunis
Embassy Tripoli
Embassy Tokyo
Embassy The Hague
Embassy Tel Aviv
Embassy Tehran
Embassy Tegucigalpa
Embassy Tbilisi
Embassy Tashkent
Embassy Tallinn
Consulate Toronto
Consulate Tijuana
USUN New York
USEU Brussels
US Office Almaty
US Mission Geneva
US Interests Section Havana
US Delegation, Secretary
UNVIE
Embassy Ulaanbaatar
Embassy Vilnius
Embassy Vienna
Embassy Vatican
Embassy Valletta
Consulate Vladivostok
Consulate Vancouver
Browse by tag
APECO
ASEC
AMGT
AFIN
APER
ACABQ
AORC
AEMR
AF
AE
AR
AGMT
AU
AY
ABLD
AS
AG
AJ
APCS
AX
AM
AMEX
ATRN
ADM
AMED
AFGHANISTAN
AZ
AL
ASUP
AND
ARM
ASEAN
AFFAIRS
AQ
ATFN
AMBASSADOR
AODE
APEC
ACBAQ
AFSI
AFSN
AO
ABUD
AC
ADPM
ADCO
ASIG
ARF
AUC
ASEX
AGAO
AA
AER
AVERY
AGRICULTURE
AIT
AADP
ASCH
AORL
AROC
ACOA
ANET
AID
AMCHAMS
AINF
AMG
AFU
AN
ALOW
ASECKFRDCVISKIRFPHUMSMIGEG
ACS
ADANA
AECL
ACAO
AORG
AGR
BEXP
BR
BM
BG
BL
BA
BTIO
BO
BP
BC
BILAT
BK
BU
BD
BRUSSELS
BB
BF
BBSR
BIDEN
BX
BE
BH
BT
BY
BMGT
BWC
BTIU
BN
CA
CASC
CFED
CO
CH
CS
CU
CE
CI
CM
CMGT
CJAN
COM
CG
CIS
CVIS
CR
CKGR
CHR
CVR
COUNTER
CIA
CLINTON
CY
CPAS
CD
CBW
COUNTERTERRORISM
CITEL
CDG
CW
CODEL
COUNTRY
CLEARANCE
COE
CN
CARICOM
CB
CONDOLEEZZA
CWC
CACS
CSW
CIDA
CIC
CITT
CONS
CL
CACM
CDB
CDC
CAN
CF
CJUS
CTM
CBSA
CARSON
CT
CLMT
CBC
CEUDA
CV
COPUOS
CTR
CROS
CAPC
CAC
CNARC
CICTE
CBE
ECON
ETRD
EIND
ENRG
EC
ELAB
EAGR
EAID
EFIS
EFIN
EINV
EUN
EG
EPET
EAIR
EU
ELTN
EWWT
ECIN
ERD
EI
ETTC
EUR
EN
EZ
ETC
ENVI
EMIN
ET
ENVR
ER
ECPS
EINT
EAP
ES
ENIV
ECONOMY
EXTERNAL
EINN
EFTA
ECONOMIC
EPA
EXBS
ECA
ELN
ETRDEINVECINPGOVCS
ENGR
ECUN
ENGY
ECONOMICS
ELECTIONS
EIAR
EINDETRD
EREL
EUC
ECONEFIN
EURN
EDU
ETRDEINVTINTCS
ECIP
ENERG
EFIM
EAIDS
EK
ETRDECONWTOCS
EINVETC
ECONCS
EUNCH
ESA
ECINECONCS
EUREM
ESENV
EFINECONCS
ETRC
ENNP
EAIG
EXIM
EEPET
EINVECONSENVCSJA
EUMEM
ETRA
ERNG
ETRO
ETRN
EINVEFIN
ICTY
IN
IS
IR
IC
IZ
IA
INTERPOL
IAEA
IT
IMO
IO
IV
ID
IRAQI
IEA
INRB
IL
IWC
ITU
ICAO
ISRAELI
ICRC
IIP
IMF
IBRD
ISLAMISTS
ITALY
ITALIAN
ILO
IPR
IQ
IRS
IAHRC
IZPREL
IRAJ
IDP
ILC
ITF
ICJ
IF
ITPHUM
INMARSAT
ISRAEL
IACI
IBET
ITRA
INR
IRC
IDA
ICTR
IGAD
INRA
INRO
IEFIN
INTELSAT
INTERNAL
INDO
ITPGOV
KWMN
KSCA
KDEM
KTFN
KIPR
KCRM
KPAL
KE
KPAO
KPKO
KS
KN
KISL
KFRD
KJUS
KIRF
KFLO
KG
KTIP
KTER
KRCM
KTIA
KGHG
KIRC
KU
KPRP
KMCA
KMPI
KSEO
KNNP
KZ
KNEI
KCOR
KOMC
KCFC
KSTC
KMDR
KFLU
KSAF
KSEP
KSAC
KR
KGIC
KSUM
KWBG
KCIP
KDRG
KOLY
KAWC
KCHG
KHDP
KRVC
KBIO
KAWK
KGCC
KHLS
KBCT
KPLS
KREL
KCFE
KMFO
KV
KFRDKIRFCVISCMGTKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG
KFTFN
KVPR
KTDB
KSPR
KIDE
KVRP
KTEX
KBTR
