VZCZCXYZ0000
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHDM #0209/01 0770752
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 180752Z MAR 09
FM AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6136
INFO RUCNNAF/NORTH AF NEA AND SOUTH ASIAN COLLECTIVE
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 0503
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 0474
RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 0140
RUEHSM/AMEMBASSY STOCKHOLM 0078

UNCLAS DAMASCUS 000209 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ELA, NEA/PPD 
 
SENSITIVE, SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PINS KPAO OEXC OIIP SCUL SENV SOCI SY XF
SUBJECT: NORTHEASTERN SYRIA: IT'S MORE THAN JUST UNHAPPY KURDS 
 
REF: STATE 21427 
 
¶1.  (SBU) SUMMARY: On a tour of the Jazirah region of northern and 
eastern Syria, PD officers witnessed first-hand the cultural 
complexity of Syrian society, the effect of population and 
environmental shifts on this mosaic, and the extensive reach of the 
Syrian security services.  From March 10-13, PAO and CAO visited a 
range of non-Kurdish contacts in Deir al-Zur, Al-Hasaka, and 
Al-Qamishli, including the editor of the area's only newspaper, a 
Christian human rights activist,  a Syrian-American tribal leader, 
and the Armenian and Syriac communities in Al-Qamishli.  Welcoming 
Arabic-speaking American diplomats into their homes and communities, 
all our interlocutors evinced a desire for better U.S.-Syrian 
relations and closer cultural and economic cooperation between 
Syrians and Americans.  They were also unanimous in their dislike of 
the Kurdish population, whom they consider troublesome interlopers. 
 END SUMMARY. 
---------------------- 
NEGLECT IN DEIR AL-ZUR 
---------------------- 
 
¶2.  (SBU) In Deir al-Zur, PDOffs were told that until fairly 
recently, the city had been neglected by the central government, 
principally because of its inhabitants' leanings towards Iraq. 
Residents still remember vividly last year's visit by President 
Bashar al-Asad, the first such visit by a Syrian president since 
independence.  PDOffs called on the editor of the only 
government-supported  daily newspaper in the Jazirah, "al-Furat," 
founded by the government four years ago (circulation 5400). 
Although the editor, a political author, regaled PDOffs with a 
two-hour tirade of history, myth, and rhetoric, he also declared 
that "Syrians have nothing against Americans" and called the 
election of an African-American president a historical milestone 
which gave Syrians hope for better relations with the United States. 
 
 
¶3.  (SBU) The establishment of the newspaper and a new public 
university, both four years ago, as well as the addition of a 
private university in 2008 and the recent appointment of a new 
governor to replace his corrupt predecessor, are indications that 
the regime in Damascus is paying more attention to this 
long-neglected city.  [NOTE: We heard that the new governor, Hussein 
Arnous, is reported to have been questioned by the UN International 
Independent Investigation Committee.  END NOTE]  The attention is 
sorely needed in a city hard hit by economic woes; the unemployment 
rate was reported to PDOffs as 50 percent. 
 
------------------- 
FOR YOUR PROTECTION 
------------------- 
 
¶4.  (SBU) While the security services surveilled PD officers 
throughout the trip, the choice of date contributed to the unusually 
heavy security escort PDoffs received in Al-Qamishli.  Upon arrival, 
the security chief demanded to see a permit to travel more than 40 
kilometers outside Damascus.  Up to three cars and two motorbikes 
accompanied PDOffs throughout the day, and security officials sat in 
on some meetings, taking copious notes.  The SARG escort made any 
interaction with the Kurdish community impossible.  The Christian 
community, however, did not trigger the same level of scrutiny or 
efforts to keep us out.    The relationship between PDOffs' 
Christian hosts and the security detail was respectful; one host, a 
young woman doctor, invited them into her home for lunch.  [NOTE: 
Rather uncharacteristically, security officers appeared to enjoy the 
trip to the point of asking curious questions about the 
Armenian/Syriac culture of our hosts and thanking the Embassy driver 
for an enjoyable visit.  END NOTE.]  PDOffs' hosts assured them that 
the heavy security was purely for their protection; when the day 
proved quiet (with no clashes), they said approvingly: "Yes, the 
state is keeping control." 
 
