![Keep Us Strong](../../../static/gfx/ja-cg.jpg)
![WikiLeaks logo](../../../static/gfx/WL_Hour_Glass_small.png)
Currently released so far... 3954 / 251,287
Articles
Browse latest releases
2010/12/01
2010/12/02
2010/12/03
2010/12/04
2010/12/05
2010/12/06
2010/12/07
2010/12/08
2010/12/09
2010/12/10
2010/12/11
2010/12/12
2010/12/13
2010/12/14
2010/12/15
2010/12/16
2010/12/17
2010/12/18
2010/12/19
2010/12/20
2010/12/21
2010/12/22
2010/12/23
2010/12/24
2010/12/25
2010/12/26
2010/12/27
2010/12/28
2010/12/29
2010/12/30
2011/01/01
2011/01/02
2011/01/04
2011/01/05
2011/01/07
2011/01/09
2011/01/10
2011/01/11
2011/01/12
2011/01/13
2011/01/14
2011/01/15
2011/01/16
2011/01/17
2011/01/18
2011/01/19
2011/01/20
2011/01/21
2011/01/22
2011/01/23
2011/01/24
2011/01/25
2011/01/26
2011/01/27
2011/01/28
2011/01/29
2011/01/30
2011/01/31
2011/02/01
2011/02/02
2011/02/03
2011/02/04
2011/02/05
2011/02/06
2011/02/07
2011/02/08
2011/02/09
2011/02/10
2011/02/11
Browse by creation date
Browse by origin
Embassy Athens
Embassy Asuncion
Embassy Astana
Embassy Asmara
Embassy Ashgabat
Embassy Ankara
Embassy Amman
Embassy Algiers
Embassy Addis Ababa
Embassy Accra
Embassy Abuja
Embassy Abu Dhabi
Embassy Abidjan
Consulate Amsterdam
American Institute Taiwan, Taipei
Embassy Bujumbura
Embassy Buenos Aires
Embassy Budapest
Embassy Bucharest
Embassy Brussels
Embassy Bridgetown
Embassy Bratislava
Embassy Brasilia
Embassy Bogota
Embassy Bishkek
Embassy Bern
Embassy Berlin
Embassy Belgrade
Embassy Beirut
Embassy Beijing
Embassy Banjul
Embassy Bangkok
Embassy Bandar Seri Begawan
Embassy Bamako
Embassy Baku
Embassy Baghdad
Consulate Barcelona
Embassy Copenhagen
Embassy Conakry
Embassy Colombo
Embassy Chisinau
Embassy Caracas
Embassy Canberra
Embassy Cairo
Consulate Curacao
Consulate Casablanca
Consulate Cape Town
Embassy Dushanbe
Embassy Dublin
Embassy Doha
Embassy Djibouti
Embassy Dhaka
Embassy Dar Es Salaam
Embassy Damascus
Embassy Dakar
Consulate Dubai
Embassy Kyiv
Embassy Kuwait
Embassy Kuala Lumpur
Embassy Kinshasa
Embassy Kigali
Embassy Khartoum
Embassy Kampala
Embassy Kabul
Embassy Luxembourg
Embassy Luanda
Embassy London
Embassy Lisbon
Embassy Lima
Embassy Lilongwe
Embassy La Paz
Consulate Lagos
Mission USNATO
Embassy Muscat
Embassy Moscow
Embassy Montevideo
Embassy Monrovia
Embassy Minsk
Embassy Mexico
Embassy Maputo
Embassy Manama
Embassy Managua
Embassy Malabo
Embassy Madrid
Consulate Munich
Consulate Montreal
Consulate Monterrey
Embassy Pristina
Embassy Pretoria
Embassy Prague
Embassy Port Au Prince
Embassy Phnom Penh
Embassy Paris
Embassy Paramaribo
Embassy Panama
Consulate Peshawar
REO Basrah
Embassy Rome
Embassy Riyadh
Embassy Riga
Embassy Reykjavik
Embassy Rangoon
Embassy Rabat
Consulate Rio De Janeiro
Consulate Recife
Secretary of State
Embassy Stockholm
Embassy Sofia
Embassy Skopje
Embassy Singapore
