Keep Us Strong WikiLeaks logo

Currently released so far... 97115 / 251,287

Articles

Browse latest releases

Browse by creation date

Browse by origin

A B C D F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

Browse by tag

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
ETRD EAGR ETTC EAID ECON EFIN ECIN EINV ELAB EAIR ENRG EPET EWWT ECPS EIND EMIN ELTN EC ETMIN EUC EZ ET ELECTIONS ENVR EU EUN EG EINT ER ECONOMICS ES EMS ENIV EEB EN ECE ECOSOC EK ENVIRONMENT EFIS EI EWT ENGRD ECPSN EXIM EIAD ERIN ECPC EDEV ENGY ECTRD EPA ESTH ECCT EINVECON ENGR ERTD EUR EAP EWWC ELTD EL EXIMOPIC EXTERNAL ETRDEC ESCAP ECO EGAD ELNT ECONOMIC ENV ETRN EIAR EUMEM ENRGPARMOTRASENVKGHGPGOVECONTSPLEAID EREL ECOM ECONETRDEAGRJA ETCC ETRG ECONOMY EMED ETR ENERG EITC EFINOECD EURM EENG ERA EXPORT ENRD ECONEINVETRDEFINELABETRDKTDBPGOVOPIC EGEN EBRD EVIN ETRAD ECOWAS EFTA ECONETRDBESPAR EGOVSY EPIN EID ECONENRG EDRC ESENV ETT EB ENER ELTNSNAR ECHEVARRIA ETRC EPIT EDUC ESA EFI ENRGY ESCI EE EAIDXMXAXBXFFR EETC ECIP EIAID EIVN EBEXP ESTN EING EGOV ETRA EPETEIND ELAN ETRDGK EAIDRW ETRDEINVECINPGOVCS EPEC ENVI ELN EAG EPCS EPRT EPTED ETRB EUM EAIDS EFIC EFINECONEAIDUNGAGM EAIDAR ESF EIDN ELAM EDU EV EAIDAF ECN EDA EXBS EINTECPS ENRGTRGYETRDBEXPBTIOSZ EPREL EAC EINVEFIN ETA EAGER EINDIR ECA ECLAC ELAP EITI EUCOM ECONEFINETRDPGOVEAGRPTERKTFNKCRMEAID EARG ELDIN EINVKSCA ENNP EFINECONCS EFINTS ECCP ETC EAIRASECCASCID EINN ETRP EAIDNI EFQ ECOQKPKO EGPHUM EBUD ECONEINVEFINPGOVIZ ENERGY ELB EINDETRD EMI ECONEFIN EIB EURN ETRDEINVTINTCS EIN EFIM ETIO ELAINE EMN EATO EWTR EIPR EINVETC ETTD ETDR EIQ ECONCS EPPD ENRGIZ EISL ESPINOSA ELEC EAIG ESLCO EUREM ENTG ERD EINVECONSENVCSJA EEPET EUNCH ECINECONCS ETRO ETRDECONWTOCS ECUN EFND EPECO EAIRECONRP ERGR ETRDPGOV ECPN ENRGMO EPWR EET EAIS EAGRE EDUARDO EAGRRP EAIDPHUMPRELUG EICN ECONQH EVN EGHG ELBR EINF EAIDHO EENV ETEX ERNG ED
KMDR KPAO KPKO KJUS KCRM KGHG KFRD KWMN KDEM KTFN KHIV KGIC KIDE KSCA KNNP KHUM KIPR KSUM KISL KIRF KCOR KRCM KPAL KWBG KN KS KOMC KSEP KFLU KPWR KTIA KSEO KMPI KHLS KICC KSTH KMCA KVPR KPRM KE KU KZ KFLO KSAF KTIP KTEX KBCT KOCI KOLY KOR KAWC KACT KUNR KTDB KSTC KLIG KSKN KNN KCFE KCIP KGHA KHDP KPOW KUNC KDRL KV KPREL KCRS KPOL KRVC KRIM KGIT KWIR KT KIRC KOMO KRFD KUWAIT KG KFIN KSCI KTFIN KFTN KGOV KPRV KSAC KGIV KCRIM KPIR KSOC KBIO KW KGLB KMWN KPO KFSC KSEAO KSTCPL KSI KPRP KREC KFPC KUNH KCSA KMRS KNDP KR KICCPUR KPPAO KCSY KTBT KCIS KNEP KFRDCVISCMGTCASCKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KNNB KGCC KINR KPOP KMFO KENV KNAR KVIR KDRG KDMR KFCE KNAO KDEN KGCN KICA KIMMITT KMCC KLFU