US embassy cable - 05WARSAW3469

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 WARSAW 003469 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EUR, DEPT FOR P, DEPT FOR R 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/22/2015 
TAGS: PREL, KDEM, KPAO, EAID, PHUM, KMPI, PL, Muslim Extremism 
SUBJECT: POLAND: COMBATING EXTREMISM 
 
REF: STATE 159129 
 
Classified By: DCM Kenneth Hillas, for reasons 1.4 (B) and (D) 
 
1. (U) Summary: Muslim extremism is not perceived to be an 
issue of concern in Poland; the Muslim community is very 
small and the population is 96 percent Roman Catholic. 
However, the Embassy and ConGen Krakow closely monitor the 
media for any indications of rising extremist threats. Given 
the country's relative religious and ethnic homogeneity, 
episodes of intolerance, especially acts that are 
anti-Semitic and anti-homosexual, do occasionally occur in 
Poland. Thus, our Mission proactively combats this brand of 
ultra-conservative extremism via active engagement with civil 
society and public affairs programming promoting tolerance 
and diversity throughout the country. End Summary. 
 
2. (C) In response to reftel, we provide a sample of the 
types of USG-funded and organized public affairs programs 
which promote tolerance in Poland. 
 
Bridges of Tolerance: long-term (currently over two years in 
operation, ongoing) workshop program targeted at press, 
public officials, academics and youth which addresses the 
causes and consequences of intolerance. Funding comes both 
from State PD grants as well as local and international NGOs. 
Speakers have included Church officials, international 
experts and academics, and high-ranking government officials. 
Workshops foster open dialogue on religion, diversity, and 
tolerance. Program has been highly effective and post 
recommends its continued funding and support. 
 
Warsaw Jewish Film Festival: long-term (involvement began in 
2004, ongoing) support to First Jewish Film Festival in May 
2005. Promotes both Polish film industry and Jewish history, 
culture, and remembrance. Initial program was successful and 
post hopes to continue involvement in future years. 
 
Teacher training on Holocaust: long-term (program started in 
2002, ongoing) effort to send teachers identified as having 
great potential to impact youth education in Poland on 
Holocaust issues. Several Polish teachers are sent each year 
to US educational institutions for a seminar on how to 
address the Holocaust in primary and high school classroom 
settings. Teachers are also funded for a trip to the 
Holocaust Museum in Washington, DC. Program has been 
successful and post hopes to continue its funding. 
 
3. (C) The following responses are keyed to areas of interest 
in reftel. 
 
--How post is monitoring and/or countering incitement and 
hate speech occurring within your host country and region. 
 
Post vigilantly monitors the press for incidents of 
extremism. Embassy officers are also actively engaged with a 
diverse array of influential civil society members who alert 
us to any radical statements or activities. While rare, the 
majority of such manifestations of intolerance involve the 
desecration of Jewish cemeteries, statements targeting ethnic 
minorities, and anti-homosexual rhetoric. 
 
--What post is doing or plans to do to work with local 
communities to spread a message of tolerance and non-violence. 
 
In addition to the types of ongoing programs mentioned above, 
Embassy officers maintain strong relationships with Catholic 
and Jewish leaders, who are among the most vocal advocates of 
tolerance in Poland. Post also sponsors activities to bring 
together American NGOs such as the Anti-Defamation League and 
the American Jewish Committee and Polish NGOs such as Villa 
Decius with local leaders to discuss and promote tolerance. 
 
--Identify individuals and groups who embody and promote 
tolerance and have broad influence among Muslim youth. 
 
Post has begun developing a Muslim outreach program to better 
understand the small muslim community in Poland. We plan to 
report more detailed information on key Muslim players in 
subsequent combating extremism reports. 
 
Government of Poland's efforts to: 
 
--Create spaces for open intellectual debate through media 
and internet. 
 
Poland is an open society with a wide array of spaces for 
intellectual debate; the GOP does not have to actively 
address this issue. 
 
--Identify individuals or groups engaged in incitement of 
violence. 
 
The GOP has been slow to react to individuals engaged in 
intolerant behavior. However, former President Lech Walesa 
and other political leaders have openly criticized the 
extremist stances of the Catholic nationalist "All Polish 
Youth League" which promotes ultra-conservative intolerant 
views and publicly bashes foreigners and homosexuals.  The 
upper echelons of the Catholic hierarchy are outspoken 
proponents of tolerance and understanding; however, some 
lower level priests have been unabashedly anti-Semitic. 
 
--Amplify voices of moderation, tolerance, and freedom. 
 
The GOPs efforts in this arena include a true commitment to 
remembrance of the horrors of WWII and the Holocaust.  A 
recent example of this was the GOP-coordinated ceremony 
marking the 60th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz 
in January 2005, an event which attracted survivors of the 
concentration camp as well as international heads of state. 
The event prompted public discussion of the threat of 
extremism, the value of tolerance, and related themes. 
--Ensure readily accessible public education, particularly 
for women and girls. 
 
Public education is readily accessible for all Polish 
citizens regardless of gender. 
 
--Encourage modern education that accepts pluralism and open 
intellectual exchange. 
 
Polish higher education is on par with Western European 
standards; open intellectual exchange is valued and fostered. 
 Higher education is almost fully subsidized by the GOP. 
 
--Identify, promote, and work with non-governmental partners 
and the press who advocate religious tolerance and moderation. 
 
The GOP's Ombudsman for Human Rights is charged with 
cultivating NGO contacts who promote tolerance and freedom 
among other human rights duties. While active, his work 
receives limited GOP resources and limited public attention. 
Ashe