VZCZCXRO1043
PP RUEHDE
DE RUEHAD #2002/01 3471536
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 131536Z DEC 07
FM AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0185
INFO RUEHDE/AMCONSUL DUBAI 7510

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ABU DHABI 002002 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR G/TIP, INL, DRL, L/DL, NEA/RA, AND NEA/ARP, ECA/PE/V/R/N 
 
E.O.  12958:  DECL:12/12/2017 
TAGS: PHUM ELAB KPMI PREL PGOV AE
SUBJECT:  UAE Human Rights Association fractures while former 
association member/International Visitor Program grantee is assailed 
in local press for disloyalty 
 
REFS: 
A) 06 ABU DHABI 790 (HR NGO) 
B) ABU DHABI 1542 (ACTION PLAN WITH MFA) 
C) ABU DHABI 1539 (ACTIVIST VOICES) 
D) ABU DHABI 151 (INFLUENTIAL WOMEN) 
F) ABU DHABI 1338 (POLICY TOWARD TRANSPARENCY) 
G) ABU DHABI 1539 (ACTIVISTS) 
H) ABU DHABI 1567 (DISMISSAL OF ACADEMICS) 
I) ABU DHABI 1619 (GRASSROOTS DEMOCRACY) 
J) ABU DHABI 1869 (DEMOCRACY REFORM UPDATE) 
 
Classified by DCM Martin Quinn for reasons 1.4 b and c 
 
Summary 
----------- 
¶1. (C)  Four out of seven board members of the only human rights 
association in the UAE resigned  December 4, putting into effect a 
public welfare law that forced closure of the Emirates Human Rights 
Association (EHRA).  Disgruntled board members cited lack of 
transparency and intolerance for opposing views as reasons the 
nascent NGO has fractured and disintegrated.  The unified protest is 
a deliberate act to manipulate federal organizational law and "clean 
house" in time for a fresh start in the Human Rights Association's 
upcoming January election.   In a further development, a member of 
the association traveling to the U.S. to participate in an 
International Visitor "Democracy and Human Rights" Project had his 
computer searched at Dubai airport and became the target of a media 
campaign impugning his loyalty and sharply criticizing his 
"disgraceful behavior" for delivering "files and photos about labor 
rights in the UAE to foreign organizations."   End Summary. 
 
No Change in Status Quo 
------------------------------ 
¶2. (C) While the establishment of the first-ever Emirates Human 
Rights Association (EHRA) (ref A) in 2006 was in itself a step toward 
civil engagement (ref J), local Arabic daily Al Ittihad reported that 
there has been "no change in the status quo"according to Aisha 
Soltan, former vice chair and spokesperson for the four board members 
of the association.  One board member who recently resigned, Dr. 
Ibtisam Al Kitbi (ref D), explained that the hope of the founding 
members was to give elected members a voice to represent their 
individual views.  What she claimed instead to witness was a system 
where the voices of board members were muted by " the dictator who 
runs the association."   Speaking candidly about the chairman of the 
association, Abdul Gaffar Hussain, Al Kitbi complained that meetings 
were held without elected members (ref  F) and that decisions were 
finalized by Hussain and his secretary general, Dr. Mohammad Obaid 
Ghubash, without consultation. "How can I defend the rights of others 
if my own human rights are violated?" said Al Kitbi.  In response, 
Hussain was quoted in the press as saying members who resigned "gave 
nothing to the association and failed to attend [its] meetings."   Al 
Kitbi told PolOff that board members were not invited to meetings for 
the past 5 months.  "We never took action solitarily and if they 
wished to object, they could have done so without trading 
accusations,"countered Hussain in the Gulf News.  Ghubash was quoted 
as saying that board members could have reported their complaints to 
the Social Affairs Ministry which investigates wrong doers rather 
than tendering their resignations. 
 