KMSG KSEC KUM KCUL KMNP KSMT KCOM KOMCSG KSPR KPMI KRAD KIND KCRP KAUST KWAWC KTER KCHG KRDP KPAS KITA KTSC KPAOPREL KWGB KIRP KJUST KMIG KLAB KTFR KSEI KSTT KAPO KSTS KLSO KWNN KPOA KHSA KNPP KPAONZ KBTS KWWW KY KJRE KPAOKMDRKE KCRCM KSCS KWMNCI KESO KWUN KPLS KIIP KEDEM KPAOY KRIF KGICKS KREF KTRD KFRDSOCIRO KTAO KJU KWMNPHUMPRELKPAOZW KEN KO KNEI KEMR KKIV KEAI KWAC KRCIM KWCI KFIU KWIC KCORR KOMS KNNO KPAI KBWG KTTB KTBD KTIALG KILS KFEM KTDM KESS KNUC KPA KOMCCO KCEM KRCS KWBGSY KNPPIS KNNPMNUC KWN KERG KLTN KALM KCCP KSUMPHUM KREL KGH KLIP KTLA KAWK KWMM KVRP KVRC KAID KSLG KDEMK KX KIF KNPR KCFC KFTFN KTFM KPDD KCERS KMOC KDEMAF KMEPI KEMS KDRM KEPREL KBTR KEDU KNP KIRL KNNR KMPT KISLPINR KTPN KA KJUSTH KPIN KDEV KTDD KAKA KFRP KWNM KTSD KINL KJUSKUNR KWWMN KECF KWBC KPRO KVBL KOM KFRDKIRFCVISCMGTKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KEDM KFLD KLPM KRGY KNNF KICR KIFR KM KWMNCS KAWS KLAP KPAK KDDG KCGC KID KNSD KMPF KPFO KDP KCMR KRMS KNPT KNNNP KTIAPARM KDTB KNUP KPGOV KNAP KNNC KUK KSRE KREISLER KIVP KQ KTIAEUN KPALAOIS KRM KISLAO KWM KFLOA
PHUM PINR PTER PGOV PREL PREF PL PM PHSA PE PARM PINS PK PUNE PO PALESTINIAN PU PBTS PROP PTBS POL POLI PA PGOVZI POLMIL POLITICAL PARTIES POLM PD POLITICS POLICY PAS PMIL PINT PNAT PV PKO PPOL PERSONS PING PBIO PH PETR PARMS PRES PCON PETERS PRELBR PT PLAB PP PAK PDEM PKPA PSOCI PF PLO PTERM PJUS PSOE PELOSI PROPERTY PGOVPREL PARP PRL PNIR PHUMKPAL PG PREZ PGIC PBOV PAO PKK PROV PHSAK PHUMPREL PROTECTION PGOVBL PSI PRELPK PGOVENRG PUM PRELKPKO PATTY PSOC PRIVATIZATION PRELSP PGOVEAIDUKNOSWGMHUCANLLHFRSPITNZ PMIG PREC PAIGH PROG PSHA PARK PETER POG PHUS PPREL PS PTERPREL PRELPGOV POV PKPO PGOVECON POUS PGOVPRELPHUMPREFSMIGELABEAIDKCRMKWMN PWBG PMAR PREM PAR PNR PRELPGOVEAIDECONEINVBEXPSCULOIIPBTIO PARMIR PGOVGM PHUH PARTM PN PRE PTE PY POLUN PPEL PDOV PGOVSOCI PIRF PGOVPM PBST PRELEVU PGOR PBTSRU PRM PRELKPAOIZ PGVO PERL PGOC PAGR PMIN PHUMR PVIP PPD PGV PRAM PINL PKPAL PTERE PGOF PINO PHAS PODC PRHUM PHUMA PREO PPA PEPFAR PGO PRGOV PAC PRESL PORG PKFK PEPR PRELP PREFA PNG PGOVPHUMKPAO PRELECON PINOCHET PFOR PGOVLO PHUMBA PRELC PREK PHUME PHJM POLINT PGOVPZ PGOVKCRM PGOVE PHALANAGE PARTY PECON PEACE PROCESS PLN PRELSW PAHO PEDRO PRELA PASS PPAO PGPV PNUM PCUL PGGV PSA PGOVSMIGKCRMKWMNPHUMCVISKFRDCA PGIV PRFE POGOV PEL PBT PAMQ PINF PSEPC POSTS PHUMPGOV PVOV PHSAPREL PROLIFERATION PENA PRELTBIOBA PIN PRELL PGOVPTER PHAM PHYTRP PTEL PTERPGOV PHARM PROTESTS PRELAF PKBL PRELKPAO PKNP PARMP PHUML PFOV PERM PUOS PRELGOV PHUMPTER PARAGRAPH PERURENA PBTSEWWT PCI PETROL PINSO PINSCE PQL PEREZ PBS

