Cablegate: Breaking Fast with Friends in Sanaa

This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

011111Z Nov 05

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 SANAA 003184

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR NEA, NEA/ARP, NEA/PD, NEA/RA, NEA/RRU,
DS/OP/NEA AND S/CT
CENTCOM FOR POLAD
NEA/PPD FOR AFERNANDEZ

REF: SANAA 3160

PASS TO NSC

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OIIP KMDR PHUM PTER KISL YM
SUBJECT: BREAKING FAST WITH FRIENDS IN SANAA

1. SUMMARY: Early in the month, Ambassador hosted an iftar
for 120 key contacts and expressed his appreciation of
Ramadan as a month of introspection. During the month, the
Public Affairs section and a local non-governmental
organization co-sponsored several iftars for a marginalized
group of Yemenis known as the "servants" or "akhdam."
Pol/Econ officers also held late-night social sessions
attended by members of political parties, the business
community and NGOs. The object of these meetings and
sponsored events was to demonstrate respect for Islam and to
expand Embassy outreach efforts during the most important
month of the Islamic calendar. End Summary.

2. AMBASSADOR HOSTS IFTAR: On October 10, the Embassy
began Ramadan with a representational iftar for contacts.
Over 120 key counterparts of the consular, public diplomacy,
political-economic, political-military, and management
sections broke their fast with Embassy staff. The event
included the traditional prayer, a buffet, a subtitled slide
show illustrating Muslim life in America, and remarks by
Ambassador focusing on the importance of personal growth
during the traditional Islamic month of spiritual renewal.
The Iftar demonstrated to ROYG officials USG respect for
Islam; one official remarked that he was pleasantly
surprised to see the Embassy offer a place suitable for the
traditional pre-meal prayer.

3. The evening event helped solidify contacts in Yemeni
agencies working on some key mission priorities including:
border security, immigration, and public outreach. In
particular, post was able to cultivate its relationship with
the deputy head of the Yemeni Attorneys' Union, President
Saleh's personal translator, and the prison warden holding
half the American prisoners in Yemen. Public Affairs also
supplied a business card-sized handout featuring the Embassy
website and several IIP-websites featuring Arabic language
articles about various USG policy issues. Media contacts
were delighted to receive the handy reference tool.

4. MEDIA REACTION TO AMBASSADOR'S IFTAR: While
participants were very complimentary of our initiative,
press reaction was typically mixed. One independent weekly,
Al Adhwa'a, published a straightforward report about the
Ambassador's iftar, another independent weekly, Al Rai Al
Aam, reported that attendees were "friends" of the United
States and opined that Ambassador uses such occasions to
"interfere in Yemen's internal affairs." The ROYG armed
forces weekly paper, 26 September, reported the Ambassador
addressed invitees in Arabic "for fear of being misquoted or
misinterpreted;" moreover, the paper obliquely criticized
those journalists "who had had side discussions" with the
Ambassador after "praising U.S. democratic models in
countries such as Afghanistan and Iraq."

5. THREE IFTARS COSPONSORED BY PUBLIC AFFAIRS: The NGO Al
Sada Association, which works to empower women and children
of the marginalized minority known as "akhdams," who live in
shantytowns around Sana'a, agreed to co-sponsor three iftars
for their clients. The first of these, on October 19, found
65 children eating together at the NGO headquarters, which
is located in the modest neighborhood near the city's
slaughterhouse. Most present were under ten years of age
and some had walked for hours to be present. Many were
orphans and the older children helped the younger ones to
ensure that all who were present had plenty to eat. On
October 23, the association cosponsored a second iftar for
65 women and children. These gathered in the three rooms of
the NGO headquarters and shared food in the traditional
family-style manner, in which people sit on the floor and
share from common dishes. All present were clearly
delighted and the atmosphere, festive.

6. A third dinner for over 60 was offered by the NGO to the
men of the "akhdam" community two days later. The
association also distributed book bags, containing various
Arabic-language materials, including magazines and
children's books, supplied by Public Affairs to the families
of these youngsters. As the month draws to a close, Yemenis
buy new clothes for members of their families and the NGO
offers their client families an annual distribution of
canned goods and food supplies. This year, the NGO will
also distribute a modest sum of money to each family, using
cash donations collected by the U.S. Embassy community.
Several emboffs, including Muslim Americans, attended the
Iftars and were moved by the simplicity of the meal, the
pleasant atmosphere, and the thanks they were offered at the
NGO headquarters.

7. Emboffs held several social events after the evening
iftar meal to introduce the newly arrived Political/Economic
section chief. These sessions were attended by working-
level contacts of Yemen's major political parties, media
representatives, members of the business community, and NGO
leaders. On one of these occasions, DCM led an informal
discussion on the progress of democratic reform and press
freedom in Yemen (reftel).

8. COMMENT: The month of Ramadan is one that finds most
Yemenis focused on family and home, but Embassy found
Yemenis quite responsive to and appreciative of our efforts
to reach out to a wide range of contacts at all levels of
society. Our goal of demonstrating our appreciation for the
traditions shared by Muslims during the month of Ramadan
were, overall, successful. End comment.

KRAJESKI

© Scoop Media