US embassy cable - 05AMMAN7708

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 05 AMMAN 007708 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR R, P, NEA/PPD, NEA, PRM, OES, PLS PASS TO USAID 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/28/2015 
TAGS: KDEM, KMPI, KISL, KPAO, EAID, ECON, PHUM, PREL, JO 
SUBJECT: COMBATING EXTREMISM - JORDAN 
 
REF: STATE 159129 
 
Classified By: Charge David Hale, Reasons 1.4 (B) & (D) 
 
1.  (S) Summary: Embassy Amman has been working to strengthen 
local traditions of dialogue, tolerance, and intellectual 
exchange as foils against extremist ideas - and to help such 
values emerge where they are absent - for several years.  We 
use a wide panoply of State Department and other USG programs 
to counter extremism.  In Jordan, we have a host government 
and many local decision-makers among the elite who share this 
goal, and understand the vital importance of these efforts. 
Many of the USG programs came into existence following 9/11, 
but others have been in place for years as an ongoing part of 
USG efforts in Jordan and in the region.  Local NGOs and 
civil society and elite groups that we engage on such issues 
number perhaps less than 100, but the audience that they 
reach includes the vast majority of Jordanians.  Our efforts 
to maximize media coverage for these activities, as well as 
the influence of returned exchange visitors and other 
beneficiaries, encompass all of Jordan.  To ensure maximum 
effectiveness, it is essential that these programs continue 
to receive support so they are not seen as simply short-term 
efforts to address the symptoms of the problems of extremism, 
but rather as part of an ongoing long-term dialogue between 
cultures and faiths meant to truly enhance mutual 
understanding. END SUMMARY. 
 
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ENABLING LOCAL ATMOSPHERE 
------------------------- 
 
2. (SBU) The Government of Jordan has an existential interest 
in combating Al-Qaeda-style extremism, and has actively 
supported fora for tolerance and religious education during 
the last year.  In November of 2004, Jordan launched the 
Amman Message, which argued that authentic Islamic traditions 
call for respect for others, tolerance, freedom of 
conscience, and the rejection of extremism.  The campaign 
continued with the International Islamic Conference July 4-5, 
which hosted 170 Muslim scholars.  Its closing communiqu, 
endorsed by authorities ranging from Sheikh Tantawi of 
Al-Azhar to Grand Ayatollah Sistani from Iraq, denounced key 
elements of Al-Qaeda's ideology. 
 
3. (S) In September 2005, King Abdullah met with Pope 
Benedict XVI and called for continuing interfaith dialogue, 
coexistence, and shared values between civilizations.  Later 
in September, the King addressed similar issues before an 
audience at Catholic University in Washington, and discussed 
what he called Islam's true values of tolerance and 
understanding with a group of students at Banneker High 
School in Washington, DC.  This message receives wide play in 
the Jordanian and international media as well.  The Charge, 
d'Affaires DCM, political section, and Public Affairs Office 
all meet with local officials regularly to provide feedback 
and suggestions on this message and on possible international 
audiences which would be receptive.  Though these efforts are 
necessarily and must remain behind the scenes, we believe 
they are important, as the Palace regularly looks to the 
Embassy for reassurance of the importance of this message of 
tolerance to the USG. 
 
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EDUCATION 
--------- 
 
4. (SBU) Already boasting high literacy (90 percent) and a 
secular education system, Jordan has taken the lead on 
education reform in the region through its two flagship 
reform programs: the Education Reform for the Knowledge 
Economy program (ErfKE) and the Jordan Education Initiative 
(JEI).  Both directly support the Government of Jordan's 
policy of using the school system to promote tolerance and 
advance a modern, outward looking attitude among Jordanian 
citizens.  Initiated with USG assistance, these multi-donor 
programs seek to transform the way the GOJ provides 
educational services, and to prepare youth for the challenges 
of the modern job market.  Through programs supported by 
USAID, the Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI), and 
Embassy Amman's Public Affairs Office, the USG will provide 
assistance valued at more than 45 million USD between FY 2005 
) FY 2008 to support these education reforms.  U.S. 
assistance is working to: connect Jordan's public schools to 
broad band internet; rapidly introduce advanced IT equipments 
in to the classroom; develop modern digitized curricula to 
promote tolerance and improve English language education; 
train teachers to better instill creative thinking and 
leadership skills within Jordan's youth; support 
internet-based &pen pal8 exchanges between Jordanian and 
American youth; enhance gender mainstreaming in new 
curriculum; and fund extra-curricular programs that provide 
youth, mostly female, with IT skills that are in high demand 
in today's modern labor market.  These programs expose 
Jordanians to new ideas that promote tolerance and a more 
outwardly focused perspective.  Most importantly, these 
activities are effective tools for preparing Jordanian youth 
for the challenges of the modern job market, decreasing 
poverty and diminishing the draw of extremist ideologies.  As 
a result of these programs, the GOJ has already registered 
increased international test scores for students in math and 
science (and is now witnessing an unexpected movement of 
students from Jordan's highly touted private sector school 
system to newly respected public ones.) 
 
