US embassy cable - 03ABUDHABI3509

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 06 ABU DHABI 003509 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPT FOR DRL/CRA, DRL/IRF, DRL/PHD, NEA, NEA/ARP AND NEA/RA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM, KIRF, TC 
SUBJECT: UAE 2003 RELIGIOUS FREEDOM REPORT 
 
REF:  STATE 197330 
 
1.  Sensitive but Unclassified -- entire text. 
 
2.  Following is post's submission for the 2003 Religious 
Freedom Report (1 July 2002 - 30 June 2003) for the United 
Arab Emirates.  Per reftel, our update is keyed to the 2002 
final report.  A copy of the 2002 Report with tracked 
changes will also be sent via classified email to DRL/CRA, 
DRL/IRF, DRL/PHD, NEA/ARP, and NEA/RA. 
 
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PREFACE 
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3.  In paragraph 1, sentence 2, please replace "freedom of 
assembly and association" with "public freedom of assembly 
and association" and replace "greatly limiting the ability" 
with "limiting somewhat the ability". 
 
4.  In paragraph 1, please replace the last sentence with 
the following: 
 
"The Government permits de facto recognition of religious 
groups through the issuance of land use permits to build 
and operate religious buildings.  Many religious groups 
that operate religious buildings permit religious groups 
without dedicated religious buildings to worship in their 
facilities.  Religious groups without dedicated religious 
buildings also worship in private homes, generally without 
government interference." 
 
5.  In paragraph 2, sentence 1, please replace "improved 
somewhat" with "continued to improve". 
 
6.  In paragraph 2, please replace sentence 2 with the 
following:  "Two new churches opened with a capacity of at 
least 1,000 people.  The fifth Indian Orthodox Church in 
the UAE also opened, and permission was granted to build 
another Coptic Orthodox church." 
 
7.  In paragraph 3, please change "among religions in 
society" to "among religions, nationalities and races in 
society". 
 
------------------------------- 
SECTION I. RELIGIOUS DEMOGRAPHY 
------------------------------- 
 
8.  In paragraph 1, sentence 1, please replace "3.1 
million" with "3.7 million." 
 
9.  In paragraph 1, sentence 4, please replace 
"professionals" with "expatriates." 
 
10.  In paragraph 2, please add the following as the first 
sentence: 
 
"There are foreign missionaries operating in the UAE." 
 
11.  In paragraph 2, new sentence 2, please delete 
"nontraditional". 
 
12.  In paragraph 2, last sentence, please replace 
"religious groups here" with "religious groups". 
 
--------------------------------------- 
SECTION II. STATUS OF RELIGIOUS FREEDOM 
--------------------------------------- 
 
-- LEGAL/POLICY FRAMEWORK 
 
13.  In paragraph 1, sentence 2, please replace "freedom of 
assembly" with "public freedom of assembly" and replace 
"greatly limiting the ability" with "limiting somewhat the 
ability". 
 
14.  In paragraph 1, please add the following to the end of 
the paragraph: 
 
"Many religious groups that operate religious buildings 
permit religious groups without dedicated religious 
buildings to worship in their facilities.  Religious groups 
without dedicated religious buildings also worship in 
private homes, generally without government interference." 
 
15.  Please delete paragraph 2.  The first sentence is 
moved to the end of paragraph 5.  The remaining content is 
included in the following two paragraphs. 
 
16.  In former paragraph 3, please replace "Virtually all 
Sunni mosques are government funded or subsidized" with 
"The Government funds or subsidizes virtually all Sunni 
mosques". 
17.  In former paragraph 3, please add the following to the 
end of the paragraph:  "All Sunni imams are government- 
employed.  The Government distributes guidance on religious 
sermons to mosques and imams, whether Sunni or Shi'a, and 
monitors all sermons for political content." 
 
18.  In former paragraph 4, please add the following as new 
sentence 3: "Shi'a imams are government-appointed only in 
Dubai Emirate." 
 