------------------------------- 
KUMBAYA -- BUT NOT FOR EVERYONE 
------------------------------- 
 
¶5.  (SBU) The Al-Jazirah region, especially the city of Al-Qamishli, 
usually attracts attention because of Kurdish claims of government 
persecution and episodic reports of SARG crackdowns on the Kurdish 
population.  To avoid provoking SARG sensitivities, PDOffs avoided 
Kurdish contacts and focused on a very different side of the city. 
The Christian community in Al-Qamishli reportedly comprises 15-20 
percent of the city and includes Catholic and Orthodox Syriac 
Christians, Armenians, Assyrians, Chaldeans, and Protestants, many 
highly educated and prosperous.  Relations among the multiple 
Christian sects appeared harmonious.  At one crossroads near the 
center of town, large Armenian, Syriac, and Chaldean churches occupy 
three of the four corners.  On the fourth, a new Armenian church was 
under construction. 
 
¶6.  (SBU)  Relations between Christian communities and the majority 
Kurdish population and other ethnic groups appeared, however, to be 
contentious.  We heard comments about "the Kurds" throughout our 
trip and unfortunately were able to get only one side of the story. 
PDOffs met a Syriac Christian who is trying to preserve Syriac 
traditional culture; he directs an accomplished youth dance troupe 
and has received awards for his efforts to support the preservation 
of Syriac culture.  His work is supported by the Ministry of 
Culture; a senior official there told PAO privately that "we have to 
do something to counter the influence of the Kurds." 
 
¶7.  (SBU) In Al-Hasaka, a local Sunni tribal leader, businessman, 
and Amcit, took great pains to organize a lunch reflecting his 
vision of diversity and tolerance: Muslims, Christians, and 
Armenians, but no Kurds or other groups.  At a private meeting 
later, a local Syriac Christian gave voice to tensions beneath the 
surface.  He explained the city dwellers' distrust of Muslim 
bedouins, as well as their concerns that higher Muslim birthrates 
would continue to erode the position of Christians in the region. 
Both he and the tribal leader expressed negative attitudes toward 
Shi'a Muslims, including Alawites, and Iran.  The tribal leader 
cited a higher percentage of babies named Umar as proof of popular 
antipathy toward the Shi'a.  NOTE: Umar ibn al-Khattab, the second 
Muslim caliph, is considered by Sunni Muslims as the heir to the 
Prophet Mohammad.  Shi'a Muslims, however, consider him a usurper 
and support Ali, the Prophet's son-in-law. END NOTE. 
 
¶8.  (SBU) PDOffs' hosts said that fifty years ago the Jazirah had 
been 80-90 percent Christian, but that due to Christian emigration, 
immigration by Kurds and others, and the high Muslim birthrates, the 
Kurds now dominate and Christians form only 35 percent of the 
population.  (Note:  There are no official SARG figures on which to 
assess these claims.  End note.)  Near Al-Qamishli, villages with 
Syriac shrines that had once been mixed Christian and Muslim are now 
all Muslim; the Christian families, PDOffs were told, had all left 
Syria. "Every family has at least one member abroad," said one 
doctor; "they are in Sweden, which hosts the largest population of 
Syriac Christians, Austria, Germany, and elsewhere."  The doctor is 
a partner in a new hotel-which largely depends on an influx of 
expatriate Christians returning to Al-Qamishli in the summer.  While 
not explicitly stated, the reasons for Christian emigration are 
likely to reflect regional trends: economic pressure and perceived 
or real threats from an increasing Muslim population. 
 
