US embassy cable - 05SANAA3160

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 SANAA 003160 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 26/10/2015 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, YM, PTERM, DOMESTIC POLITICS, DEMOCRATIC REFORM 
SUBJECT: DEMOCRACY CENTRAL THEME AT LATE NIGHT RAMADAN 
SOCIAL GATHERINGS 
 
REF: SANAA 2961 
 
Classified By: DCM Nabeel Khoury for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
1. (U) Summary. DCM and Poloffs attended Ramadan late night 
social sessions during which party hacks, sheikhs, 
journalists and academics spanning the Yemeni political 
spectrum voiced strong opinions on the problems with 
democratization in Yemen and how the U.S. could help. 
Participants from all political parties and persuasions 
welcomed emboffs and continually noted that the USG had a 
positive role to play in Yemeni politics. End Summary. 
 
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Yemen's Democracy: Slipped, Stumbled or Fell? 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
2. (U) The leading issue at every session was the 
Ambassador's statement in an October 6 interview, with the 
independent "Al-Ayam" newspaper, that democratic reforms in 
Yemen  have stalled due to a rash of journalist bashings 
(many times literally) by the ROYG or seemingly ROYG-inspired 
thugs (reftel).  On October 8, the ROYG press reacted by 
accusing Ambassador of interfering in Yemen's internal 
affairs.  In an October 10 interview with the 
quasi-independent "Yemen Observer" Ambassador clarified that 
he said that democratic reforms in Yemen had "stalled" not 
"stopped," as the papers had reported. 
 
3. (C) Mohammed Qahtan, Political Director of the opposition 
Islah party, who supported the Ambassador's remarks, 
expressed concern that the ROYG may have persuaded Ambassador 
to retract his criticism.  Yahia Abu Asbou, Assistant SYG of 
the Yemen Socialist Party (YSP), mused over the ROYG's 
"hypocrisy" in applauding USG officials whenever they bill 
Yemen as the democratic leader in the region, but protesting 
"interference" at any slight criticism by the same officials. 
 "We need the U.S. to be on the people's side not the 
(ROYG's) in this debate," he added.  DCM reassured all 
participants that the Ambassador's remarks stood, "whether 
one says democracy has stopped or stumbled, the fact remains 
that any infringement on press freedoms constitutes a setback 
that is a cause for concern." 
 
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Stop Comparing Us 
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4. (C) Another commonly expressed frustration was with the 
west's penchant to compare Yemen's democratic experience to 
other Gulf countries'.  "You must stop calling us the most 
developed democracy in the region. It does not help," noted 
Qahtan, "we have invested a lot more time into this process 
so we should be held to a higher standard."  Mohammed Ghaleb, 
YSP External Relations Chief, agreed: "Our democracy was born 
with our unity in 1990 and it should be stronger, not weaker, 
than it was back then."  Abdullah Faqih, a Political Science 
professor at Sanaa University, added that Yemen was no longer 
a leader in the region.  "Look at the Kuwaiti Parliament, and 
reform in Bahrain, Oman, or Al-Jazeera (news channel) in 
Qatar.  Even Egypt is beginning to catch up with us!" he 
lamented. 
 
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Talk To Us, The People 
----------------------- 
 
5. (C) At another gathering attended by over 30 participants, 
including NGO workers and tribal members from al-Jauf, Saada, 
and Shabwa, the USG's development efforts took center stage. 
Hammdan Zaid Muhsen, a Sheikh from Al-Jauf, told poloffs that 
although the USG was doing good work in his region, the 
projects were not well publicized. "We know that you 
implement programs," said Yahia al-Anisi, head of the Local 
Council Service Committee of al-Jauf and GPC party member, 
"but we are not sure which ones."  He also expressed concern 
that "many" complained that USG assistance programs only 
dealt with the ROYG and not local NGOs or Local Councils.  On 
democratization efforts, as on economic assistance, 
participants urged the USG to deal more directly with "the 
people" and to stop exclusively dealing with the ROYG.  "The 
man in the street," said one participant, "is bothered by 
what seems to be an unbreakable alliance with the USG and all 
the rotten regimes in the region." 
 
6. (C) Comment.  Yemenis late night reveries invariably 
reflect the social and political concerns festering among 
people from various political persuasions.  This Ramadan, it 
is clear that Yemenis are becoming increasingly frustrated 
with the ROYG's weakening commitment to democratic reform and 
fighting corruption.  Despite their disagreement with U.S. 
foreign policy, Yemenis seem to hope that U.S. diplomatic 
efforts will nudge the ROYG back onto the democratic reform 
track.  The opposition and reform-minded independents also 
expressed hope that President Bush's words to Saleh will be 
clear and firm: Democracy must be allowed to flourish in 
Yemen.  "The U.S. has interests in the region," argued 
several of our interlocutors, "and it should not be shy to 
use its weight to get our leaders to do the right thing." 
Despite the lack of clear alternatives, we find Yemenis 
increasingly vocal in their criticism of the Saleh regime and 
mature and hopeful in their reflections on what the U.S. 
might do to help. End Comment. 
Krajeski