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 08BEIRUT378, LEBANON: YOUTH BECOME POLITICALLY ACTIVE THROUGH

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. #08BEIRUT378.
Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
08BEIRUT378 2008-03-12 13:20 2011-08-24 16:30 UNCLASSIFIED Embassy Beirut
VZCZCXRO2804
PP RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHKUK RUEHROV
DE RUEHLB #0378/01 0721320
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 121320Z MAR 08 ZFF5
FM AMEMBASSY BEIRUT
TO RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO PRIORITY 2312
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 2046
RHMFISS/USCENTCOM SPECIAL HANDLING MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY
RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1284
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIRUT 000378 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NSC FOR ABRAMS/SINGH/YERGER/GAVITO 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID LE PGOV PREL
SUBJECT: LEBANON: YOUTH BECOME POLITICALLY ACTIVE THROUGH 
MEPI SHADOW GOVERNMENT PROGRAM 
 
 
SUMMARY 
--------- 
 
1. (U) Lebanon's Youth Shadow Government (YSG) is a Middle 
East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) funded program designed to 
place college level individuals in the different GOL 
ministries to serve as shadow ministers.  EmbOffs held a 
reception to welcome the participants in December 2007 and 
have been following the group's progress.  The shadow 
ministers are excited about participating in this program. 
However, a number of the participants have expressed their 
pessimism about the ability of politically active youth to 
change the current political situation in Lebanon.  The 
majority of the shadow ministers felt that they could not be 
taken seriously in the field of politics without being a 
member of one of the main political parties.  The new 
ministers added that many Lebanese youth were leaving Lebanon 
due to the inability to get jobs without relying on political 
connections.  They all pointed out that this was the primary 
appeal of the YSG; it provides them with a way to be 
politically active, but independent of the powerful and 
archaic political machines in Lebanon.  End Summary. 
 
YOUTH SHADOW GOVERNMENT PROGRAM 
--------- 
 
2. (U) The MEPI funded Youth Shadow Government (YSG), 
provides Lebanese public and private university students with 
an opportunity to experience the Lebanese democratic 
political process in action.  YSG encourages political 
involvement while promoting paradigms of good governance, 
anti-corruption and public transparency.  The shadow 
government monitors political developments occurring on the 
national level and acts as an unofficial watchdog over the 
government's performance.  This entails monitoring each 
ministry, explaining to their university colleagues and the 
public at large to the government's performance, and debating 
alternate options for the decisions that were made by the 
government. 
 
3. (U) MEPI's local partner for this program is the Nahar Ash 
Shabab Foundation, which was founded after the December 2005 
assassination of MP Gebran Tueni, Member of Parliament and 
editor/publisher of the An-Nahar newspaper.  His daughter 
Nayla and other members of the Tueni family formed this 
foundation to honor Tueni's belief in the potential of the 
younger generations to bring about change.  A leader of the 
Cedar Revolution, he began plans for the Shadow Government 
program, which came to fruition after his death. 
 
LAUNCHING THE SECOND YEAR OF THE YSG 
----------- 
 
4. (U) During a reception organized by MEPI Emboffs, the 
2007-2008 shadow ministers expressed their excitement at 
being involved in the YSG.  However, many of the shadow 
ministers told MEPI Emboffs that they were dismayed at the 
inability of politically active youth to escape from 
Lebanon's traditional party politics - a model which they do 
not believe reflects the interests of the majority of their 
peers.  The YSG programs contains a number of elements 
designed to empower these young leaders.  Since the beginning 
of the current session in November 2007, YSG members have 
attended training sessions discussing teamwork, political 
institutions, leadership and negotiation skills, report 
writing, public budgeting, and persuasive communication. 
 