KTRD
KICC
KCOM
KO
KLIG
KDEMAF
KMRS
KRAD
KOCI
KSTH
KUNR
KNSD
KGIT
KFSC
KHIV
KPAI
KICA
KACT
KHUM
KREC
KSEC
KFRDCVISCMGTCASCKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG
KCMR
KPIN
KESS
KDEV
KNAR
KNUC
KPWR
KENV
KWWMN
KWMNCS
KPRV
KOM
KBTS
KCRS
KNPP
KWNM
KRFD
KVIR
KTBT
KAID
KRIM
KDDG
KRGY
KHSA
KWMM
KMOC
KSCI
KPAK
KX
KPAONZ
KCGC
KID
KPOA
KIFR
KFIN
KWAC
KOMS
KCRCM
KNUP
KMIG
KNNPMNUC
KERG
KTLA
KCSY
KJUST
MOPS
MARR
MASS
MNUC
MX
MCAP
MO
MR
MI
MD
MK
MA
MP
MY
MTCRE
MOPPS
MASC
MIL
MTS
MLS
MILI
MAR
MU
MEPN
MAPP
MTCR
MEPI
MZ
MEETINGS
MG
MW
MAS
MT
MCC
MIK
ML
MARAD
MV
MERCOSUR
MTRE
MPOS
MEPP
MILITARY
MDC
MQADHAFI
MUCN
MRCRE
MAPS
MEDIA
MASSMNUC
MC
NZ
NZUS
NL
NU
NATO
NP
NO
NIPP
NE
NH
NR
NA
NPT
NI
NSF
NG
NSG
NAFTA
NC
NDP
NEW
NRR
NATIONAL
NT
NS
NASA
NAR
NV
NORAD
NSSP
NK
NPA
NGO
NSC
NATOPREL
NW
NPG
NSFO
OPDC
OTRA
OIIP
OREP
OVIP
OSCE
OEXC
OIE
OPRC
OAS
OPIC
OTR
OMIG
OSAC
OFFICIALS
OECD
OSCI
OBSP
OFDA
OPCW
ODIP
OFDP
OES
OPAD
OCII
OHUM
OVP
ON
OIC
OCS
PHUM
PREL
PGOV
PINR
PTER
PARM
PREF
PM
PE
PINS
PK
PHSA
PBTS
PRGOV
PA
PORG
PP
PS
PGOF
PL
PO
PARMS
PKFK
PSOE
PEPR
PAK
POL
PPA
PINT
PMAR
PRELP
PREFA
PALESTINIAN
PBIO
PINF
PNG
PMIL
PFOR
PUNE
PGOVLO
PAO
POLITICS
PHUMBA
PSEPC
PTBS
PCUL
PROP
PNAT
PNR
POLINT
PGOVE
PROG
PHALANAGE
PARTY
PDEM
PECON
PROV
PHUMPREL
PGOC
PY
PCI
PLN
PDOV
PREO
PGIV
PHUH
PAS
PU
POGOV
PF
PINL
POV
PAHO
PRL
PG
PRAM
POLITICAL
PARTIES
POLICY
PGOVSMIGKCRMKWMNPHUMCVISKFRDCA
PGGV
PHUS
PSA
PHUMPGOV
PEL
PSI
PAIGH
POSTS
PBT
PTERE
RS
RU
RW
RM
RO
RP
REGION
RSP
RF
RICE
RCMP
RFE
RIGHTS
RIGHTSPOLMIL
ROBERT
RUPREL
RELATIONS
ROOD
REACTION
RSO
REPORT
SENV
SNAR
SCUL
SR
SC
SOCI
SMIG
SI
SP
SU
SO
SW
SY
SA
SZ
SAN
SF
SN
STEINBERG
SG
ST
SIPDIS
SNARIZ
SNARN
SSA
SK
SPCVIS
SOFA
SAARC
SL
SEVN
SARS
SIPRS
SHUM
SANC
SWE
SHI
SYR
SNARCS
SPCE
SYRIA
SEN
SH
SCRS
SENVKGHG
TRGY
TSPL
TPHY
TSPA
TBIO
TI
TW
THPY
TX
TU
TS
TZ
TC
TH
TT
TIP
TO
TERRORISM
TRSY
TINT
TN
TURKEY
TBID
TL
TV
TNGD
TD
TF
TP
TFIN
TAGS
TK
TR
UNSC
UK
UNGA
UN
US
UNHRC
UG
UP
UNMIK
UNHCR
UE
USTR
UNVIE
UAE
UZ
UY
UNO
UNESCO
USEU
USOAS
UV
UNODC
UNCHS
UNFICYP
UNEP
UNIDROIT
UNDESCO
UNDP
UNPUOS
UNC
UNAUS
USUN
UNCHC
UNCHR
UNCND
UNICEF
UNCSD
UNDC
USNC
USPS
USAID
Browse by classification
Community resources
courage is contagious
Viewing cable 08MANAMA593, RIVALS FOR BAHRAIN'S SHI'A STREET: WIFAQ AND HAQ
If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs
Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:
- The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
- The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