19.  In former paragraph 5, please add the following to the 
end of the paragraph (from former paragraph 2):  "The 
Government does, however, permit de facto recognition of 
other religions through the issuance of land use permits 
for the construction and operation of religious buildings." 
20.  Please add the following between former paragraphs 5 
and 6 (Language is taken from "Restrictions" section and 
placed in "Legal/Policy Framework" because the following 
language describes policy.  Language that explains how the 
policy can be restrictive is contained in the 
"Restrictions" section.): 
 
"Non-Muslim groups are permitted to practice their religion 
freely in religious compounds built on land grants from the 
local rulers.  In such cases, a religious group leader 
requests from the local ruler a grant of land (title to 
which remains with the ruler) and permission to build a 
religious building thereon.  Religious groups without land 
grants and religious buildings built thereon are thereby 
limited in their ability to assemble for worship and to 
conduct business, but are allowed to worship on the 
compounds of other religious groups if permitted by such 
religious groups to do so.  Discreet, off-compound private 
and public gatherings are not targeted or disrupted by the 
police or other security forces." 
 
"There are approximately 23 Christian church buildings in 
the UAE built on land donated by the ruling families of the 
emirates in which they are located.  One Hindu temple and 
two Sikh temples also operate in the UAE.  Three emirates 
are home to parochial primary and secondary schools.  Abu 
Dhabi and Dubai Emirates have donated land for Christian 
cemeteries, and Abu Dhabi has donated land for a Bah'ai 
cemetery.  There are two operating cremation facilities and 
associated cemeteries for the Hindu community, one in Dubai 
and one in Sharjah." 
 
"Non-Muslim religious groups do not receive funds from the 
Government.  However, those with land grants are not 
charged rental payments and some of the religious buildings 
constructed on land grants were donated by the local ruling 
families.  Also, Sharjah Emirate waives payment of 
utilities for religious buildings.  Non-Muslim groups raise 
money from among their congregants and receive financial 
support from abroad.  Religious groups also advertise 
certain religious functions in the press, such as memorial 
services, choral concerts, and fundraising events." 
 
21.  Please delete former paragraph 6 and insert as the 
next paragraph after former paragraph 7 beginning "As the 
state religion...." 
 
22.  In the former second to last paragraph, last sentence, 
please replace "forbidden publicly to eat, drink, or smoke 
during fasting hours" with "forbidden to eat, drink, or 
smoke publicly during fasting hours." 
 
23.  Please add the following as the new second to last 
paragraph: 
 
"The rulers of the various emirates regularly pardoned 
prisoners on religious and national holidays without regard 
to the prisoners' religious affiliations.  Those pardoned 
generally are serving sentences from 3 to 5 years for 
financial crimes, immigration violations, and other minor 
offenses; pardons reportedly were not extended to prisoners 
convicted of murder, rape, and kidnapping.  Most of the 
pardoned foreign nationals were deported, while those 
jailed for financial crimes were given a grace period to 
settle amounts still owed prior to deportation." 
 
-- RESTRICTIONS ON RELIGIOUS FREEDOM 
 
24.  In paragraph 1, sentence 2, please delete "either" and 
replace "ministries" with "departments." 
 
25.  In paragraph 1, sentence 3, please replace "controls 
in all mosques the appointment of preachers and the conduct 
of their work" with "controls the appointment of preachers 
and the conduct of their work in all mosques". 
 
26.  Please add the following as new paragraph 2: 
 
"The UAE Government espouses and supports in practice a 
moderate interpretation of Islam.  In concert with other 
governments, in 2001 the Government arrested and detained 
numerous individuals suspected of ties to extremist groups. 
Most of them were subsequently released." 
 
27.  In former paragraph 2, sentence 1, please replace 
"There does not appear to be a formalized method" with 
"There is no formalized method". 
 
28.  In former paragraph 2, sentence 2, please replace 
"access to land to and permission to build a church 
thereon" with "access to land to religious groups with 
permission to build religious buildings thereon." 
 
29.  In former paragraph 2, sentence 3, please replace 
"churches" with "religious buildings" and please replace 
"Christian congregations" with "religious groups". 
 
30.  Please delete former paragraphs 3 and 4.  Reason: 
Moved to "Legal/Policy Framework" section. 
 
31.  In former paragraph 5, sentence 1, please replace "Ras 
Al-Khaymah" with "Ras Al-Khaimah". 
 
32.  In former paragraph 5, please delete sentences 2-4. 
Reason: Sentences moved to "Positive Developments" section 
to join other information on new religious buildings. 
 
33.  In former paragraph 6, please delete sentence 1. 
Reason:  Moved to "Legal/Policy Framework" section. 
 
34.  In former paragraph 6, please replace former sentences 
2 and 3 with the following: 
 
"There is only one Hindu temple for the large Hindu 
community.  There are also only two Sikh temples.  All 
three temples are located in Dubai." 
 