5. (SBU) Embassy Amman also hosts the State Department's 
regional environment, science, and technology (EST) hub 
office.  Through programs in Jordan and throughout the 
region, our EST office works to support scientific education 
and research as a source of understanding and tolerance.  By 
facilitating linkages in these fields, the EST office helps 
keep the region involved and engaged in global developments 
in these areas.  In September 2005, EST and PA Amman 
supported an international conference in Amman on &Engaging 
Iraq's Science and Technology Community in Developing Iraq,8 
a conference which highlighted the need for scientists to 
participate in nation building and in regional and global 
cooperation to ensure a logical and scientific basis for 
national policies. 
 
6. (SBU) PA Jordan hosts the Regional English Language Office 
(RELO) of the State Department's Bureau of Education and 
Cultural Affaires (ECA), which has responsibilities for a 
number of countries in the region.  PA Jordan also hosts the 
only PA-run direct English Language Teaching Program in NEA, 
the American Language Center.  PA's ALC teaches approximately 
700 Jordanians, including many university students, American 
English with cultural content each session.  For the past two 
summers, ALC has also reached out to younger students and run 
summer sessions for High School students.  AMIDEAST has also 
begun teaching American English with cultural content over 
the past two years, including similar summer sessions for 
youth.  By directly offering and/or sponsoring regional 
participation in training focusing on curriculum content, the 
Jordan-based RELO encourages the development of a strong, 
professional, and internationally focused English language 
teaching program at all levels of Jordan's educational 
system.  For example, the RELO runs ECA's English Language 
Fellow program in the region, which places American TESL 
teachers to local training institutions, as well as the 
Foreign Language Teacher Assistants program in the region, 
which sends approximately a dozen regional English teaching 
students to the US to study and teach.  PA Jordan looks 
forward to joining ECA's successful micro scholarship program 
in the coming year, to help sponsor disenfranchised and/or 
marginalized Jordanian students to study American English. 
Post supplements these RELO activities with a number of other 
exchanges, including IV programs focused on TESL and a wide 
distribution of the excellent ECA ET magazine, ET Forum. 
 
7. (SBU) International exchange is another tool to fight 
extremism, engage Jordanians in an international dialogue, 
and encourage modern, quality education.  PA Jordan supports 
an active Binational Fulbright Commission, the local AMIDEAST 
office, and the American Center for Oriental Research in 
Jordan, all of which have hosted myriad programs, trainings, 
and exchanges over many years focusing on education, 
dialogue, and tolerance.  AMIDEAST runs a number of active 
youth exchange programs, through ECA and MEPI funding, 
including participation by a dozen Jordanian high school 
students in a summer youth camp in the US, the YES high 
school scholarship program for approximately 30 Jordanian 
students per year, among others.  AMIDEAST also provides 
educational advising for Jordanian students, some 1800 of 
whom travel to the US to study at the university level each 
year (though this number is now at a nearly historic low, 
with numbers falling drastically from nearly 2500 in 2001 to 
just over 1800 this year).  These local partners also support 
the PLUS partnership for learning scholars which sends about 
5 Jordanians per year to study in the US, the Iearn and LINC 
exchanges, and others.  The Royal Hashemite Court funds its 
own scholarship program to send meritorious Jordanian 
students to study in the U.S. and other nations, managing the 
program in cooperation with AMIDEAST.  These international 
exchange programs, like the programs mentioned above, 
encourage a global outlook and active engagement in the 
broader world community.  They are also of particular 
importance since they target youth. 
 
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YOUTH 
----- 
 
8. (SBU) As well as supporting the educational efforts 
mentioned above, PA Jordan has an active and long-standing 
exchange program that focuses on youth leadership.  We have 
sent many university student leaders on International Visitor 
Regional Programs as well as on post-designed single-country 
group exchange visits funded by post.  14 university students 
are currently in the US on a post-developed and -funded group 
exchange program.  PA Jordan has also facilitated and/or 
sponsored the participation of a number of Jordanian youth 
leaders in regional MEPI conferences and programs: four 
Jordanian students attended the MEPI alumni conference for 
Young Leaders held in Tunis in January 2005.  MEPI has been 
very active in the area of youth outreach and developing 
youth leadership skills in Jordan.  Post is also an active 
supporter of the Seeds of Peace summer camp program and the 
its training seminars offshoots.  PA Jordan distributes 2000 
copies of &Hi!8 magazine to Jordanian youth through 
distribution points such as universities, American Corners, 
and AMIDEAST, and is finding that demand is growing, 
particularly as we work to ensure that all youth exchange 
alumni are added to the distribution list. 
 
