US embassy cable - 05ABUDHABI2705

UNCLAS ABU DHABI 002705 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/ARP; NEA/PPD; NEA/RA; INR/R/MR; PA; 
INR/NESA; INR/B; IIP/G/NEA-SA 
WHITE HOUSE FOR PRESS OFFICE; NSC 
SECDEF FOR OASD/PA 
USCINCCENT FOR POLAD 
LONDON FOR GOLDRICH; ALSO FOR MOC 
PARIS FOR ZEYA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OIIP, KMDR, TC, Camel Jockeys 
SUBJECT:  SPECIAL MEDIA REACTION: TIP REPORT 
 
 
1.  SUMMARY:  A UAE COLUMNIST RIDICULES THE TIP REPORT BY THE 
STATE DEPARTMENT SAYING THAT THOSE WHO PREPARED THE REPORT "HAVE 
DEALT ONLY WITH THE MOST EXTREME EXAMPLES OF ABUSES OF HOUSEMAIDS 
AND IGNORED THE MAJORITY THAT ARE TREATED WELL AND WITH DIGNITY 
IN OUR HOMES".  HE CALLED ON SECRETARY RUMSFELD TO RESIGN, 
FOLLOWING THE REVELATIONS OF KORAN ABUSE AND THE VIOLATIONS AT 
THE ABU GHARIB PRISON.  HE CONCLUDED THAT THE EXECUTIONER CAN 
NEVER BECOME A JUDGE AND THOSE WHO ARE VIOLATORS OF THE LAW CAN 
NOT BECOME PROMOTERS OF IT AT THE SAME TIME.  END SUMMARY 
 
2.  MUHAMMAD YOUSUF WROTE IN HIS DAILY COLUMN IN DUBAI-BASED 
ARABIC DAILY "AL-BAYAN" 6/10(CIRCULATION 90,000): 
 
"FOLLOWING NEWSWEEK'S RETRACTION OF ITS EARLIER REPORT REGARDING 
THE DESECRATION OF THE HOLY KORAN AT THE GUANTANAMO BAY, I WOULD 
LIKE TO SAY HERE THAT TWO WEEKS AFTER THE ANNOUNCEMENT, THE 
PENTAGON ADMITTED THAT THERE ARE SEVEN CASES IN WHICH THE KORAN 
WAS ABUSED. FOUR WERE CONFIRMED, BUT THREE ARE STILL UNDER 
INVESTIGATION.  IT SEEMS THAT NEWSWEEK IS GIVING US A LESSON IN 
THE FREEDOM OF THE MEDIA.  WE ARE ACCUSED OF ABUSING MAIDS, 
ACCORDING TO THE STATE DEPARTMENT'S TIP REPORT.  IT SEEMS THAT 
THOSE WHO PREPARED THE REPORT MET ONLY WITH THE CORRUPT AND THE 
PERVERTED TO COME UP WITH SUCH A CONCLUSION.  IF THEY HAD 
INVESTIGATED FURTHER, THEY WOULD HAVE KNOWN THAT MAIDS RULE AND 
CONTROL MANY HOUSES IN THE GULF, AND ARE TREATED WITH DIGNITY BY 
OUR WOMEN.  BY THE WAY, THE U.S., WHICH SEEMS TO BE BUSY WITH THE 
SITUATION REGARDING OUR MAIDS AND PREPARES REPORTS THAT 
CONTRADICT REALITY, IS RELUCTANT TO RESPOND TO THE AMNESTY 
GENERAL WHO ACCUSED THE U.S. OF CONFIRMED VIOLATIONS OF HUMAN 
RIGHTS.  AS WE ARE TACKLING THIS, WE MUST ASK "WHEN WILL DONALD 
RUMSFELD SUBMIT HIS RESIGNATION AS SECRETARY OF DEFENSE?"  HE 
PUSHED THE PENTAGON INTO SCANDALS AND WEEKLY VIOLATIONS.  HIS 
INSTRUCTIONS TO THE JAILERS HAVE BECOME SUBJECT OF RIDICULE, AND 
THE EVENTS OF ABU GHARIB IN IRAQ REPRESENTS ONLY A TINY PORTION 
OF WHAT STARTED TO BE REVEALED OF VIOLATIONS IN AFGHANISTAN AND 
OTHER PLACES.. THE EXECUTIONER CAN NOT BECOME A JUDGE AND THOSE 
WHO VIOLATE THE LAW CAN NEVER BECOME PROTECTORS OF THE LAW." 
 
SISON