35.  Please delete former paragraph 7.  Reason: Moved to 
"Legal/Policy Framework" section. 
 
36.  Please replace former paragraph 8 with the following: 
 
"The conversion of Muslims to other religions is regarded 
with extreme antipathy; therefore, the Government prohibits 
non-Muslims from proselytizing or distributing religious 
literature under penalty of criminal prosecution and 
imprisonment for engaging in behavior offensive to Islam. 
While there is no law against missionary activities per se, 
the authorities reportedly have threatened to revoke the 
residence permits of persons suspected of public missionary 
activities." 
 
Reason:  Remaining information placed in other following 
paragraphs to improve the flow of this section. 
 
37.  Please add the following paragraphs after former 
paragraph 8 beginning with "The conversion of Muslims to 
other religions": 
 
"In November 2002, two members of the Dubai Police Criminal 
Investigation Department (CID) arrested an evangelical 
Christian pastor for distributing religious materials at a 
public shopping mall in violation of the prohibition 
against proselytizing.  The CID had received a complaint 
from a Muslim expatriate that the pastor had distributed 
religious literature to him at that same location the day 
before.  The pastor was detained for almost one month 
before being released on bail; he provided his passport to 
the authorities as security for his release.  His movements 
in the country were not restricted, and he reportedly 
preached to various church congregations throughout the 
country during his release.  The court gave the religious 
materials to a local panel of Islamic scholars for review 
to determine if they were offensive to Islam -- the panel 
concluded that the religious materials were not inherently 
offensive to Islam, but would be offensive to a Muslim if 
given to a Muslim.  The court convicted the defendant on 27 
April, sentenced him to one year, suspended the sentence, 
and ordered his deportation.  Although, prior to his 
arrest, the pastor had planned to leave the UAE in January 
2003, he appealed the deportation order and requested a 
grace period to allow his children time to complete the 
school year.  The court granted the requested grace 
period." 
 
"In March 2001, Dubai police arrested four visiting 
noncitizens for violating laws barring non-Muslims from 
proselytizing because they distributed Christian religious 
materials, including videos and CD-ROMs, on a public 
street.  One of those arrested was detained for less than a 
week.  Authorities held the passports of those arrested 
during the investigation; the accused persons deposited 
their passports as security to guarantee their appearance 
in court.  They were able to move freely about Dubai but 
not permitted to leave the emirate.  The charges against 
the noncitizens were dropped on April 8, 2001, and they 
left the country on April 9." 
 
38.  In former paragraph 9, sentence 1, please replace 
"foreigners to declare" with "foreigners applying for 
residence permits to declare". 
39.  In former paragraph 9, sentence 1, please replace "the 
Government does not collect" with "the Government 
reportedly does not collect". 
 
40.  Please add the following new paragraph after former 
paragraph 9 beginning with "Immigration authorities 
routinely....": 
 
"In addition customs authorities have questioned the entry 
of large quantities of religious materials (such as Bibles 
and hymnals) that they deemed in excess of the normal 
requirements of existing congregations, although in most 
instances the items have been permitted entry.  Customs 
authorities reportedly are less likely to question the 
importation of Christian religious items than non-Muslim, 
non-Christian religious items, although in virtually all 
instances importation of the material in question 
eventually has been permitted." 
 
Reason: Moved to this location from location earlier in the 
Section. 
 
41.  Please replace former paragraph 10 with the following 
(Reason: Rewording and additional language.): 
 
"There is a dual system of Shari'a (Islamic) courts for 
criminal and family law matters and secular courts for 
civil law matters.  Non-Muslims are tried for criminal 
offenses in Shari'a courts.  Not all crimes are punishable 
by Shari'a penalties.  In cases punishable by Shari'a 
penalty, non-Muslims may receive civil penalties at the 
discretion of the judge, which generally occurs.  Shari'a 
penalties imposed on non-Muslims also may be overturned or 
modified by a higher court." 
 
42.  In former paragraph 11, please add the following as 
new sentence 2:  "Dubai has a special Shi'a council to act 
on matters pertaining to Shi'a family law." 
 
43.  In former paragraph 11, former sentence 2, please 
replace "marry non-Muslim women;" with "marry non-Muslim 
women "of the book," that is Christian or Jewish women;". 
 
44.  In former paragraph 12, sentence 2, please replace 
"schools" with "public schools". 
 
45.  In former paragraph 12, please delete the last 
sentence. 
 
46.  In former paragraph 12, please add the following 
sentences as new sentences 3 and 4: 
 
"Religious groups may, however, conduct religious 
instruction for their members on their religious compounds, 
and there are parochial schools operating in the country. 
According to Article 84 of the Executive System of Private 
Education, private schools found teaching subjects that 
contravene Islam, defame any religion or contravene the 
nation's ethics and beliefs may face penalties, including 
closure." 
 