--------------------------------- 
TOLERANCE AND INTERFAITH DIALOGUE 
--------------------------------- 
 
9. (SBU) PA Jordan's exchange program also focuses on issues 
of interfaith dialogue.  In November 2004, we sent a 
Jordanian mufti on a regional program focused on &Promoting 
Interfaith Dialogue.8  PA Jordan also sponsored a 
post-developed and -funded international group exchange 
program for a group of Sharia Court judges in September 2005, 
and a similar group of interfaith clerics working on dialogue 
issues in spring 2005.  Through local PA and USAID-provided 
funding, PA Jordan also supports follow-on efforts by local 
NGOs active in this field, sponsoring workshops, outreach, 
and seminars. 
 
10. (SBU) For the past three years, successive PAOs have 
developed an active and ongoing dialogue with leaders of 
informal social groups (akin to Gulfi Diwaniyya's with 
Islamist/Muslim Brotherhood leanings who regularly bring 
together twenty-something, lower middle class youth to 
discuss US policies and society.  As well as providing an 
unparalleled sounding board for local reaction to US 
policies, these fora provide PAOs the opportunity to set the 
record straight regarding misperceptions and 
mis/disinformation about US actions.  For an even longer 
period dating back to the 90,s, PAOs have also had active 
relationships with media figures and Op-Ed writers reflecting 
Islamist opinion and thinking.  Several Embassy sections 
annually host series of Iftar dinners during Ramadan to share 
in the celebration of the month and to mark American respect 
for it and for Islamic traditions. 
 
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MIDDLE EAST PARTNERSHIP INITIATIVE 
---------------------------------- 
 
11. (SBU) In Jordan, the Middle East Partnership Initiative 
(MEPI) funds both national and regional programs supporting 
reform on political, economic, and educational issues.  These 
reforms should ultimately lead to a more open, participatory, 
and economically successful Jordan, developments that will 
help combat extremism and encourage positive global 
engagement.  From FY02 through FY04, MEPI funding in Jordan 
totaled over 14 million USD.  MEPI programs strengthened 
Jordanian political parties and Parliament, encouraged 
transparency and the rule of law (including efforts to 
enhance corporate good governance), empowered Jordan's media 
and women, and strengthened Jordan's educational system.  For 
example, Arab Civitas, the Jordan Education Initiative 
Discovery Schools, &My Arabic Library,8 and &English in a 
Box8 kits, all helped reinforce the teaching of civic rights 
and responsibilities and democratic values in Jordanian 
primary and secondary schools. 
 
----------------------------- 
FOCUS ON PALESTINIAN REFUGEES 
----------------------------- 
 
12. (SBU) Embassy Amman hosts the regional refugee 
coordinator's office, and follows refugee and Palestinian 
issues particularly carefully.  Jordanians of Palestinian 
origin form the majority of Jordan's population.  Attitudes 
of Palestinians are therefore particularly important, 
especially regarding issues of extremism.  The UNRWA program 
supported by the USG here in Jordan, like many of the 
programs listed above, focuses on the key role of education 
in combating extremism. 
 
13.  (SBU) UNRWA: The United Nations Relief and Works Agency 
for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) -- the UN 
Agency that was established in 1950 to provide housing, 
education, health, and social services to Palestinian 
refugees in Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon 
(currently about 4.26 million persons) )- is currently 
implementing one project in Jordan with special U.S. project 
funding from the Migration and Refugee Assistance (MRA) 
account that have been designed specifically to combat 
extremism in Palestinian refugee camps: 
 