Embassy Seoul
Embassy Sarajevo
Embassy Santo Domingo
Embassy Santiago
Embassy Sanaa
Embassy San Salvador
Embassy San Jose
Consulate Strasbourg
Consulate Shenyang
Consulate Shanghai
Consulate Sao Paulo
Embassy Tunis
Embassy Tripoli
Embassy Tokyo
Embassy The Hague
Embassy Tel Aviv
Embassy Tehran
Embassy Tegucigalpa
Embassy Tbilisi
Embassy Tashkent
Embassy Tallinn
USUN New York
USEU Brussels
US Mission Geneva
US Interests Section Havana
US Delegation, Secretary
UNVIE
Embassy Ulaanbaatar
Browse by tag
AF
AM
AE
AG
AR
ASEC
AS
AU
AORC
AJ
AMGT
AGMT
AFIN
APER
ABUD
ATRN
AEMR
ACOA
AEC
AO
AX
AMED
ADCO
AODE
AFFAIRS
AC
AL
ASIG
ABLD
AA
AFU
ASUP
AROC
ATFN
CH
CE
CA
CASC
CU
CLINTON
CO
CI
CVIS
CDG
CIA
CACM
CDB
CS
CBW
CD
CV
CMGT
CJAN
CG
CF
CN
CAN
COUNTER
CIS
CM
CONDOLEEZZA
COE
CR
CY
CTM
COUNTRY
CLEARANCE
CPAS
CWC
CT
CKGR
CB
CACS
COM
CJUS
CARSON
COUNTERTERRORISM
EUN
EG
EAID
ENRG
ETTC
EFIN
ECON
ETRD
EPET
EINV
EMIN
ECIP
ECPS
EINDETRD
EAGR
EU
EN
EZ
ELAB
ER
ET
ES
EUC
EI
EAIR
EIND
EWWT
ELTN
EREL
ECIN
EFIS
EINT
EC
ENVR
ECA
EXTERNAL
EINVETC
ENIV
EINN
ENGR
EUR
ESA
ENERG
EK
ELECTIONS
ECUN
EINVEFIN
IR
IS
IZ
INRB
IAEA
IN
IT
ID
IO
IV
ICTY
IQ
ICAO
INTERPOL
IPR
IRAJ
INRA
INRO
IC
IIP
ITPHUM
IWC
ISRAELI
IRAQI
ICRC
IMO
IF
ILC
IEFIN
INTELSAT
IL
IA
IBRD
IMF
ITALY
ITALIAN
KCOR
KDEM
KNNP
KU
KWBG
KPAL
KN
KS
KZ
KAWK
KISL
KPAO
KCRM
KJUS
KSEC
KIPR
KGHG
KIFR
KTFN
KDRG
KV
KSUM
KWAC
KAWC
KDEMAF
KFIN
KGIC
KTIP
KOMC
KHLS
KSPR
KGCC
KPIN
KG
KBIO
KHIV
KSCA
KE
KFRD
KPKO
KNUC
KMDR
KPLS
KOLY
KUNR
KIRF
KIRC
KACT
KRAD
KCOM
KMCA
KHDP
KVPR
KDEV
KWMN
KTIA
KPRP
KCIP
KCFE
KOCI
KTDB
KMRS
KLIG
KBCT
KICC
KGIT
KSTC
KPAK
KNEI
KSEP
KPOA
KFLU
KNUP
KNNPMNUC
KO
KTER
KHUM
KRFD
KBTR
KDDG
KWWMN
KFLO
KSAF
KBTS
KPRV
KMPI
KNPP
KNAR
KWMM
KERG
KTBT
KCRS
KRVC
KR
KPWR
KMIG
MOPS
MZ
MO
MNUC
MASS
MARR
MY
MEPP
MCAP
MA
MR
ML
MX
MIL
MTCRE
MPOS
MOPPS
MTCR
MAPP
MU
MG
MASC
MCC
MK
MTRE
MP
MDC
MAR
MEPI
MRCRE
MI
MT
MQADHAFI
MD
MAPS
MUCN
PREL
PTER
PGOV
PO
PHUM
PINS
PARM
PK
PINR
PINT
PBTS
PROP
PE
PL
PREF
POGOV
PINL
POL
PBIO
PSOE
PHSA
PKFK
PGOF
PARMS
PA
PM
PMIL
PTERE
PF
PALESTINIAN
PY
PGGV
PNR
POV
PAK
PAO
PFOR
PHALANAGE
PARTY
PNAT
PROV
PEL
PGOVE
POLINT
POLITICS
PEPR
PSI
PU
POLITICAL
PARTIES
PECON
SNAR
SA
SY
SOCI
STEINBERG
SP
SENV
SCUL
SF
SO
SR
SG
SW
SU
SL
SMIG
SN
SHUM
SZ
SYR
ST
SANC
SC
SAN
SIPRS
SK
SH
SI
UNSC
UP
UK
USEU
UG
UNMIK
UV
UZ
UY
UN
US
UNGA
UNO
USUN
UE
UNESCO
UAE
UNEP
USTR
UNHCR
UNDP
UNHRC
USAID
UNCHS
UNAUS
Browse by classification
Community resources
courage is contagious
Viewing cable 09SAOPAULO663,
If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs
Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:
- The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
- The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
- The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.
Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #09SAOPAULO663.
