This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS SANAA 000583 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL KIRF YM
SUBJECT: ADEN JEWISH CEMETERY IN STATE OF DISREPAIR, HELP 
NEEDED 
 
REF: 2005 SANAA 1549 
 
¶1.  This is an action request.  Please see paragraph 6. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) Summary.  In February, post received a letter from 
a contact stating his concerns over the possible destruction 
of a Jewish cemetery in Aden.  The contact claimed that 
unknown individuals had destroyed a section of the wall 
surrounding the cemetery and planned to confiscate the land 
for their personal use.  Visits by emboffs to the cemetery 
and discussions with a variety of contacts uncovered no 
information to substantiate the claim of an imminent 
takeover.  Emboffs did discover, however, that the Jewish 
cemetery is in a serious state of disrepair following years 
of neglect and periodic desecration.  Post plans to approach 
the Aden Governor to discuss plans to rebuild the crumbling 
cemetery wall.  Post also recommends Department approach 
organizations who could provide technical or financial 
assistance to preserve the abandoned cemetery.  End Summary. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) In February, the Ambassador received a letter from 
a concerned contact, claiming that unknown individuals had 
destroyed a large section of the surrounding wall of a Jewish 
cemetery in the Mallah neighborhood of Aden.  The contact 
believed the individuals planned to build upon the land if no 
one reacted to the wall's destruction.  As there is no longer 
a Jewish community in Aden, he worried that without 
intervention, the only remaining Jewish cemetery in Aden 
would be lost. 
 
¶4.  (SBU)  On February 27, emboffs visited the cemetery and 
spoke with several local officials to evaluate the contact's 
claims.  Emboffs could find no evidence of an imminent 
takeover.  The cemetery appears, however, to be suffering 
from years of neglect.  (Note: There are only 300 - 400 Jews 
still living in Yemen, down from an estimated 60,000 in 1948 
before a mass migration to Israel (reftel).  End Note).  The 
wall has fallen down completely in several areas, leaving 
large sections open and unguarded.  During a previous visit 
by another emboff, it was evident that some of the tombstones 
had been intentionally knocked over and defaced.  Many of the 
old tombstones are also suffering from neglect and have begun 
to crumble.  According to the International Jewish Cemetery 
Project, some of the tombstones date back to 1741. 
 
¶5.  (SBU)  The Ministry of Religious Guidance and Endowment 
provides a part-time guard on the premise, as is the practice 
for all Yemeni cemeteries.  In reality, however, this guard 
is rarely seen on the premises.  No individual or 
organization currently performs any maintenance on the 
cemetery itself or the surrounding wall.  The owner of the 
land immediately adjacent to the largest break in the wall, 
which the contact claimed had been destroyed, has begun to 
build a small rock wall to delineate his property.  He does 
not appear to have any plans to build over cemetery land, as 
he is already building a house some distance back from the 
wall. 
 
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Action Request 
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¶6.  (SBU)  Post plans to approach the Aden Governor to 
encourage the rebuilding of the cemetery wall.  Few groups in 
Yemen, however, have the technical expertise or the financial 
ability to restore the abandoned and dilapidated cemetery. 
Post recommends Department approach a group such as the 
International Jewish Cemetery Project or the Association of 
Jewish Yemenites in the United States, who may be able to 
provide assistance through the Ministry of Religious Guidance 
to preserve this important part of Yemen's religious heritage. 
Khoury