- The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.
Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #08MANAMA593.
VZCZCXRO5324
RR RUEHDE RUEHDIR
DE RUEHMK #0593/01 2481434
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 041434Z SEP 08
FM AMEMBASSY MANAMA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8104
INFO RUEHZM/GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD 0289
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 1041
RHBVAKS/COMUSNAVCENT
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 MANAMA 000593
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/04/2018
TAGS: PGOV KDEM PINR IZ BA
SUBJECT: RIVALS FOR BAHRAIN'S SHI'A STREET: WIFAQ AND HAQ
REF: A. 05 MANAMA 1773
¶B. 06 MANAMA 49
¶C. 06 MANAMA 1728
¶D. 07 MANAMA 113
¶E. 07 MANAMA 190
¶F. 07 MANAMA 810
¶G. 07 MANAMA 1046
¶H. MANAMA 336
¶I. MANAMA 404
¶J. MANAMA 407
¶K. MANAMA 420
¶L. MANAMA 510
¶M. MANAMA 536
¶N. MANAMA 592
Classified By: Ambassador Adam Ereli for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
¶1. (C) Summary and introduction: Bahrain's leading Shi'a
parties Wifaq and Haq compete for the support of the Shi'a
community, which constitutes 60-70 percent of Bahrain's
citizen population. Wifaq engages and cooperates with the
government and is at pains to stay on the right side of the
law. Some Haq leaders, by contrast, inspire low-level street
violence, and call demonstrations that often get out of hand.
The GOB and many mainstream Bahraini politicians believe Haq
seeks to provoke the authorities and create martyrs.
Relations between leaders of Wifaq and Haq, once cordial, are
now strained. While Wifaq has the support of most of the
Shi'a community, Haq gains strength whenever Wifaq is
perceived as ineffective at obtaining redress for Shi'a
grievances against the government. End summary and
introduction.
----------------
A Shared History
----------------
¶2. (U) Many Shi'a activists exiled from Bahrain in the
nineties continued their opposition activities in the
London-based Bahrain Freedom Movement. Following King
Hamad's 2001 amnesty, most of these exiles returned to
Bahrain and founded the Wifaq National Islamic Society.
Leading Bahraini cleric Sheikh Issa Qassim, a member of the
1973 parliament, publicly renounced politics when he returned
to Bahrain, but remained Wifaq's spiritual adviser (ref M).
Midlevel cleric Sheikh Ali Salman served as Wifaq's president
and Hassan Mushaima served as vice president.