----------------------------- 
"AL-JAZIRAH IS NOT KURDISTAN" 
----------------------------- 
 
¶9.  (SBU) The tolerance and respect PDOffs witnessed both between 
Muslims and Christians in Al-Hasaka and among Christian sects in 
Al-Qamishli did not extend to the Kurdish community.  Our visit 
coincided with the fourth anniversary of the 2005 Kurdish uprising 
in Al-Qamishli.  The memory of those events was still fresh for the 
Christian community, who told PDOffs the Kurds had inflicted damages 
of over 100 million Syrian pounds ($2 million USD) to public 
property, including hospitals and public amenities.  [NOTE:  No one 
mentioned the fact that Syrian security forces opened fire on crowds 
of unarmed Kurds fleeing a soccer stadium riot provoked by 
anti-Kurdish chants.  END NOTE.] 
 
¶10.  (SBU) There was no sympathy expressed for the situation of the 
Kurds; rather, our interlocutors - both Christian and Muslim -- 
described the Kurds as having taken advantage of Syria's generosity. 
 "They came during the last 50 years;" a doctor in Al-Qamishli said. 
 "They knew nothing and had no skills; we taught them our 
handicrafts and artisanal skills; the government gave them 
education, housing, and health care.  Now they are very rich and 
hold the majority (sic) of government positions.  They have all 
their rights.  We do not understand what they want or why they cause 
trouble."  She told PDOffs that of the 850 positions in the hospital 
where she works, 600 are held by Kurds. 
 
¶11.  (SBU) Notably, none of our interlocutors mentioned any efforts 
to improve relations with the Kurdish community.  To the contrary, 
there was a heavy sense of resentment against Kurdish sentiments in 
favor of autonomy and even an independent country.  In Al-Hasaka, a 
Syriac Christian human rights activist told PDOffs that while he 
respects some of the Kurdish organizations, "Al-Jazirah is not 
Kurdistan," and the non-Kurdish population would never support a 
breakaway from Syria -- which is what he claimed was the  ultimate 
goal of the Kurdish community as a whole. 
 
--------------------------------- 
LITTLE WATER, FLOOD OF EMIGRATION 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶12.  (SBU) Once called the "California of Syria," and known as 
Syria's breadbasket because of its huge agricultural output, the 
Jazirah region has been badly affected by the drought of the last 
few years and by longer-term climate changes.  The highway from Deir 
al-Zur to Al-Hasaka passed through miles of untilled parched land 
and desolate villages, the inhabitants of which have departed for 
Damascus and other cities.  "We call them ghost cities," said the 
wife of a tribal leader in Al-Hasaka; "without water, they cannot 
farm or make a living, so they leave."  PDOffs heard that 15 years 
ago these barren lands had all been farms.  Emigration or migration 
due to drought is compounded by a steady rate of emigration to 
Lebanon, Europe, and North America by the Christian community. 
 
¶13.  (SBU) Al-Qamishli and its surrounding villages seemed far more 
prosperous and developed than either Deir al-Zur or Hassake.  When 
asked about the evident prosperity of the city, PDOffs' hosts said 
there had been adequate rainfall this winter in the surrounding area 
and to the northeast, making for a successful season for the 
farmers.  They also cited the presence of oil companies in the area. 
 Others noted the importance of remittances from Christian relatives 
living abroad. 
 
 
¶14.  (SBU) COMMENT: Reftel encourages Post to reach out and listen 
to local audiences.  PDOffs did just that, in Arabic and with an 
audience often outside the usual scope of Embassy contacts.  PDOffs 
heard calls for genuine support for increased cooperation, including 
more exchange opportunities for students, joint cultural 
programming, and English teaching and teacher training.  IIP 
publications, including the biography of President Obama in Arabic, 
were accepted with alacrity.  PDOffs utilized the visit to advertise 
Post's website, its Facebook page, and online alumni resources.  One 
constraint on Post's follow-up to the visit and further cooperation 
with Syrian audiences is the ubiquitous interference of the security 
services and their intense paranoia about Syrian citizens' 
engagement with foreigners, especially Americans.  END COMMENT. 
 
CONNELLY