US embassy cable - 05ACCRA2435

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ACCRA 002435 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FROM THE AMBASSADOR FOR U/S HUGHES; AF/PDPA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: GH, KISL, KPAO, PGOV, PREL, PTER, SCUL, SOCI, muslim community 
SUBJECT: EMBASSY GHANA'S RAMADAN OUTREACH TO MUSLIM 
COMMUNITY 
 
REF: STATE 159092 
 
1.  SUMMARY: This year Post continued to expand its Muslim 
outreach program during the recently completed Ramadan 
celebrations. The Embassy hosted more events, took the 
program to more areas, and reached more Muslim citizens than 
in any year so far. I was involved personally in several of 
the activities, including providing meals, both for the 
Muslim leadership and for residents of Ghana's poorest Muslim 
areas, and hosting an Iftaar dinner at my residence. We 
sponsored soccer tournaments for Muslim youth and met with 
regional Ministers in the Muslim North. We also sponsored a 
Koranic quiz for Muslim students, working with Muslim 
organizations on each activity.  Many officers played 
important roles in the outreach program, which received 
excellent press coverage throughout Ghana. One officer 
addressed 20,000 attendees at an Eid speech in Kumasi.  END 
SUMMARY 
 
2. Prior to Ramadan (and before I presented my credentials), 
the DCM on October 6 formally hosted a Daniel Pearl Music Day 
jazz evening at my residence, per ref A.   PolChief and a 
USAID official who were friends of Daniel Pearl spoke about 
their relationship with him, emphasized the need for 
tolerance, and condemned the evils of terrorism to an 
audience of several hundred, including many Muslim leaders. 
 
3.  Embassy officers paid a courtesy call on the National 
Chief Imam the first day of Ramadan (the Imam said it was the 
first time a diplomat had visited him so early during the 
holy month.)   I then hosted an Iftaar at the Residence for 
120 Muslim leaders, our largest ever in Accra, and included 
some third country diplomats for the first time.   In 
addition, the Mission joined forces with a Ghanaian Muslim 
organization formed after September 11, Friends Against 
Global Terrorism (FAGLAT), to organize a series of Ramadan 
events: 
 
--  Iftaar food donations in two poor Muslim neighborhoods of 
Accra:  Nima and Ashiaman (where I addressed over one hundred 
Muslim leaders), and passed out the first parcels of food. 
 
--  Iftaar food donations in Kumasi (Ashanti Region) and 
Tamale (Northern Region), for both the moderate Tijania and 
more conservative Alhasuna communities.  While in these 
regions, we made calls on a wide range of Muslim leadership 
and met with the Regional Ministers. ECON, PAS, and POL 
officers organized and led these events. 
 
--  Iftaar donations to include for the first time Wa 
(capital of Upper West Region), Bolgatanga (capital of Upper 
East), and Larabanga (in Northern Region, home to a 600-year 
old mosque, the oldest in Ghana).  The Regional Ministers of 
each region accompanied Embassy staff throughout the visits. 
Embassy officers also paid calls on the traditional leaders 
of each area. 
 
--  The Embassy sponsored soccer tournaments for Muslim youth 
in Accra, Kumasi, and (for the first time) in Tamale.  The 
Accra tournament, attended by the DCM and ECON, was extremely 
hard-fought and has already become a tradition in the Muslim 
community.  Sixteen teams participated. Pol Chief also 
attended a soccer tournament for Eid in Ashiaman, organized 
by the Muslim Dialogue and Humanitarian Organization. 
 
--  The Embassy sponsored a Koranic quiz, in which twenty 
Muslim youth participated.  It was carried live on a popular 
televison show, with US Embassy sponsorship prominently noted. 
 
--  One Embassy Officer addressed a group of 20,000-30,000 
Muslims at the Central Mosque in Kumasi, as part of the Eid 
al Fitr festival. All the Kumasi-area Muslim leadership was 
in attendance as was the Regional Minister. 
 
--  We have also planned for a digital video conference with 
Muslim youth here and in the United States. 
 
4.  Comment:  This year's Ramadan outreach involved numerous 
members of the Mission.  The Iftaar food donations, which 
were extensively covered in the local media and selected 
Muslim publications, provided meals for an estimated 
15-20,000 Muslims.  At each donation, Emboffs gave speeches 
emphasizing that Americans respect Islam and that the USG 
spends around $12 million each year in programs benefiting 
Muslim communities in Ghana.  Our outreach effort was 
extremely well received and generated good will across 
Ghana's 20% Muslim population.  Our Muslim outreach program 
is year-round, and integrated through all Mission elements, 
but our most intensive period of activity is during Ramadan. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
BRIDGEWATER