US embassy cable - 05NDJAMENA1011

UNCLAS  NDJAMENA 001011 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
C O R R E C T E D  C O P Y  (ADDING SENSITIVE CAPTION) 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR AF/C 
LONDON AND PARIS FOR AFRICA-WATCHERS 
INFO AF/PD (DWHITMAN) 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, OIIP, KPAO, KIRF, PHUM, KWMN, CD, Human RIghts, Terrorism 
SUBJECT: A VISIT WITH CHADIAN GRAND IMAM AND THE 
HIGH COUNCIL ON ISLAMIC AFFAIRS 
 
 
1.  (SBU)  Summary:  During a visit with the High Council 
for Islamic Affairs June 20, Chad's Grand Imam welcomed the 
Embassy's support for English classes at Muslim schools, 
responded positively to statements about charges of abuse 
of the Koran at Guantanamo, urged Washington to consider 
eventually releasing the prisoners held there, and agreed 
to work with the Embassy on the problem of child begging. 
The Ambassador's call on the Grand Imam attracted extensive 
and favorable media coverage.   End Summary 
 
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MUSLIM OUTREACH 
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2.  (SBU)  The Ambassador, accompanied by the PAO, spoke to 
Grand Imam Haasan Hissein Abkar about continuing 
cooperation between the United States and Chad.  The 
Ambassador highlighted the Embassy's English teaching 
micro-scholarship program, which funds English classes for 
75 students in three Muslim secondary schools in N'Djamena. 
The Grand Imam expressed his gratitude for this program, 
and his hopes that it would expand in the future.  The 
Ambassador also provided the Grand Imam with some 
information on Muslim life in America, and the two 
discussed the success of this year's visit by the American 
Imam Mohamed Bashar Arafat, funded through the 
International Visitors program. 
 
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KORAN ALLEGATIONS 
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3.  (SBU)  The Ambassador also spoke with the Grand Imam, 
and the six High Council members present at the meeting, 
about the allegations of abuse of the Koran in Guantanamo. 
The Ambassador assured the Imam that abuse of the Koran 
would not be tolerated.  The Ambassador also provided the 
Imam with the latest information on the allegations, in 
Arabic, from the Washington File.  This included a May 11th 
statement by Secretary Rice, and a May 14th report on the 
initial investigation of the allegations by the Department 
of Defense. 
 
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IMAM'S REACTION 
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4.  (SBU) Reacting to the Koran abuse allegations, the Imam 
first thanked the USG for "allowing the prisoners of 
Guantanamo to read their holy book, to practice their 
faith, and for preparing their food in accordance with 
Muslim practices." The Imam said that the allegations of 
abuse of the Koran had "shocked the hearts of more than one 
billion Muslims around the world."  However, he went on to 
state that, "we do not judge the American Government 
because of individual behaviors; at the same time these 
individual behaviors should be punished by the Government." 
The Imam asked to send a message to Washington through the 
Ambassador, saying that "for the American Administration to 
show [] its kindness to the world, it should free the 
prisoners of Guantanamo, as soon as it can be sure that 
they will not be killed in their own countries and they 
will not return to any kind of terrorist activity." 
 
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CHILD BEGGING 
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5.  (SBU)  The streets of N'Djamena are often crowded with 
children begging.  Those carrying small aluminum bowls are 
sent out by their Islamic school in search of alms.  The 
Ambassador raised this issue with the Imam, saying that he 
hoped to work with the Imam to find a solution to the 
problem.   The Imam was receptive to the request, and 
suggested that the High Council and the Embassy for a 
working group to discuss possible solutions. 
 
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MEDIA COVERAGE 
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6.  (SBU)  The visit received heavy media coverage.  Radio 
Nationale du Tchad and FM Al-Koran broadcast news of the - 
visit in Standard Arabic, French. and Chadian Arabic. 
Television du Tchad (TVT) also covered the visit in both 
its French and Arabic evening broadcasts.  TVT mentioned 
that this was the Ambassador's second visit to the High 
Council, and stated that the Imam and the Ambassador 
discussed peace, development, and the American-Chadian 
friendship.  TVT also noted that the Ambassador talked to 
the Grand Imam about the success of the Embassy's Muslim 
outreach, in particular in the form of the English Language 
Program in Muslim schools. The TVT coverage in French also 
featured the Ambassador stating that "we will not tolerate 
any lack of respect for the Koran," and included footage of 
the warm greeting given to the Ambassador by the Grand 
Imam, who took the Ambassador's hand as the two walked 
through the halls of the Grand Mosque. 
 
 
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COMMENT 
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7.  (SBU)  The High Islamic Council in Chad is composed of 
moderate Sufi Muslims, and the relationship between the 
Council and the Embassy continues to strengthen.  Since the 
visit, the PAO has received two calls from the Imam's 
Secretary General thanking the Ambassador and the PAO for 
 
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the visit.  The warm and genial atmosphere of the meeting 
is an indication of the successful efforts of the Embassy's 
Muslim outreach programs, reflecting a core MPP goal. 
 
 
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