Browse by classification

Community resources

courage is contagious

Viewing cable 05MANAMA1580, CREEPING CONSERVATISM HITS HOTELS DURING RAMADAN

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.
To understand the justification used for the classification of each cable, please use this WikiSource article as reference.

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. #05MANAMA1580.
Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
05MANAMA1580 2005-10-29 14:26 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Embassy Manama
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MANAMA 001580 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV ECON KISL BA
SUBJECT: CREEPING CONSERVATISM HITS HOTELS DURING RAMADAN 
 
Sensitive but unclassified; please protect accordingly.  Not 
for Internet distribution. 
 
------- 
Summary 
------- 
 
1.  (SBU) Bahrain's Tourism Directorate issued instructions 
to five-star hotels in early October directing them to stop 
serving alcohol in their bars and restaurants during the holy 
month of Ramadan, an unprecedented development.  Compliance 
was spotty at first but by mid-month all hotels had 
implemented the order following threats of closure.  Hotel 
general managers downplayed any impact on their business, 
saying that Ramadan is always a slow period for business 
travelers and tourists.  A government contact said the 
Tourism Directorate took the decision under pressure from, 
and in consultation with, Islamist parliamentarians.  Liberal 
columnists condemned the move, saying it was moving Bahrain 
"back in time to the dark ages."  The government may have 
calculated that banning the bottle during Ramadan was a 
relatively low-cost way to appease the Islamists.  End 
Summary. 
 
------------------------------- 
Ramadan Kareem - Close the Bars 
------------------------------- 
 
2.  (SBU) The Ministry of Information's Tourism Directorate 
issued a directive in early October just days before the 
advent of the month of Ramadan, which started in Bahrain on 
October 4, instructing five-star hotels not to serve alcohol 
in their bars and restaurants during the holy month. 
According to our contacts, this was the first time five-star 
hotels were barred from serving alcohol during Ramadan, 
bringing them into line with all other hotels, restaurants, 
and bars on the island. 
 
3.  (SBU) Hotels' compliance with the order was spotty at 
best during the first few days of the month.  A Ministry of 
Information contact told us most hotels ignored the order, 
and the Tourism Directorate had to issue two additional 
directives, the second of which included the threat that the 
government would force the hotel to close temporarily if it 
continued to serve alcohol.  Visitors staying at hotels, 
including Embassy TDYers, confirmed that hotels closed their 
bars practically in mid-drink one evening about two weeks 
into Ramadan. 
 
4.  (SBU) Hotel general managers confirmed that the Tourism 
Directorate advised them several times to stop serving in the 
bars and restaurants, though they continued to stock 
mini-bars in the rooms.  The GMs downplayed any impact the 
bottle ban had on business, but noted that some hotels were 
forced to furlough bar and restaurant staff, almost all of 
whom are expats.  One manager admitted that the normal flow 
of Westerners coming from Saudi Arabia to Bahrain on weekends 
had slowed. 
 
-------------------------- 
Pressure from Islamist MPs 
-------------------------- 
 
5.  (SBU) The Information Ministry contact said that the 
Ministry took the decision under pressure from Islamist 
parliamentarians.  The Ministry included MPs in the policy 
formation process before issuing the directive.  He commented 
that the impact on tourism and business travel would likely 
be light because the number of these types of visitors drops 
each Ramadan anyway. 
 
-------------------------------------- 
Columnists Accuse Government of Caving 
-------------------------------------- 
 
6.  (SBU) Columnists Abdulla Al Ayoubi and Abdul Moneim 
Ibrahim from Arabic daily Akhbar Al Khaleej and Saeed Al 
Hamad from Arabic daily Al Ayam have written several articles 
condemning the government's decision to ban alcohol, accusing 
the government of caving in to demands of Islamist deputies. 
Al Ayoubi wrote on October 26 that Bahrain "is transforming 
into a new Taliban regime."  He believes the government is 
being too cautious with "religious radicals who are taking us 
back in time to the dark ages."  He added that business 
people do not choose to invest in a climate dominated by 
religious radicalism and restrictions on personal freedoms. 
In an October 26 column, Ibrahim mocked Islamist politicians' 
demands that Bahrain host only "clean tourism," asking what 
detergent the country should use to be certain that all 
tourists are clean. 
 
7.  (SBU) MP Mohammed Khalid, an aggressive Sunni Islamist 
politician, hit back at the columnists in an article posted 
in several Bahraini chatrooms.  He accused them of waging a 
campaign against Islamic deputies and defended promoting 
alcohol-free tourism in Bahrain, saying the country should 
not rely on alcohol to attract tourists. 
 
------- 
Comment 
------- 
 
8.  (SBU) The Ramadan alcohol ban is the first major 
manifestation of the influence of Islamist deputies on 
Bahrain's traditional openness and tolerance since the early 
2004 decisions to protest the musical concert of a Lebanese 
pop star and to close down an Arab satellite reality TV 
program in which young men and women shared a common house. 
The government may have calculated that banning alcohol 
during Ramadan, traditionally a slow period for tourist and 
business travel, was a low-cost way to appease the Islamists. 
 
MONROE