-- LONG-TERM TOLERANCE PROJECT: UNRWA is introducing 
mandatory, supplemental curricula in its primary and tertiary 
schools that teaches conflict resolution, human rights 
awareness and promotes gender equality.  (NOTE: UNRWA has no 
stand-alone curricula.  Per agreement with refugee hosting 
nations/authorities, its schools teach either the Jordanian, 
Lebanese, Syrian or Palestinian Authority curricula.  END 
NOTE.)  UNRWA's program introduces internet activities, 
worksheets, storybooks, and games with a tolerance promotion 
message into every access point it can identify in the host 
nation curricula (for example, in Social Science, Arabic and 
Religion classes), and also attempts for long-term impact by 
providing remedial training not just to UNRWA teachers, but 
to school supervisors and UNRWA's teacher trainees.  State's 
PRM bureau provided $1.6 million from 1999-2004 (Germany also 
provided $465,000) to help UNRWA launch this program as a 
pilot in the West Bank/Gaza (1999), expand it to all of its 
schools in the WB/Gaza (2000-2002), and introduce a second 
pilot in Jordan, Syria and Lebanon (2003-2004).  PRM is 
currently providing $589,000 in MRA funds to expand this 
project to all 652 UNRWA schools - a target population of 
500,000 primary students, 16,000 teachers, 950 head teachers, 
250 school supervisors, 530 vocational training center 
instructors, 5,300 vocational training students, 55 teacher 
training instructors and 1,100 teacher trainees.  UNRWA has 
conducted attitudinal surveys before expanding its pilot 
programs. Amman refcoord and German donors have also 
conducted external reviews that suggest this tolerance 
program may also be having a positive collateral impact. 
Syria's Education Minister, for example, recently agreed to 
remove some school texts that UNRWA's tolerance program 
managers have identified as incendiary. 
 
14. (SBU) AMBASSADORS, FUND FOR REFUGEES:  PRM expanded its 
small (under $20,000) quick-impact grassroots NGO program, 
the Ambassador Fund for Refugees, to the Middle East in 2002. 
 Four of the five projects currently being implemented in 
this region built computer centers in camps in Jordan, the 
West Bank, Lebanon and Syria for Palestinian refugee women 
who have had limited access to the Internet due to strong 
social prohibitions that prevent them from utilizing the same 
facilities as men.  PRM has authorized funding for a similar 
women-only Internet cafe to be opened in Jordan in 2005-2006. 
 
---------------------- 
ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES 
---------------------- 
 
15. (SBU) The United States established a special trading 
relationship with Jordan in 1998 under the Qualifying 
Industrial Zone (QIZ) program, which requires goods to have 
Israeli content.  The U.S.-Jordan Free Trade Agreement became 
the first U.S. FTA with an Arab nation in 2001.  Both give 
"Made in Jordan" products preferential access to the U.S. 
market and aim to support export-driven economic development. 
 Together with other forms of U.S. assistance to build 
Jordan's capacity to compete in global markets, these trade 
agreements will help the GOJ meet the goal of adding 50,000 
jobs to the economy annually, which in turn is critical in 
combating unemployment and the extremism upon which it 
thrives. 
 
--QIZ factories employ some 23,000 Jordanians, mostly in the 
garment industry.  For the majority women workers, these jobs 
represent a source of independent income, increased social 
standing, and empowerment.  For the large number of rural 
families, these jobs have a significant positive impact on 
well-being. 
 
--Trade-based economic development will bring with it 
diversification, including in more technical fields such as 
ICT and pharmaceuticals, fields where Jordan has already made 
a mark.  Enhanced trade will demand more vocational training, 
a more highly skilled workforce, and increasing numbers of 
managers.  U.S. trade policies toward Jordan have already 
shown a path for development of the nation's economy, and 
offer hope to younger generations.  By highlighting the 
benefits of U.S.-Jordan trade, the Embassy will continue to 
deliver that message of hope to Jordanians. 
 
16. (SBU) Spurring economic growth throughout the Jordanian 
economy is a major objective of our USAID program.  The 
Jordanian leadership recognizes that a small, resource-poor 
country must do everything it can to enhance its competitive 
position, and provide its citizens the ability to be players 
in the global economy.  Economic reforms supported by the USG 
over the last several years have significantly changed the 
structure of the Jordanian economy, moving it from a statist 
orientation to one which is much more market-oriented and 
supportive of private sector growth.  These reforms have 
boosted economic growth rates and provided opportunities and 
hope to Jordan's citizens.  Maintaining those growth rates 
and sustaining hope are critical to blunting the appeal of 
extremist ideologies. 
 
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CONCLUSION 
---------- 
 
17. (S) The USG is fortunate in Jordan to be working on these 
essential issues with engaged and effective local partners, 
from King Abdullah, his advisors, and the government, to 
local NGOs, academic institutions, and energetic youth 
leaders.   Jordanians understand that it is the common man 
and woman in the Muslim world who is the most likely to 
suffer directly from extremism and from terrorist violence. 
As they see it, it is their religion and their traditions 
that are being hijacked by this extremism.  While the USG is 
not well-positioned to   become directly involved in the 
philosophical debate within Islam over the future of Islam 
and Muslim-majority societies, we can help support those 
elements within these societies who are proponents for 
tolerance, engagement, and dialogue.  In Jordan, we have been 
working to give them the tools and experience to help them 
win in this battle.  To be successful, our efforts must be 
long-range, continuous, and well thought-out.  It must be 
clear to our partners that we are in this for the long-term. 
HALE 
 
HALE