US embassy cable - 04MANAMA1741

UNCLAS MANAMA 001741 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, MARR, MOPS, ASEC, BA, IZ 
SUBJECT: PROTESTS AGAINST MILITARY ACTION IN FALLUJAH DRAW 
SMALL CROWDS 
 
REF: MANAMA 1707 
 
Sensitive but unclassified (deliberative process); please 
protect accordingly.  Not for Internet distribution. 
 
1.  (U) Organizers had estimated that the two protests 
against U.S. and Iraqi military action in Fallujah would draw 
10,000 people.  In the end, only 350 people total took part 
in the November 19 demonstrations.  Though Al Wifaq President 
and prominent Shia leader Ali Salman was at the front of one 
protest, few Shia participated.  Both demonstrations were 
peaceful. 
 
2.  (U) The first rally immediately followed Friday prayers 
at the Al Fateh Grand Mosque.   Approximately 200 people (RSO 
estimate) including members of parliament marched for an hour 
and a half.  Al Wifaq President Ali Salman and several Shia 
clergymen were present, but very few other Shia participated 
despite Salman's calls for Shia to turn out for the 
demonstration. Protesters carried signs condemning U.S. 
forces and demanding their withdrawal from Iraq.  They also 
condemned the Iraqi Interim Government as well as Iraqi 
insurgents who kill civilians.  Protesters stomped on and 
burned an American and an Israeli flag.  The second 
demonstration took place in Muharraq and was attended by 150 
people (RSO estimate); few if any were Shia.  The leaders and 
organizers of the Muharraq demonstration were Sunni Salafis, 
including parliamentarian Mohammed Khalid who days earlier 
had publicly insulted Bahrain's Shia for not condemning the 
Fallujah attack more vigorously (reftel).  The Governor of 
Muharraq also reportedly participated.  Participants accused 
the United States of serious human rights violations in 
Fallujah and criticized attacks on mosques. 
 
3.  (SBU) Comment: Despite the low turnout for the 
demonstrations, many Bahrainis are angry about the MNF-I and 
Iraqi attack on Fallujah.  They are particularly seized with 
the media image of the Marine shooting an apparently unarmed 
fighter and with press reports that few insurgents in 
Fallujah were foreign.  This emotion has been on display in 
newspaper editorials and cartoons and in sermons in both 
Sunni and Shia mosques.  But Shia Bahrainis, who are more 
likely to take to the streets than Sunnis, have decided not 
to do so at this time because of lingering resentment over 
Mohammed Khalid's antics in parliament and a real lack of 
connection to the insurgents in Fallujah, who many view as 
mostly terrorists along the lines of Zarqawi. 
 
MONROE