US embassy cable - 05SANAA3184

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 SANAA 003184 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR NEA, NEA/ARP, NEA/PD, NEA/RA, NEA/RRU, 
DS/OP/NEA AND S/CT 
CENTCOM FOR POLAD 
NEA/PPD FOR AFERNANDEZ 
 
REF:  SANAA 3160 
 
PASS TO NSC 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OIIP, KMDR, PHUM, PTER, KISL, YM 
SUBJECT: BREAKING FAST WITH FRIENDS IN SANAA 
 
 
1.  SUMMARY:  Early in the month, Ambassador hosted an iftar 
for 120 key contacts and expressed his appreciation of 
Ramadan as a month of introspection.  During the month, the 
Public Affairs section and a local non-governmental 
organization co-sponsored several iftars for a marginalized 
group of Yemenis known as the "servants" or "akhdam." 
Pol/Econ officers also held late-night social sessions 
attended by members of political parties, the business 
community and NGOs.  The object of these meetings and 
sponsored events was to demonstrate respect for Islam and to 
expand Embassy outreach efforts during the most important 
month of the Islamic calendar.  End Summary. 
 
2.  AMBASSADOR HOSTS IFTAR:  On October 10, the Embassy 
began Ramadan with a representational iftar for contacts. 
Over 120 key counterparts of the consular, public diplomacy, 
political-economic, political-military, and management 
sections broke their fast with Embassy staff.  The event 
included the traditional prayer, a buffet, a subtitled slide 
show illustrating Muslim life in America, and remarks by 
Ambassador focusing on the importance of personal growth 
during the traditional Islamic month of spiritual renewal. 
The Iftar demonstrated to ROYG officials USG respect for 
Islam; one official remarked that he was pleasantly 
surprised to see the Embassy offer a place suitable for the 
traditional pre-meal prayer. 
 
3.  The evening event helped solidify contacts in Yemeni 
agencies working on some key mission priorities including: 
border security, immigration, and public outreach.  In 
particular, post was able to cultivate its relationship with 
the deputy head of the Yemeni Attorneys' Union, President 
Saleh's personal translator, and the prison warden holding 
half the American prisoners in Yemen.  Public Affairs also 
supplied a business card-sized handout featuring the Embassy 
website and several IIP-websites featuring Arabic language 
articles about various USG policy issues.  Media contacts 
were delighted to receive the handy reference tool. 
 
4.  MEDIA REACTION TO AMBASSADOR'S IFTAR:  While 
participants were very complimentary of our initiative, 
press reaction was typically mixed.  One independent weekly, 
Al Adhwa'a, published a straightforward report about the 
Ambassador's iftar, another independent weekly, Al Rai Al 
Aam, reported that attendees were "friends" of the United 
States and opined that Ambassador uses such occasions to 
"interfere in Yemen's internal affairs."  The ROYG armed 
forces weekly paper, 26 September, reported the Ambassador 
addressed invitees in Arabic "for fear of being misquoted or 
misinterpreted;" moreover, the paper obliquely criticized 
those journalists "who had had side discussions" with the 
Ambassador after "praising U.S. democratic models in 
countries such as Afghanistan and Iraq." 
 
5.  THREE IFTARS COSPONSORED BY PUBLIC AFFAIRS:  The NGO Al 
Sada Association, which works to empower women and children 
of the marginalized minority known as "akhdams," who live in 
shantytowns around Sana'a, agreed to co-sponsor three iftars 
for their clients.  The first of these, on October 19, found 
65 children eating together at the NGO headquarters, which 
is located in the modest neighborhood near the city's 
slaughterhouse.  Most present were under ten years of age 
and some had walked for hours to be present.  Many were 
orphans and the older children helped the younger ones to 
ensure that all who were present had plenty to eat.  On 
October 23, the association cosponsored a second iftar for 
65 women and children.  These gathered in the three rooms of 
the NGO headquarters and shared food in the traditional 
family-style manner, in which  people sit on the floor and 
share from common dishes.  All present were clearly 
delighted and the atmosphere, festive. 
 
6.  A third dinner for over 60 was offered by the NGO to the 
men of the "akhdam" community two days later.  The 
association also distributed book bags, containing various 
Arabic-language materials, including magazines and 
children's books, supplied by Public Affairs to the families 
of these youngsters.  As the month draws to a close, Yemenis 
buy new clothes for members of their families and the NGO 
offers their client families an annual distribution of 
canned goods and food supplies.  This year, the NGO will 
also distribute a modest sum of money to each family, using 
cash donations collected by the U.S. Embassy community. 
Several emboffs, including Muslim Americans, attended the 
Iftars and were moved by the simplicity of the meal, the 
pleasant atmosphere, and the thanks they were offered at the 
NGO headquarters. 
 
7.  Emboffs held several social events after the evening 
iftar meal to introduce the newly arrived Political/Economic 
section chief.  These sessions were attended by working- 
level contacts of Yemen's major political parties, media 
representatives, members of the business community, and NGO 
leaders.    On one of these occasions, DCM led an informal 
discussion on the progress of democratic reform and press 
freedom in Yemen (reftel). 
 
8.  COMMENT:  The month of Ramadan is one that finds most 
Yemenis focused on family and home, but  Embassy found 
Yemenis quite responsive to and appreciative of our efforts 
to reach out to a wide range of contacts at all levels of 
society.  Our goal of demonstrating our appreciation for the 
traditions shared by Muslims during the month of Ramadan 
were, overall, successful. End comment. 
 
KRAJESKI