¶3. (U) Wifaq boycotted the 2002 parliamentary elections to
protest the government's unilateral amendments to the
constitution, the expanded legislative role of an appointed
upper house, and the alleged roll-back of freedoms granted by
the constitution of 1973. Perhaps even more importantly,
Wifaq protested the pardon legislation "Law (56)" of 2002,
which extended the 2001 amnesty to protect government
officials from sanction for any crimes they committed during
the turmoil of the '90s.
Bahrain Center for Human Rights
-------------------------------
¶4. (U) Over the next few years Shi'a villagers began
demonstrating against alleged government discrimination.
Abdulhadi Al Khawaja, a Shi'a Islamist on the board of the
Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR), encouraged the Shi'a
demonstrations, and the BCHR became increasingly critical of
the government. The GOB withdrew BCHR's operating license
and closed the center's offices in September 2004. Al
Khawaja was elected BCHR president in 2005, beating BCHR's
founding president, secular liberal Nabeel Rajab. BCHR
continued to agitate among the Shi'a, and Al Khawaja began
working closely with Mushaima and former university professor
Abduljalil Singace.
Haq Splits from Wifaq
---------------------
¶5. (U) The Political Societies Act of 2005 allowed for
so-called "political societies," which operate as parties,
but required that they register with the Justice Ministry.
After a long internal debate, Wifaq chose in October, 2005 to
register as a society and run candidates in the next
parliamentary elections. Hasan Mushaima left Wifaq in
September 2005 to protest Wifaq's pending decision. In
November, 2006, Wifaq candidates won their contests in all 17
constituencies where the party competed. Mushaima founded
the un-registered Haq ("right") movement in November 2005
(ref A) (Note: Mushaima's Haq movement should not be confused
with the liberal Lana Haq ("We have a right") movement, which
MANAMA 00000593 002 OF 003
was founded weeks before, as post did in ref A. End Note.).
Wifaq Today
-----------
¶6. (U) Wifaq's dues-paying members meet in its Assembly every
other year to elect a Secretary General, as well as half of
the 30-member Shura (Consultative) council to four year terms
(ref I). The SecGen nominates a ten-man General Secretariat,
which runs day-to-day business.
¶7. (C) The society's numerous volunteer committees work on
issues of concern to Wifaq's constituents, such as housing,
religious issues, and community development. As Secretary
General, Sheikh Ali Salman leads the General Secretariat, the
parliamentary bloc, and the Shura (ref I).
¶8. (C) Wifaq faced numerous setbacks in the 2007-2008 session
of parliament. This frustrated its membership (refs F and
K), but the party leadership remains committed to
participating in parliamentary politics. Sheikh Ali Salman
told Ambassador in April that he is tired of trying to
enforce party discipline, but he will continue to keep Wifaq
engaged with the GOB. Hamed Khalaf, a Wifaq Shura member,
told poloff that he anticipates Wifaq will again run
candidates in 2010. Dr. Jassim Hussein, a Wifaq member of
parliament, told poloff that many of Wifaq's MPs, including
Sheikh Ali Salman, will not stand for reelection, although
Salman will continue as Secretary General. Hussein, an
economist, predicts that the party's delegation in the next
parliament will include more technocrats like himself and
Jawad Fairooz, an engineer; he foresees fewer "emotional"
oppositionists like Fairooz's older brother, Jalal. Wifaq
Shura member Nizar Al Qari, another moderate, predicted a
similar shift when he told poloff befor
e the party's internal elections in May that Wifaq is
developing beyond its conservative, religious origins, led by
the technocrats. True to Qari's prediction, the moderates
came out on top in those elections (ref I).
Haq Today
---------
¶9. (C) Bahraini officials regularly accuse Haq of seeking to
provoke the authorities and create martyrs. For example,
Interior Minister Rashid bin Abdullah al-Khalifah told DCM in
July that youths arrested for rioting often tell the police
during questioning that they were paid to stone police
patrols and set garbage fires. Police Major Abdallah Haram
asserted to Pol/Econ chief that Haq and BCHR were behind the
payments. The GOB, however, has not produced any evidence to
back these accusations. Dr. Abdulla Al Derazi, Secretary
General of the Bahrain Human Rights Society, told poloff that
he believes Haq SecGen Mushaima may at times want to restrain
these young men but has lost any control he may once have had
over them.
¶10. (C) Haq regularly coordinates its activities with the
disbanded Bahrain Center for Human Rights. (Note: Nabeel
Rajab, the BCHR's vice president described the cooperation to
poloff as a necessity that he would rather do without. End
note.) A January 2006 speech by Abdulhadi Al Khawaja
describes how BCHR and Haq will pressure the GOB by appealing
to international organizations and other governments (ref B).
