VZCZCXRO2880
PP RUEHROV
DE RUEHDS #2781/01 2531437
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 101437Z SEP 07
FM AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7762
INFO RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHMFISS/CJTF HOA PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHMFIUU/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ADDIS ABABA 002781 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KISL KPAO SCUL ET
SUBJECT: A Sufi and a Wahabi Sit Down to Lunch... 
 
 
------- 
Summary 
------- 
 
¶1.  (U) Amb. Yamamoto hosted two groups of Ethiopian Muslim leaders 
to pre-Ramadan lunches. The first group included the Mufti and 
moderate Sufi leaders allied with the Addis Ababa Islamic Council 
(AAIC), while the second group was composed of Wahabi Muslim 
leaders.  While the lunches aimed to open a dialogue between Post 
and Muslim leaders, we hosted separate lunches to avoid reported 
conflict between the two factions.  To Post's surprise, the Wahabis 
quickly overcame their suspicion of US motives and engaged in a 
lively, frank, and participatory dialogue while the moderate Sufis 
remained cordial-but-reserved deferring principally to the Mufti to 
uphold dialogue. End Summary. 
 
------------------------- 
Sufis Remain Reserved 
------------------------- 
 
¶2. (U) Ambassador Yamamoto hosted the Mufti of Ethiopia and several 
local Imams for lunch on Sept. 4.  Post selected the participants 
based on their Sufi orientation and links to the AAIC.  Despite the 
dozen Sufi participants, lunch conversation maintained the staunch 
formality of a first time visiting foreign delegation with the bulk 
of the dialogue occurring between the Mufti and one aide on one side 
and the Ambassador and Pol/Econ Counselor on the other. 
Predictably, the guests spoke fondly of the Ethiopian Government, 
highlighted Ethiopia's long history of inter-religious tolerance, 
and explained away the recent increase in religious conflict as 
being conflicts between individuals that spread to their peer groups 
in a religiously diverse setting.  The group remained reserved, 
speaking predominantly in response to Post's questions with the 
exception of one English-speaking MP who only commented to request 
that Post to provide $165,000 to help offset recurring 
administrative costs to sustain mosque operations.  The Mufti 
responded positively to Ambassador Yamamoto's plan to fund an Iftar 
for the poor at two AAIC-affiliated Mosques on Sept. 17 and 19. 
 
-------------------------- 
Suspicious Wahabis Engage 
-------------------------- 
 
¶3. (U) As late as just days before the Sept. 5 lunch for the Wahabi 
leaders, those invited remained suspicious of Post's intentions and 
had not yet decided whether to attend.  After Post's Political 
Specialist convinced the group that Post's motive was to listen and 
share experiences, the dozen invitees did attend.  Ambassador 
Yamamoto opened discussion by acknowledging that Americans often 
listen too little and emphasized that his goal was for a frank 
discussion.  While the senior guest, Dr. Jeilan Khedir, commended 
the Ambassador -- more comfortable in Arabic than Amharic -- for the 
first ever invitation extended to his group by the U.S. Embassy, 
other guests quickly seized the invitation for a frank discussion to 
note that lack of engagement by the USG allowed the perception of 
the U.S. in a war against Islam to take root.  The guests quickly 
questioned why they had not been invited along with the Sufi group 
the day before.  Pol/Econ Counselor reversed the question to inquire 
about the reported rift between the two sects.  Surprisingly, the 
guests explained that the two groups were both Muslim and 
peace-loving with no real divisions between them - only noting as an 
afterthought that they had different interpretations of the Koran. 
The Wahabi group too commented favorably about the Ethiopian 
Government, noting that it and its ethnic federalist structure 
provided far better opportunities for Muslims than any previous 
regime.  The group also echoed the Sufi group's interpretation of 
recent religious conflict as stemming from individuals, and were 
emphatic that external influences played no role.  While the group 
encouraged Post to distribute Korans to poor Muslim communities in 
Ethiopia as a means to demonstrate our good will, they did accept 
Post's explanation of the first amendment prohibition on promoting 
individual religions and were willing to accept USG development and 
humanitarian assistance activities as evidence of our intentions in 
Ethiopia.  The guests who arrived suspicious left gracious and 
encouraging further frank dialogue. 
 
------- 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶4. (SBU) While the Muslim outreach lunches were not groundbreaking, 
they certainly challenged the assumptions of Ethiopia's Muslim 
leaders and Post alike.  Although Post's already enjoys relatively 
good relations with the AAIC, hosting the Mufti and Post's planned 
Iftars for the poor during Ramadan will certainly strengthen that 
relationship.  The open discussion with the Wahabi leaders, and more 
 
ADDIS ABAB 00002781  002 OF 002 
 
 
fundamentally the lunch invitation itself, established a line of 
communication previously absent and even taboo.  A single lunch 
conversation certainly does not change the fundamental, and mutual, 
suspicions and reservations between our communities, but it does 
provide Post with a link into a growing and increasingly influential 
community in Ethiopia and a public diplomacy target audience of 
tremendous potential import to our national interests. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Post's plan to host Iftar dinners for the poor at two local 
mosques, rather than the standard Iftar dinner for Muslim elites, is 
receiving significant praise in Addis Ababa. 
 
Yamamoto