US embassy cable - 04SANAA860

UNCLAS E F T O SECTION 01 OF 02 SANAA 000860 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
NOFORN 
 
PLEASE PASS TO S/WCI FOR AMBASSADOR PROSPER, DRL FOR 
TAGGART, NEA/ARP 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/12/2014 
TAGS: PHUM, YM, COUNTER TERRORISM, HUMAN RIGHTS 
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR'S 4/10 MEETING WITH AMNESTY 
INTERNATIONAL DELEGATION 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Edmund J. Hull 
 
1. (sbu/nf) Summary:  In a lengthy 4/10 meeting with 
Ambassador, a four-person Amnesty International delegation 
appealed for increased information and access for the 
families of Yemenis detained at Guantanamo.  The far-ranging 
and amicable discussion included Yemen's progress on the 
mutually-reinforcing goals of counter-terrorism cooperation 
and human rights, the detention of Yemenis in country, 
training of Yemeni law enforcement and security personnel and 
the imminent trials of a number of suspects in the 2000 
terrorist attack on the U.S. Cole.  AI's pitch for increased 
access included complaints that Washington inquiries are not 
being answered and that human rights groups, pleas for 
access to Guantanamo have been denied.  Ambassador advised 
delegation to work through and to try to improve the existing 
channel provided by the International Red Cross for 
information on detainees.  When pressed for a conduit in 
Washington on this issue, the Ambassador recommended 
Ambassador Pierre Prosper (S/WCI) as an interlocutor.  The 
delegation was in Sana'a April 10-11 to attend a 2-day 
conference on "Human Rights for All" organized by AI and a 
Yemeni human rights organization.  All agreed that the 
discussion was off the record and that any public statement 
by AI would be provided to the Ambassador for his review 
prior to its release.  End Summary. 
 
FAMILIES OF GUANTANAMO DETAINEES ARE "SUFFERING" FROM LACK OF 
INFORMATION/CONTACT 
 
2. (sbu/nf) The delegation, led by human rights campaigner 
Dr. Terry Waite (well-known as a hostage negotiator illegally 
detained in Lebanon for almost five years), requested the 
appointment with the Ambassador to discuss the human rights 
situation in Yemen post-9/11.  Other delegation members were 
Researcher (North America) Rob Freer, Researcher (Middle 
East) Dr. Lamri Chirouf and AI USA Board of Director Member 
Farah Brelvi; Pol/Econ Chief was present as notetaker.  Dr. 
Waite opened by stating that the families of the Guantanamo 
detainees, who are being held without regard for due process, 
are suffering from a lack of information and that he is also 
concerned about the damage the situation is causing to the 
U.S. image as a "defender of freedom and human rights." 
Freer also complained that it took over a year to get a 
denial in response to AI's request for access to Guantanamo. 
When the delegation asked about ROYG visits to Guantanamo, 
the Ambassador told them that there was one visit for both 
consular and intelligence purposes. 
 
3. (sbu/nf) The delegation spoke extensively about the 
families and lawyers they interacted with at the first day of 
the conference, "Human Rights for All," hosted by AI in 
cooperation with the Yemeni National Organization for Defense 
of Human Rights and Freedoms (HOOD).  (Note:  In addition to 
lawyers and families of detainees, attendees included human 
rights activists from the U.S., Canada, Australia and other 
Gulf States.)  In the opening ceremony, Amat al-Alim 
al-Suswah, Minister of Human Rights, delivered a speech 
noting September 11's affect on human rights and that that 
Yemen has been economically and politically harmed by 
terrorist acts such as the attacks on the USS Cole and the 
Limburgh, a French oil tanker.  (Note: Ambassador's 4/10 
meeting with al-Suswah reported septel.)  They also noted 
that over a third of Guantanamo detainees are from Gulf 
countries and estimated that there are 85 Yemenis being held. 
 Ambassador commented that Yemen's hosting of the event is a 
positive development given the "allergy in the region to 
international human rights groups." 
 
