US embassy cable - 04SANAA2472

UNCLAS SANAA 002472 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, PHUM, PINR, YM, HUMAN RIGHTS 
SUBJECT: AL-SOSWA READY TO LEAD THE WAY IN HUMAN RIGHTS 
 
 
1.  Summary: On 9/06 Human Rights Minister, Amat al-Aleem 
Al-Soswa, told Ambassador that dealing with other, more 
established ministries can be challenging and that Yemen 
still has a ways to go to improve its human rights situation. 
Soswa touched on her efforts to protect freedom of the press, 
the rights of detainees suspected of terrorism, and the 
willingness of the ROYG to accept USG help in training 
security forces on human rights. End Summary. 
 
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Al-Soswa: Ready to take on her Role 
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2. "We have a long way to go,8 acknowledged Yemen,s first 
Minister of Human Rights, Amat al-Aleem Al-Soswa, in her 
first meeting with Ambassador.  Soswa said that she has just 
begun to address human rights issues in Yemen and that she 
has "no intention of quitting no matter how difficult the 
endeavor."  She continued that her year-old ministry is 
learning to positively affect the human rights situation. 
Soswa commented that the Ministry's dual role as both an 
advocate for the people and the government, makes her job 
difficult at times. 
 
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Human Rights Challenges: The Press, Detainees, and Equality 
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3.  Al-Soswa raised the one-year prison sentence against the 
editor-in-chief of the opposition newspaper Al-Shura (covered 
septel), saying that recent government pressure to muzzle the 
press was "not justified.8   Soswa revealed she had 
contacted the paper and offered to attend any subsequent 
court hearings if they so requested. 
 
4.  Ambassador commended the Minister's recent speech in 
which she called for equality in political participation and 
representation for all citizens.  Soswa suggested that a 
quota for women,s seats in parliament might be a solution to 
redress under-representation, but forecast that getting 
Parliament to agree and to amend the Constitution would not 
be easy. 
 
5.  On the issue of detainees suspected of ties to terrorism 
being held by ROYG authorities without due process, Soswa 
accepted that &exceptional8 measures were required.  She 
reported that the cases of many of these detainees are in the 
process of being settled, but did not offer a figure for how 
many remained in custody. Ambassador assured her that the 
Guantanamo Bay process was also moving forward and that a 
second Yemeni delegation would soon be permitted to visit 
with Yemeni detainees.  Soswa urged that the USG remember it 
is considered a leading nation in respect for human rights 
and that it not minimize its role as an example for other 
nations. 
 
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Invitation to AS Craner 
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6.  Al-Soswa extended an invitation to Assistant Secretary of 
State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor Lorne Cramer to 
visit Yemen, and also expressed an interested in possible USG 
human rights training for all levels of the security forces. 
 
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Comment 
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7.  Comment: The Ministry of Human Rights, significant 
progress in the short time since its creation is a direct 
reflection of Soswa,s fortitude.  Several Yemeni human 
rights activists praise Soswa for her ability to influence 
established institutions in Yemen.  Many local observers 
attribute her effectiveness not so much to the strength of 
the Ministry, but rather to other Ministers taking her 
criticisms personally and seeking to avoid them.  End Comment. 
 
KRAJESKI