-- IMPROVEMENTS AND POSITIVE DEVELOPMENTS IN RESPECT FOR 
RELIGIOUS FREEDOM 
 
47.  In paragraph 1, please replace sentence 1 with the 
following: 
 
"In mid-2003, the Coptic Orthodox Church received 
permission to build a church in Abu Dhabi.  Two new 
churches also opened during the period covered by this 
report -- in April 2003, a 1,000-plus capacity Coptic 
Orthodox church and service facilities opened in Dubai, and 
in October 2002, a 1,000-plus capacity Catholic Church and 
hall opened in Fujeirah emirate." 
48.  In paragraph 1, please add the following sentences 
between former sentences 3 and 4:  "The Indian Orthodox 
church opened in May 2003 in a public ceremony.  In early 
2001, ground was broken in Jebel Ali for the construction 
of several churches on a parcel of land donated by the 
Government of Dubai to four Protestant congregations and a 
Catholic congregation." 
 
49.  In paragraph 1, former sentence 4, please replace "A 
Catholic church" with "The Catholic church". 
50.  In paragraph 1, please add the following as the new 
second to last sentence:  "In May 2001, the Crown Prince of 
Dubai authorized the construction of a Greek Orthodox 
church on donated land." 
51.  In paragraph 1, last sentence, please replace "Also 
during the period covered by the report," with "Also in 
2001,". 
 
52.  Please add the following paragraphs as new paragraphs 
2-5: 
 
"In April 2002, UAE President Shaykh Zayed bin Sultan Al 
Nahyan announced that he would personally fund, through the 
UAE Red Crescent Authority, the repair and restoration of 
Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity and Omar mosque, both of 
which were damaged during Israeli-Palestinian hostilities." 
 
"In June 2002, a Palestinian Greek Orthodox priest paid an 
official visit to the UAE.  In February 2003, UAE Supreme 
Council member and Ruler of Ajman Emirate received an 
official visit from the Catholic Bishop to the Arabian 
Peninsula.  Also in February 2003, the Coptic Archbishop of 
Jerusalem and the Near East delivered a lecture on 
religious tolerance at the Zayed Center for Coordination 
and Follow-Up in Abu Dhabi.  In May, the Bishop of the 
Delhi Dioceses was the chief celebrant at the public 
consecration ceremony of the fifth Indian Orthodox church 
in the UAE.  In July, the Zayed Center for Coordination and 
Follow-Up hosted the Catholic Bishop to the Arabian 
Peninsula, who spoke on religious tolerance in the UAE and 
the importance of dialogue among religions." 
 
"In May 2002, the Council of Evangelical Churches hosted a 
3-day public conference in Abu Dhabi, which featured an 
internationally renowned Christian speaker, seminars, and 
workshops, with events for adults and children.  Tickets to 
the conference were available upon request." 
 
"Also in 2002, the Dubai Evangelical Church Center hosted a 
youth event called "Desert Challenge" attended by adults 
and children from six countries." 
 
--------------------------------- 
SECTION III -- SOCIETAL ATTITUDES 
--------------------------------- 
 
53.  In the second to last sentence, please replace "they 
are able to best limit unwanted foreign influence" with 
"they can best balance foreign influence." 
 
54.  Please delete the last sentence. 
 
------------------------------------ 
SECTION IV -- U.S. GOVERNMENT POLICY 
------------------------------------ 
 
55.  Please replace paragraph 2 with the following: 
 
"Embassy officials in Abu Dhabi and Consulate General 
officials in Dubai have discussed religious tolerance and 
freedom with UAE Government officials on a number of 
occasions, and have encouraged the government to increase 
religious freedom here by permitting the opening or 
expansion of religious facilities for the large expatriate 
population.  Embassy and consulate officials also help to 
protect religious freedom by monitoring its status through 
informal inquiries and meetings with UAE Government 
officials and representatives of Muslim, Christian and 
other faiths.  For example, Embassy and Consulate officials 
closely monitored the criminal proceedings in 2002-2003 of 
the evangelical Christian pastor arrested for 
proselytizing, and the Consul General urged Dubai officials 
to dispose of the case in a manner acceptable to all 
parties involved." 
 
WAHBA