US embassy cable - 05MANAMA1131

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MANAMA 001131 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/01/2015 
TAGS: PGOV, KDEM, PREL, BA 
SUBJECT: FRIDAY PRAYERS CANCELED IN PROTEST OF NEW LAW 
 
REF: MANAMA 1091 
 
Classified By: CDA Susan L. Ziadeh for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
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Summary 
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1.  (C) Eight political societies, including the boycotting 
opposition and two somewhat pro-government groups, held a 
silent protest July 29 against the recently passed Political 
Societies Law.  Leading Shi'a clerics set a precedent by 
canceling their Friday prayers July 29 in protest against the 
new law, which they labeled as anti-reform.  Youth societies 
have organized a campaign to amend the section of the law 
requiring political society members to be at least 21 years 
old.  The Islamiya bloc in parliament vowed to present 
amendments to the law in the upcoming parliamentary session. 
 
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Silent Rally 
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2.  (SBU) Close to 1000 people (RSO estimate) participated in 
a silent rally in Manama July 29 to protest the Political 
Societies Law, which was passed by the parliament and 
ratified by the King one week ago.  Eight political 
societies, including the boycotting opposition and two 
somewhat pro-government groups, organized the peaceful 
demonstration.  Several of the societies' leaders told the 
press that the law represents a step backwards in reforms and 
that it should be either suspended or amended in the next 
parliamentary session. 
 
3.  (SBU) Protesters carried signs against the law, and many 
wore face masks.  Members of the Bahrain Freedom Movement, 
which is associated with Al Wifaq board member Abduljalil 
Singace, distributed a strongly-worded statement calling on 
all civil society organizations to work outside of the law. 
The statement said that "our religious culture does not allow 
us to dissolve in injustice, and the Al Khalifa (royal 
family) evil may prove beneficial in awakening a 
reorganization in the ranks."  The statement also stressed 
that Bahrain's case should be presented at the Forum for the 
Future in November. 
 
4.  (SBU) According to press reports, the eight societies met 
July 31 and agreed to send a letter to the King outlining 
their reservations to the law.  They also agreed to form a 
committee to compare the law to political party laws in other 
countries.  The societies announced that they will hold a 
seminar on the law on August 25 (to coincide with the 
anniversary of the dissolution of the National Assembly in 
1975). 
 
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Friday Prayers Canceled 
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5.  (C) A number of Shi'a clerics, including the most 
prominent ones, canceled Friday prayers July 29 to protest 
the Political Societies Law.  Al Wifaq chairman Sheikh Ali 
Salman, Al Wifaq board member Hassan Mushaima, and Hussein Al 
Najati stated publicly that they were canceling the prayers 
to express dissatisfaction with the new law.  Several sources 
told EmbOffs that they had never heard of a cleric canceling 
Friday prayers for political reasons in Bahrain or any other 
country, and some thought the move was highly offensive to 
Islam. 
 
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MPs Pledge to Amend the Law 
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6.  (SBU) Several columnists wrote pieces against the law, 
including Al Wasat editor Mansour Al Jamry.  Al Jamry 
lamented that the opposition had sacrificed its influence in 
parliament by boycotting the 2002 elections, thereby allowing 
the Political Societies Law and other restrictive measures to 
be passed.  He called on the opposition to cooperate with 
reform-minded MPs and to participate in the 2006 elections. 
MP Mohamed Al Abbas, spokesman of the Islamiya (Shi'a) bloc 
in parliament, told the press that his bloc would propose 
amendments to the law in the next parliamentary session and 
would seek to change the name to the Political Parties Law. 
Oppositionist National Democratic Action Society member 
Ibrahim Sharif told the press he was not confident that 
amendments could be made in parliament, as the appointed 
Shura Council would have to approve them. 
 
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Youth Societies Express Concern 
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7.  (SBU) According to press reports, a number of youth 
societies met July 30 to discuss the article in the law that 
increases the minimum age requirement for participation in 
political societies from 18 to 21.  Several of the societies 
are planning to write a letter to the King asking him to 
amend the law.  Representatives from two youth societies 
stated publicly that they would not join the other societies 
in demanding changes to the law because they believe youth 
should be concerned with social and cultural issues, not 
politics.  A youth leader told the press August 1 that youth 
committees of political societies were considering 
establishing themselves as independent entities that would 
not be under the Political Societies Law. 
 
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Comment 
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8.  (C) Demands to amend the Political Societies Law have 
backing by some members of parliament and the Shura Council 
(reftel).  There is little chance that the King will respond 
to demands made directly to him, as he expects the law to be 
dealt with by the parliament.  When parliament reconvenes in 
October after the summer break, there will likely be 
initiatives to change the controversial law.  Until then, it 
is unclear how much the opposition will use the issue to 
increase tension with the government. 
 
ZIADEH