Reference ID | Created | Released | Classification | Origin |
---|---|---|---|---|
09SAOPAULO663 | 2009-12-08 18:06 | 2011-01-28 12:12 | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | Consulate Sao Paulo |
VZCZCXYZ0024
RR RUEHWEB
DE RUEHSO #0663/01 3421846
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 081846Z DEC 09
FM AMCONSUL SAO PAULO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0240
INFO RUEHAC/AMEMBASSY ASUNCION
RUEHBO/AMEMBASSY BOGOTA
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA
RUEHBU/AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES
RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS
RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT 0001
RUEHLP/AMEMBASSY LA PAZ
RUEHMN/AMEMBASSY MONTEVIDEO
RUEHPE/AMEMBASSY LIMA
RUEHRI/AMCONSUL RIO DE JANEIRO
RUEHSO/AMCONSUL SAO PAULO
C O N F I D E N T I A L SAO PAULO 000663
SIPDIS
NOFORN
FOR SRMC FARAH PANDITH, KAREN CHANDLER AMEMBASSY BRASILIA PASS TO AMCONSUL RECIFE
E.O. 12958: DECL: 2019/12/08
TAGS: PGOV PINR PHUM PREL SCUL KISL KPAO OEXC BR
REF: SAO PAULO 653; SAO PAULO 433; SAO PAULO 421; BRASILIA 709 (08) SAO PAULO 542
CLASSIFIED BY: Thomas J. White, Consul General, State Department, Consul General;
REASON: 1.4(B), (D)
¶1. (C) Summary: Sao Paulo offers unique possibilities for Muslim engagement, many of which were evident throughout Special Representative to Muslim Communities (SRMC) Farah Pandith's November 22-23 visit. The major Sunni and politically moderate Muslims were delighted to receive SMRC Pandith and eagerly shared with her several of their flagship institutions, including the elaborate Santo Amaro Mosque, a Muslim School that serves a 60 percent non-Muslim student body (Islam is an elective course), and a vigorous interfaith group supporting the Abraham Path Initiative. Sao Paulo's Muslim moderates worry about the rise of fundamentalism and Hezbollah influence among more recent waves of largely Shia Lebanese immigrants, as they promote a broadly tolerant vision of "modern Islam". Their own community remains quite traditional, with women's and youth organizations limited. Even so, the traditional leadership's eagerness to engage, acute awareness of the dangers of radicalism, and their solid achievements in integrating Muslim and Brazilian identities make them an excellent example of how a unique MMC (Muslim Minority Community) has, by and large, carved out a positive space within a diverse Latin American country. Post will seek Washington support to bring down a U.S. Sheik to help reinforce our engagement efforts as a concrete follow-up to SMRC Pandith's highly successful visit. End Summary.
Special Representative Farah Pandith's Visits Sao Paulo
¶2. (U) Special Representative to Muslim Communities (SMRC) Farah Pandith visited Sao Paulo November 22-23. During the visit, she met with a number of representatives of the city's Muslim Communities, visited the Santo Amaro Mosque (the largest mosque in the city) and visited an attached Muslim school, and attended a reception organized by the Muslim Federation in her honor where Pandith spoke about the USG's engagement plans and took questions. SMRC Pandith also gave a press interview to the major Sao Paulo daily "Folha de Sao Paulo" in which she told her story as an American Muslim. The Sao Paulo Muslims who received SMRC Pandith, the bulk of them moderate Sunnis, reacted enthusiastically to her visit and expressed eagerness about future engagement opportunities.
Working the Lebanon Connection
¶3. (U) SMRC Pandith began her visit by attending the Lebanon National Day reception, a 1500-person gala organized by the Lebanese Consulate and held at Sao Paulo's prestigious Lebanese Club on November 22. The majority of Arab and Muslim immigrants to Brazil are of Lebanese background and this event offered wide ranging opportunities to interact with various members of the community, including Sunni, Druze and Shia Sheiks as well as Muslims working in business, politics and law enforcement.
The Santo Amaro Muslim Community
¶4. (U) SMRC Pandith visited the Santo Amaro Mosque and associated school November 23. The local Muslim community built the Mosque, usually attracts 300-350 worshippers on any given Friday, with assistance from Saudi Arabia. The community also has an Egyptian cleric who helps with the Mosque's ministry. The mosque is the spiritual centerpiece of a complex of institutions, including a Muslim high school and a soon-to-be opened nursing school. The high school houses 600 students, sixty percent of whom are non-Muslim (many on scholarships) and the study of Islam is an elective. Mohammed el Zoghbi, President of the Muslim Federation that sponsors the school spoke with particular pride of the Santo Amaro Muslim Community's efforts to do good works that benefit all Brazilians. (Note: The Muslim Federation is a moderate Sunni group. It is one of several such groups that vie to become an umbrella organization for all of Brazil's Muslims. End Note) El Zoghbi noted that the school provides a strong, affordable educational alternative for young Brazilians living in a "peripheral" area of the city. (Note: The Santo Amaro Mosque and Muslim School are located in a middling to poor neighborhood in a highly socially polarized city. End Note.) The Federation is now also constructing a brand new nursing school on the same grounds. It will have a 1200-student capacity and is programmed to open in January.