Reasons behind Resignation 
----------------------------------- 
¶3. (C) The four members who resigned, Aisha Soltan, Dr. Ibtisam Al 
Kitbi, Dr. Nisreen Morad, and Khalfan Mosbeh Al Muheiri, sent in 
coordinated resignations to protest alleged mismanagement of the 
association.  Ms. Soltan told Al Ittihad that they had "no choice" 
but to resign since they saw a large volume of "transgressions and 
legal errors" inconsistent with the statute of the association and 
the Law of Public Welfare Organizations (NGOs).  She went on to say 
that the group attempted to talk with the chairman and the secretary 
general on numerous occasions.  No attempts were made to include the 
group as a whole, and decisions continued to be made without 
consultation and released as "unanimous decisions" by all elected 
members.  Moreover, many of the decisions made in the name of the 
group were positions members either did not approve or had no 
knowledge of.  Soltan added that the members who resigned thought of 
waiting until the normal general assembly elections in  January, but 
the increasing discomfort led the group to feel that there was no 
recourse but resignation.  (ref. H) 
 
New Board in January 
--------------------------- 
¶4. (SBU) Disgruntled founding members hope that a more harmonious 
board will be elected in January.  They plan to run again for 
election, hoping this time that a new board will provide a fresh 
start to the now "crippled" association.  According to Al Ittihad, Al 
Muheiri said that the current board cannot function and has been 
"practically paralyzed for many months."  He said the current board 
has been inconsistent and has many problems and hopes resignations 
will force a change.  Current resignations have been received by the 
 
ABU DHABI 00002002  002 OF 002 
 
 
Ministry of Social Affairs which has asked EHRA to provide an 
official letter explaining the situation, a formal step followed by 
the dissolution of the organization under the Law of Public Welfare 
Organizations which provides that if more than half of the board of 
directors of any organization resigns, the board is considered 
dissolved.   This law applies to EHRA with four of its seven board 
members having resigned.  Commissioner of the Ministry of Social 
Development, Naji Al Hay, told Al Ittihad when the official letter 
arrives from EHRA, an interim committee will be formed to run the 
organization until a new board is elected in January.  Many of the 
organization's founding members are passionate about the 
organization, feel emotional about the decision to resign, and look 
forward to a fresh start in the upcoming term.  Asked if they hope to 
run again, Dr. Al Kitbi told PolOff that she was warned not to run 
again, but responded that she most definitely will. 
 
Case of former Association Member, I.V. grantee 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
¶5. (C) In a further development, Embassy has learned that Mr. Farouq 
Dehdar, a former member of EHRA and participant in an International 
Visitor Program "Democracy and Human Rights" Project, had his 
computer searched at the Dubai airport while on his way to the U.S. 
in mid-November.   A former chair of the Labor, Naturalization and 
Residence Committee of EHRA, Mr. Dehdar was apparently suspected of 
transporting "files and photos about labor rights in the UAE to 
foreign organizations."   Dehdar believes that a case is being 
constructed against him and alleges that the Ministry of Social 
Affairs has formed a committee to investigate.  Emiraat Al Youm 
(Emirates Today) newspaper carried December 9 and 11 articles 
critical of Dehdar while the tabloid's blog carries numerous comments 
on the case.   Dehdar told his I.V. program manager that he has been 
in touch with his lawyers in the UAE regarding the allegations. 
 
¶6.  (C) EHRA chairman told Emiraat Al Youm that Mr. Dehdar "does not 
represent the association."   The Arabic paper goes on to recommend 
that Dehdar  should stop "kissing ass by volunteering information to 
the United States" and that he would be better off reporting 
"negative comments" to the proper UAE authorities.   UAE Minister of 
Social Affairs, Mariam Al-Roomi, is quoted in Al Quds Press Wire 
Service commenting that " the UAE will not hesitate to take tough 
measures against those who attempt to distort the image of the 
country's noble works." 
 
¶7. (C )  Comment:  Today's (December 13) Al Ittihad featured three 
editorial op-eds about Farouq Dehdar, castigating his "disgraceful 
behavior" and impugning his national loyalty.  Embassy will conduct 
post-project interview with Mr. Dehdar following his return to the 
UAE o/a December 16, will monitor the situation, and report further 
developments. 
 
Sison