US embassy cable - 05DJIBOUTI972

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DJIBOUTI 000972 
 
SIPDIS 
 
Sensitive 
 
State for AF, AF/E, AF/PD; 
London/Paris for Africa Watcher 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, KPAO, PGOV, SCUL, DJ 
SUBJECT:  Making an Impression in 
the Muslim Community 
 
 
1. (U) Souguah Mohamed, Director of Al Biri, 
a conservative Muslim social service 
organization, recently complimented Post for 
its proactive and sensitive dealings with 
both the conservative Muslim community and 
the nation's underprivileged in the time 
since Post's primary positions (Ambassador, 
USAID director, Pol/Econ, PD, Cons) became 
"staffed by women." Mohamed said that he was 
impressed by the Embassy's involvement in 
the community and its concern with society's 
most vulnerable over the past two years. 
Post sees this as an indicator of changing 
attitudes and a sign that its hands-on, 
person-to-person public diplomacy strategy 
is making effective inroads with target 
communities. 
 
2. (U) On September 28, PD officer met with 
Souguah Mohamed and Mohamed Robleh, Al 
Biri's general secretary, at the Embassy's 
initiative to discuss the possibility of the 
Embassy making a Ramadan donation for the 
city's poor. During the conversation, 
Souguah Mohamed mentioned relations with the 
community at large have improved, which he 
believed was connected to women having 
positions of power at the Embassy. Mohamed 
also said that the organization values its 
relationship with the Embassy. 
 
COMMENT: This is noteworthy as women hold 
only traditional roles within Al Biri. We 
note, however, that Post has also make a 
strong comment to reach out to Djibouti's 
most vulnerable communities END COMMENT. 
 
3. (U) Mohamed's remarks reflect similar 
attitudes observed in Post's "oral nights," 
held in English schools throughout the city. 
Although students in the groups have not 
linked these attitudes to the presence of 
female staff in the Embassy, they have 
commented on their overwhelming appreciation 
of the willingness of Americans to spend 
time with and in communities located in the 
less prosperous areas of the city. 
 
4. (U) Last year Post funded equipment for a 
women's only fitness room at Al Biri. In 
addition, the Association provided a speaker 
for a Ramadan information program that Post 
held for supervisors from both the US 
Military and the Embassy. Post sees the 
relationship with Al Biri as a good conduit 
into both religiously conservative and poor 
communities, which is why Post approached 
the organization with its desire to make a 
Ramadan contribution. 
 
5. (U) Post and Al Biri decided that the 
best, most-effective method of Ramadan 
outreach was for Post to sponsor a number of 
poor families for the holiday by giving Al 
Biri a grant to be used for food staples to 
include beans, oil and rice. The families 
will be chosen from a standing list the 
Association keeps of needy Djiboutians and 
names will be screened by the Embassy. The 
Ambassador will preside over a grant 
ceremony and members of families who will 
benefit will be present. 
 
6. (SBU) Comment: Post expects that the 
public cooperation between Al Biri and 
Post's charitable contributions during 
Islam's holiest month will be a positive 
example contradicting extremist messages 
that the US is evil and/or anti-Islam. These 
conversations with Al Biri, as well as 
attitudes gleaned from the English oral 
nights, indicate that indeed Post is meeting 
with success in its extended outreach 
campaign. END COMMENT