A Direct Dialogue with Youth
¶5. (U) SMRC Pandith met with a cross-section of Muslim students, both male and female, from the high school. The young people reported no real difficulties with anti-Islamist sentiments in Brazil. Instead, they said that frequently other Brazilians simply do not understand Islam and are puzzled by the students' religious affiliation. A number of the young women lamented how stricter Islamic customs - the prohibition on drinking, for example - made it difficult for them to socialize with non-Muslim Brazilian teenagers. Overall, the group was friendly and highly accessible. The kids evinced interest in learning English and showed obvious knowledge of U.S. pop culture. None had ever been to the United States.
The Abraham Path
¶6. (U) The Lebanese Consul General, Joseph Sayah, hosted a coffee for SMRC Pandith where she met Muslim, Christian and Jewish leaders who are all behind the Abraham Path Initiative in Brazil. Founded by Harvard Professor William Ury, the Path program promotes a unique kind of Middle Eastern tourism. It encourages Muslims, Christians and Jews to re-trace Abraham's journey in an effort at encouraging contemporary reconciliation between the world's three great Abrahamic faiths. While the Brazilians behind this initiative help facilitate Middle Eastern travel, they also undertake activities in Sao Paulo. They told SMRC Pandith about a recent "Friendship Run" they had sponsored that brought together Muslims, Christians and Jews together into one very positive public event. Joseph Sayah was incredibly interested in being useful to our mission. He saw the value of the new position of the Special Representative and provided SRMC with many ideas about engagement with Brazil's communities but also more broadly how USG can make an impact using the President's Cairo Speech. He was enthusiastic about the focus on youth and took SRMC aside to personally present his dedication to helping the US government take advantage "of this moment in time" and the "goodwill" out there for the
President and our efforts to engage with Muslims.
¶7. (C) Brazil's Abraham Path sponsors share the overall global goals of the initiative, but they are also impelled by strongly local concerns. As Salim Saheen, a Lebanese Brazilian banker and Maronite Christian, told SMRC Pandith, "Hezbollah is gaining [adherents]," particularly with more recent Shia Lebanese immigrants. Consequently, the moderates want to "push back against the radicals" by promoting popular interfaith activities.
Muslim Federation Reception
¶8. (U) The Muslim Federation organized a 40-person reception for SMRC Pandith at her hotel on November 23. The SMRC spoke to the group about Secretary Clinton's vision for the US Department of State and the way she has asked us to engage with Muslims. SRMC talked about the new paradigm of engagement based on mutual interest and mutual respect. She spoke about the focus on the next generation (which was met with great enthusiasm) and she mentioned the upcoming entrepreneurial summit -- to urge guests to suggest names to post of dynamic and successful young entrepreneurs to be considered. SRMC also highlighted post plans to educate Brazilian Muslim applicants about our consular procedures and our desire to bring down an American Sheik. Attendees responded very favorably to Pandith's remarks and several speakers suggested that both Brazilian Muslim business persons and students would welcome greater travel opportunities to the U.S.
Comment: Beginning a Relationship
¶9. (C) Post's Muslim engagement remains a work-in-progress. Sao Paulo's Sunni-Lebanese Muslim majority is generally a very conservative traditional community in terms of family structure and both youth and women's groups remain nascent. At the same time, Sao Paulo's Sunni Muslim leaders are well aware of the dangers of radicalization, which they have seen grow among the more recent flows of poorer, Shia Lebanese immigrants. In response, they are actively promoting a tolerant "modern" Islam that highlights good works to benefit all Brazilians, regardless of faith. In this, they are reproducing patterns of inter-faith comity from Lebanese history prior to the 1970s and leveraging Brazil's own home-grown tendency to broad cultural tolerance. This results in an overall series of Islamic communities that - while not entirely insulated from radicalization - have strong interfaith connections and live-and-let-live traditions.
¶10. (C) Engaging Sao Paulo's Muslims with follow-up programs (like a visit from a U.S. Sheik) would help bolster mainstream Islam in Brazil, highlight the importance of freedom of religion in America, the diversity of Islam in America and debunk the myths that exist about Islam in America. Moreover, such engagement would reinforce the Sao Paulo Muslim community's efforts to share its experience in interfaith relations and general good works with other Muslim communities around the world. For this reason, Brazil merits its own MMC strategy (a Muslim Minority Country strategy) that builds on the efforts of a generation of Brazilian Muslims who have become adept at forming a Brazilian Muslim identity and founding successful institutions that are at once thoroughly Muslim and genuinely Brazilian. END COMMENT.
White