According to two accounts of King Hamad's July 19 meeting
with journalists, he specifically warned against activists
appealing to "foreign agendas" (ref L), an apparent reference
to Haq and its contacts with Western human rights activists.
Haq's media specialist Singace maintains close ties to, and
provides information for, international human rights NGOs
such as Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, Freedom
House, and Frontline Defenders who identify BCHR as their
principal partner in Bahrain. According to Mohammed Al
Maskati, president of the Bahrain Youth Society for Human
Rights and Al Khawaja's son-in-law, Frontline recently hired
Al Khawaja as their Middle East bureau chief.
A Troubled Relationship
-----------------------
¶11. (C) Haq has now co-opted the Bahrain Freedom Movement,
which continues to operate in London. Lord Eric Avebury,
vice chair of the UK Parliamentary Human Rights Group, has
for years been a vocal supporter of Haq and a critic of the
GOB. During King Hamad's visit to London in January 2008, he
met Mushaima and Dr. Sayed Shihabi, an active Bahrain Freedom
Movement leader who rejected the amnesty and chose to remain
in London. Wifaq leaders such as Sheikh Ali Salman,
Abduljalil Khalil, and Mohammed Jameel Al Jamri used to
MANAMA 00000593 003 OF 003
attend the Bahrain Freedom Movement's annual meetings, but
didn't go in 2007 or 2008. Mushaima attacked Wifaq in the
media, calling them "Inbataha'een," a colloquialism that
equates to "groveling dogs" after Salman and other Wifaq
leaders skipped a scheduled meeting with Avebury in 2007.
¶12. (C) In an e-mail to supporters, Singace described the
August 21, 2008 meeting of the Bahrain Freedom Movement in
London. Singace reported that attendees discussed alleged
gerrymandering in Bahrain, as well as restrictions on media
freedom, notably the alleged media ban against Ghada
Jamsheer. (Note: For more than a year Jamsheer has asserted
to Western NGOs that she is unable to publish because of an
alleged GOB campaign to muzzle her. Emboffs have repeatedly
asked the editors of Bahrain's daily newspapers if any media
ban against Jamsheer exists. All of the editors reply that
there is no such ban -- they have simply chosen not to
publish her work. Mansour Al Jamri, editor in chief of the
Shi'a opposition daily Al Wasat, told a visiting IREX team
that Jamsheer verbally assaulted him and has sent him
insulting text messages from her employees' mobile phones.
Jamri, himself no friend of the government, said he will not
publish Jamsheer because she is "crazy." End Note.)
¶13. (C) Despite robust public criticism of many GOB policies,
Wifaq's leaders generally maintain good relationships with
the GOB. Several senior officials from the Ministry of
Interior have privately told emboffs that they appreciate
Wifaq's efforts to keep the streets calm. According to local
contacts, Sheikh Ali Salman regularly implores demonstrators
to obtain a permit before marching. He has spoken
dismissively of Haq's chaotic demonstrations and minor riots,
pointing out that when Wifaq stages a protest, it is large
and disciplined.
¶14. (C) However, Haq's message does strike a chord with many
Shi'a. Haq sympathizers, and even many moderate Shi'a, claim
that the government hasn't really changed under King Hamad.
Wifaq leaders regularly complain to emboffs that the GOB
doesn't "give" them anything to take to their constituents.
Further, they say that Wifaq's failure to achieve any of its
objectives by engaging with the government will lead to
greater support for Haq, and, potentially, an increase in
street violence.
¶15. (C) Comment: Despite the impatience of many Shi'a, it is
undeniable that King Hamad's reforms have changed much here.
There is now an opposition press, and the arrest and exile of
political oppositionists is a thing of the past.
Nevertheless, Haq and Wifaq compete for Shi'a support against
a background of real frustration on the Shi'a street. When
Wifaq is perceived as ineffective in parliament, Haq gains
more adherents for its strategy of extra-parliamentary
opposition. When Wifaq can show that its cooperation with
the government has produced jobs, housing or more political
representation for Shi'a, support for Haq's radical message
subsides.
********************************************* ********
Visit Embassy Manama's Classified Website:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/manama/
********************************************* ********
ERELI