4. (sbu/nf) Ambassador broadened the discussion to include 
the improved human rights situation in Yemen and chastised 
the international human rights organizations that write 
reports on Yemen "at a distance," failing to focus on the 
progress as well as the problems.  He suggested an alternate 
approach that covers the full spectrum of issues and presents 
a more accurate, balanced picture.  Acknowledging significant 
progress on rights in Yemen over the past ten years, Dr. 
Chirouf said that he fears that post-9/11 there is a risk 
that these benefits will "disappear completely."  When 
Ambassador noted a number of areas of success, i.e., women's 
freedoms, electoral reforms, more open press, membership in 
international conventions, and the institutionalization of 
human rights, Dr. Chirouf admitted that AI's concern is 
arrests and detentions. 
 
5. (sbu/nf) Even after the Ambassador explained that the 
Department of Defense is responsible for the process at 
Guantanamo, the delegation requested that he press Washington 
for more information for the families.  Ambassador strongly 
encouraged AI and the families to work through and to try and 
strengthen existing channels of communication established by 
the International Red Cross (IRC), which has been given 
access to Guantanamo.  Freer noted dissatisfaction because 
information from IRC is limited by its own policies and by 
measures to address security concerns that make the system 
less effective, e.g., requirements that prisoners write 
letters in English, even though many lack any proficiency in 
the language.  When pushed to provide a name in Washington, 
the Ambassador suggested AI contact Ambassador Pierre Prosper 
for information on the process.  He also promised to convey 
the delegation's concerns on behalf of the families back to 
Washington. 
 
U.S.-YEMEN SECURITY COOPERATION AND PROGRESS ON HUMAN RIGHTS 
- NOT MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE 
 
6. (sbu/nf) Dr. Waite and Freer commented on U.S.-Yemen 
security cooperation and the November 2002 drone attack that 
left five dead.  Ambassador emphasized that the U.S. is at 
war against al-Qaida and explained that the action was taken 
in full cooperation with the ROYG, against known al-Qaida 
operatives after previous attempts to apprehend the 
terrorists left 18 Yemenis dead.  Citing the progress on both 
rights and security, the Ambassador commented that Yemen is 
an example of how counter-terrorism efforts and human rights 
can be mutually reinforcing.  Dr. Waite countered that Yemen 
is detaining people and complained that it is doing so under 
pressure from the U.S.  Ambassador pointed out that Yemen has 
repeatedly privately and publicly stated that it is in its 
own security and economic interests to fight terror.  After 
extensive discussion, there was an agreement to disagree 
given the divergent viewpoints on the balance between 
security cooperation and human rights. 
 
7. (sbu/nf) Dr. Chirouf inquired about press reports that 800 
people have been arrested for making anti-American statements 
at the Grand Mosque in Sana'a during Friday prayers. 
Ambassador requested that AI tell anyone who asks that this 
was not done at his direction and that we have not been given 
any information about the incidents.  Brelvi specifically 
requested that the Ambassador make a statement against the 
arrests. 
 
U.S. TRAINING OF YEMENI LAW ENFORCEMENT/SECURITY FORCES 
ENHANCES HUMAN RIGHTS 
 
8. (sbu/nf) Dr. Chirouf also asked whether the FBI or USG law 
enforcement has been permitted to interrogate the Yemenis 
detained by the ROYG.  Ambassador made clear that he was not 
at liberty to discuss details of intelligence cooperation, 
but elaborated on the U.S. role in providing programs, 
training and equipment to improve law enforcement 
capabilities and security information sharing. 
 
9. (sbu/nf) Brelvi produced a letter to the Ambassador 
concerning the Leahy Law requirement that Post maintain a 
database on human rights violations committed by local 
security forces and asked about Post's practices in this 
regard.  (Note: Ambassador did not receive the letter prior 
to the meeting, but assured the delegation Post will review 
current practices to ensure full compliance with legal 
requirements.)  Dr. Chirouf expressed particular concern 
about the Presidential Security Office (PSO), which he claims 
operates extra-judicially and is responsible for 
legally-deficient deportations (reported in AI's September 
2003 report) and improper detentions and interrogations. 
Ambassador explained that Post carefully vets candidates for 
training and U.S.-provided programming.  On the issue of 
deportations, the Ambassador commented that the ROYG had 
sufficient cause to review the immigration status of students 
and found that a number were out of status or pursuing a 
course of Islamic extremism. 
 
HULL