5. (U) Though the current political deadlock in Lebanon has 
affected the YSG's range of "shadow activities" with the 
ministers, the YSG continues to meet as a group weekly to 
discuss the Siniora cabinet's upcoming agenda items and to 
comment or debate the issues.  YSG cabinet "decisions" are 
published in the An-Nahar newspaper's weekly supplement 
devoted to youth issues.  A few YSG members have shared with 
us their duties in the ministries.  At the Ministry of 
Education, the YSG participant is working with a network of 
NGO's to help organize awareness sessions on drugs, violence 
and discrimination in a variety of Lebanese public schools. 
At the Minister of Economy, the YSG participant is working to 
reactivate and expand the Consumer Protection Department 
which is severely understaffed.  In support of this 
initiative, the Ministry has agreed to form a work-study 
program for university students to focus on this issue. 
 
 
BEIRUT 00000378  002 OF 002 
 
 
6. (U) The YSG is also becoming more well-known in Lebanon. 
They have held several media events in the last few months, 
including a two-hour appearance in February on NTV's show 
"Al-Fassad."  An-Nahar continues to devote space to the 
program's achievements in their weekly youth supplement. 
 
FRANK TALK WITH THE YSG MEMBERS 
-------------- 
 
7. (U) During their meeting with EmbOffs, this group spoke 
confidently on a wide range of topics.  Ramzi Teeni, the 
shadow Agriculture Minister, said there is a lack of 
motivation and increased pessimism that persists amongst 
politically active youth in Lebanon these days.  The youth 
cannot be independent.  Sireen Abu Zein, the shadow 
Archeology Minister, said youth not aligned with big 
political parties in Lebanon do not want to become involved 
in politics because they do not have the ability to make an 
impact.  Abdel Aziz Saad, the shadow Justice Minister, added 
that the political parties do not even allow the youth within 
there own parties, to have their voices heard and that there 
is an inability to criticize the existing leadership of 
political parties. 
 
8. (U) Razi Hajj, the shadow Economy and Trade Minister, said 
that over half of the educated Lebanese youth live and work 
abroad, mainly in the Gulf, while others prefer to attend 
college in the U.S. and Europe.  Saad added that the 
Christian/Lebanese youth living in the Gulf especially 
dislike the expat lifestyle there because the social night 
life cannot compare to Beirut.  They are only there to find 
jobs and earn money.  Hajj said this effect was the result of 
the political instability that exists in Lebanon and the 
inability to be independent politically and to find 
non-politically connected jobs.  Hajj noted that most jobs 
available to young professionals are gained by what is 
commonly known as "wasta" or a connection of sorts with 
someone who has the ability to get the applicant the position 
he or she wants.  According to Hajj, these connections are 
mostly political in nature.  Zein, who lives in the Chouf 
region, offered her own personal example.  When she applied 
for a job and went for an interview, the person conducting 
the interview told Zein to obtain a letter written by her 
father that has the recommendation of the dominant political 
party in the Chouf region, Progressive Socialist Party leader 
Walid Jumblatt. 
 
9. (U) The youth at this event said they hoped the YSG 
program would be a way to become politically active without 
having to align themselves with one of the main Lebanese 
political parties.  Jessica Azar, the Youth and Sports 
Minister described the YSG group as being autonomous.  Azar 
also said the majority of the YSG ministers want Lebanese 
youth to put Lebanon and being Lebanese first, before their 
sectarian community, which is not the case today.  The youth 
shadow ministers want some type of shared common goals, 
according to Azar. 
 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
10. (U) This current group of shadow minister is genuinely 
excited and ready to get involved as much as possible in the 
day to day operations of their individual ministries.  Many 
of them bounce ideas off one another to discuss "best 
practices" at their individual ministries.  Through their 
roles as monitors and liaisons between the community and the 
GOL ministries, the YSG ministers want to make a positive 
change in Lebanon without getting involved in the 
partisan/sectarian politics that plagues Lebanon today. 
 
11. (U) The local partner, Nahar Ash Shabab Foundation, has 
proved to be an effective and responsible partner.  Nayla 
Tueni has expressed her personal commitment to this program 
and looks forward to expanding the concept to include a 
"Shadow Parliament" in the future.  Post strongly supports 
continued and even increased funding for this MEPI 
initiative.  End Comment. 
SISON