VZCZCXRO0209
PP RUEHDE RUEHDIR
DE RUEHMK #0810/01 2381153
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 261153Z AUG 07
FM AMEMBASSY MANAMA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7176
INFO RUEHZM/GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHBVAKS/COMUSNAVCENT  PRIORITY
RHMFIUU/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MANAMA 000810 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM SOCI BA
SUBJECT: SECTARIAN INSULTS LEAD TO CALLS FOR LIMITS ON 
SPEECH 
 
REF: MANAMA 790 
 
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Summary 
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¶1. (U) A summer of name-calling between Sunni and Shi,a 
members of parliament has prompted calls for new legislation 
limiting incitement speech.  End summary. 
 
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Al-Deiri v. Al-Saeedi 
--------------------- 
 
¶2. (U) A photograph appeared in local papers in May showing 
prayers at the opening session of the Chamber of Deputies, 
the lower house of Bahrain,s parliament. The picture 
included Ali Salman, the chairman of the Shi,a Wifaq 
political society, praying behind independent Salafist deputy 
Jassim Al-Saeedi, who many Shi,a view as an anti-Shi,a 
bigot.  Although meant to highlight intercommunal 
cooperation, the photograph prompted a number of Shi,a to 
question Salman,s judgment. 
 
¶3. (U) Wifaq managed at first to contain the criticism, until 
one of its members, MP Hamza Al-Deiri, responded during an 
interview for an internet chatroom to a question on the issue 
by backhandedly labeling Al-Saeedi and the imams of Mecca and 
Medina "nasibis."  (Note: Shi,a use this term for those who 
reject those who they believe to be the rightful successors 
to the prophet Muhammad - the Twelve Imams.)  Al-Deiri  noted 
that Shi,a have long prayed behind "nasibi" imams in Mecca 
and Medina.  Al-Saeedi hit back quickly, calling Al-Deiri a 
"keffir."  He demanded that Al-Deiri and the Wifaq political 
society apologize to him and to all the imams of Mecca and 
Medina.  On August 8, the Al-Asala political society, which 
often seeks publicity as a champion of Salafist causes 
(reftel), placed a half-page ad in Bahrain,s leading daily, 
Akhbar al-Khaleej, demanding satisfaction for the offense to 
Sunni Muslims and the imams of Mecca and Medina, along with a 
strongly-worded warning against further insults from Shi,a 
quarters. 
 
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GOB Spin Control 
---------------- 
 
¶4. (U) GOB reaction to the flare-up was evident in the 
content of sermons Friday, August 3 and August 10.  Focus 
shifted quickly to themes of national unity, cohesion, and 
overcoming sectarian differences.  One prominent imam went so 
far as to criticize unnamed Deputies for engaging in 
"immature behavior" and urged them to turn their attention to 
the real issues like unemployment. 
 
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Limits to speech? 
----------------- 
 
¶5. (U) Parliamentarians responded to the controversy by 
suggesting that there should be limits to free speech.  Many, 
including Latifah Al-Qaood, Vice Chair of the Legal and 
Economic Affairs Committee in the Chamber of Deputies, have 
called for the parliament to pass a law criminalizing 
offensive speech on the basis of sect, belief, religion, or 
ethnicity.  The Wifaq political society, the largest bloc in 
the lower house, joined six other smaller societies (Wa,ad, 
Nationalist Democratic, Amal, Al-Minbar Progressive 
Democratic, National Brotherhood, and Free Thought) in a 
declaration in support of such legislation on August 14. 
 
¶6. (SBU) Somewhat surprisingly, leading secular journalists 
are also backing anti-incitement legislation.  Speaking to 
Charge on August 15, Ibrahim Al-Bashmi, a secular, leftist 
Sunni Shura Council Member and editor of the daily Al-Waqt, 
said Bahrain needs a law to rein in insulting sectarian 
rhetoric.  Isa Al-Sha,eegi, the secular Sunni editor of 
Al-Ayam, and Mansoor Al-Jamri, the secular Shi,a editor of 
Al-Wasat, shared similar views with Charge.  One dissenter 
among post,s contacts was the Deputy Director of the Bahrain 
Human Rights Society, Dr. Abdullah Al-Derazi, who told 
Pol/Econ Chief on August 15 that Bahrain needs a law to deal 
with "real discrimination on the basis of religion or sect," 
rather than offensive speech.  Even he allowed, though, that 
the Al-Deiri / Al-Saeedi exchange was particularly ugly and 
that "there are many people who support" legislation to limit 
insulting or offensive speech. 
 
¶7. (U) Not surprisingly, the issue has been a hot topic on 
 
MANAMA 00000810  002 OF 002 
 
 
television and a number of blogs.  The prevailing opinion is 
that Al-Deiri and Al-Saeedi are behaving childishly and as 
members of parliament should concentrate on improving social 
conditions in the country. 
 
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Comment 
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¶8. (SBU) With Al-Wifaq supporting the idea, the session of 
parliament expected to start in October is likely to see an 
attempt to push through legislation that would place controls 
on this kind of incitement. 
 
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HENZEL