US embassy cable - 05ABUDHABI3905

C O N F I D E N T I A L ABU DHABI 003905 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/14/2010 
TAGS: PREL, PTER, PGOV, TC 
SUBJECT: ONE MAN'S NEGATIVE REACTION TO UAE FRIDAY SERMONS 
 
REF: (A) ABU DHABI 3161 (B) ABU DHABI 3299 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Michele J. Sison, reasons 1.4 (b) 
and (d). 
 
1. (C) Summary: While the UAEG program of prepared Friday 
sermons is undoubtedly a strong step towards fighting 
radicalism and thus terrorism, there is an element of UAE 
society that is rankled by what it sees as heavy-handed 
government interference, and which attributes this 
interference to U.S. influence.  This message summarizes a 
conversation with one outspoken Dubai attorney known for his 
often controversial views.  End summary. 
 
2. (C) On August 30, PolOff met with Mohammed Al Roken, an 
Emirati attorney in Dubai, to discuss the status of his 
pending application before the Ministry of Labour and Social 
Affairs to create the country's first independent human 
rights NGO.  Al Roken is Chairman of the UAE jurist,s 
association, and assistant professor of Sharia and Law at UAE 
University.  He is a regular contributor to the Gulf Research 
Center (a Saudi-sponsored think tank) "Araa" magazine and the 
Lebanese published "The Daily Star," and has also written for 
the "American Committee on Jerusalem" and the "UAE 
Anti-Normalization Committee with Israel."  He was one of 
dozens of UAE academics with an Islamic bent dismissed in the 
aftermath of 9/11; an ongoing de facto ban dating from 2001 
prevents him and nine other prominent intellectuals from 
either teaching or publishing editorials or opinions in 
either the English or Arabic UAE press.  His writings often 
criticize both the UAEG and USG. 
 
3. (C) In the course of the conversation, Al Roken mentioned 
that he believed the UAEG elements that were blocking his NGO 
were the same elements that were responsible for the Friday 
sermons (note: it is rumored that the NGO is being blocked 
specifically because of "certain radical elements" on the 
proposed NGO's board of Governors.  End note.)  When asked 
for his thoughts on the sermons, he noted that for the first 
time in his experience, people were leaving the mosque on 
Friday and making jokes about what was said.  Asked if the 
prescribed sermons had affected his attendance, he answered 
that of course one could not stop going to Friday prayers, 
but that he and his peers largely ignored the sermons, joking 
that they can always get them on the internet if they want to 
know what is going to be said. He chafed at the idea that the 
UAEG and "outside influences" were trying to dictate what 
could be discussed in the mosque.  When asked if the sermons 
had changed the dialogue at all, he responded that "the 
government cannot stop the people from discussing what they 
want to discuss, only when and where they discuss it." 
 
4. (C) Al Roken also noted that the "radical dialogue" that 
the UAEG had wanted to suppress had simply moved from the 
mosque to the coffee house Friday evening, and that the 
overall audience was now larger because the youth were 
interested in finding out what it was they weren't supposed 
to hear.  He expressed concern that the youth are no longer 
speaking freely with the Imams because they believe the Imams 
are now tied to the government.  Therefore, he said, there is 
no opportunity for the Imams to correct any "wrong thinking." 
 
5. (C) Comment: Al Roken's remarks demonstrate that while 
there is a clear upside to the UAEG's top-down dissemination 
of a moderate message, there may also be a downside.  Embassy 
and ConGen Dubai will continue to follow the UAEG's 
counter-radicalization efforts, their impact, and any 
possible backlash.  End Comment 
SISON