Reference ID: 91DHAKA5954Created: 1991-07-11 12:17
Released: 2011-08-30 01:44
Classification: CONFIDENTIAL
Origin: Embassy Dhaka
P 111217Z JUL 91
FM AMEMBASSY DHAKA
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0204C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 DHAKA 05954
E.O. 12356: DECL: OADR
TAGS: PREL PGOV BG
SUBJECT: MEETING WITH AWAMI LEAGUE LEADER SHEIKH HASINA
¶1. CONFIDENTIAL - ENTIRE TEXT.
¶2. SUMMARY: I MET WITH THE LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION,
SHEIKH HASINA, IN AN EXTRAORDINARILY LONG, TWO-HOUR
MEETING ON JULY 10. CLEARLY SHEIKH HASINA WANTS TO
IMPROVE HER IMAGE, AND THAT OF THE AWAMI LEAGUE, WITH
AMERICANS, AND THE USG. SHE RAISED THE ISSUE OF
WHETHER THE U.S. OPPOSED HER AND/OR HER PARTY. SHE
ALSO SAID THAT THE BNP GOVERNMENT WAS BECOMING
AUTHORITARIAN AND, ITSELF, ERODING INFANT DEMOCRATIC
STRUCTURES. SHE SAID THAT ONLY THE BNP GOVERNMENT
COULD SOLVE THE UNIVERSITY SITUATION. END SUMMARY.
¶3. SHEIKH HASINA APPEARED RELAXED AND MUCH MORE
FRIENDLY THAN USUAL IN OUR TWO-HOUR MEETING ON JULY 10.
IT IS CLEAR SHE WANTS TO IMPROVE RELATIONS WITH THE
USG (WE HAVE HEARD THIS FROM ANOTHER SOURCE ALSO).
IN PREVIOUS MEETINGS, SHE HAS APPEARED TENSE AND
SOMEWHAT ON GUARD; IN THIS MEETING, SHE SEEMED MUCH
MORE OPEN AND WILLING TO DISCUSS A RANGE OF ISSUES
WITHOUT THE USUAL SLOGANEERING. HER RELAXED DEMEANOR
WAS ALSO EVIDENCED BY HER WILLINGNESS TO TALK ABOUT
HER FAMILY AND OTHER PERSONAL ITEMS.
¶4. SHE BEGAN THE DISCUSSION BY SAYING THAT SHE HAD
JUST COME FROM A MEETING WITH UPAZILLA CHAIRMEN WHO
WERE EXTREMELY UPSET BECAUSE THEY WERE BEING
DISMISSED BY THE BNP GOVERNMENT. AS SHE POINTED OUT,
THESE CHAIRMEN WERE ELECTED IN THE UPAZILLA ELECTIONS
OF MARCH 1990, AND THEIR TERMS ARE NOT YET COMPLETED.
SHEIKH HASINA RAISED THE QUESTION OF HOW ELECTED
UPAZILLA CHAIRMEN COULD BE DISMISSED BY THE MAJORITY
PARTY IN THE PARLIAMENT UNDER THE CONSTITUTION.
¶5. THIS LED HER TO EXPAND ON THE SUBJECT OF THE GROWING
AUTHORITARIANISM OF THE BNP. SHEIKH HASINA SAID THAT,
FOR EXAMPLE, THE BNP WAS HARASSING AWAMI LEAGUE
MEMBERS AND WORKERS IN VILLAGES AND UPAZILLAS THROUGHOUT
THE COUNTRY. SHE MENTIONED THE BNP-PROPOSED CONSITU-
TIONAL AMENDMENT, WHICH WOULD RESTORE PARLIAMENTARY
GOVERNMENT IN BANGLADESH, AS EVIDENCE OF THE GROWING
AUTHORITARIAN CAST OF THE BNP GOVERNMENT. SHE SAID
THAT THE BNP PROPOSAL CONTAINS A PROVISION THAT THE
PRESIDENT IS "BOUND" TO DISSOLVE THE PARLIAMENT IF
THE PRIME MINISTER SO REQUESTS. THE AWAMI LEAGUE,
SHEIKH HASINA SAID, IS OPPOSED TO THIS SHACKLING
OF PRESIDENTIAL DISCRETION ON THE MATTER OF DISSOLUTION
OF THE PARLIAMENT. SHE MENTIONED ALSO THAT THE AWAMI
LEAGUE WAS VERY MUCH OPPOSED TO THE PROVISION THAT
WOULD BAR A PARTY MEMBER WHO CROSSED THE FLOOR FROM
RUNNING FOR REELECTION FOR FIVE YEARS. SHEIKH
HASINA POINTED OUT THAT THE PRIME MINISTER WOULD END
UP WITH AUTHORITARIAN POWERS OVER HER PARTY AND OVER
ANY DISSENTERS IN IT THROUGH SUCH PROVISIONS.
¶6. SHE SAID THAT SHE WAS TRYING TO LEAD HER PARTY IN
RESPONSIBLE OPPOSITION. SHE POINTED OUT THAT THERE HAD
BEEN PRESSURE WITHIN THE AWAMI LEAGUE FOR INSISTING
THAT THE "INDEMNITY BILL" BE LINKED TO THE CONSTITU-
TIONAL AMENDMENT. (THE INDEMNITY BILL IS A BILL WHICH
AUTHORIZES THE PROSECUTION OF THE ASSASSINS OF HER
FATHER, SHEIKH MUJIB.) SHE RESISTED THESE PRESSURES
AND INSTEAD DIRECTED THAT THE INDEMNITY BILL BE PUT
IN AS A SEPARATE BILL, TO BE DEBATED ON ITS OWN MERITS.
¶7. I MENTIONED THAT WE HAD NOTED HER RESPONSIBLE
LEADERSHIP OVER THE PAST FEW MONTHS, AND PRAISED HER
FOR KEEPING OPPOSITION TO THE BNP GOVERNMENT WITHIN
THE CONFINES OF PARLIAMENT. I INDICATED THAT THE
ROOTS OF DEMOCRACY MUST SINK DEEP AND TAKE GOOD
HOLD, AND THAT A RESPONSIBLE OPPOSITION, CONFINING
ITS OPPOSITION TO LEGITIMATE PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURES,
WOULD HAVE GREAT BEARING ON THE ABILITY OF DEMOCRACY
TO FLOURISH.
¶8. I ASKED ABOUT THE STUDENT VIOLENCE AT THE UNIVERSITY.
I INDICATED THAT IN MY VIEW THIS ISSUE HAD TO BE
RESOLVED QUICKLY IF IT WAS NOT TO SPREAD AND WORSEN.
I WENT ON TO SUGGEST THAT ALL PARTIES WOULD HAVE TO
AGREE TO REFRAIN FROM BACKING THEIR STUDENTS IN THESE
UNIVERSITIES POWER STRUGGLES, AND INDICATE TO THEIR
STUDENT FACTIONS THAT THEY WOULD NOT SUPPORT THE
USE OF ARMS OR VIOLENCE ON THE CAMPUS. SHEIKH HASINA
REPLIED THAT IT IS UP TO THE GOVERNMENT TO STOP
VIOLENCE ON THE CAMPUS. SHE BLAMED THE PRIME MINISTER
FOR CONTINUING TO ALLOW STUDENT VIOLENCE TO OCCUR.
SHE SAID THAT, IF THE GOVERNMENT CRACKED DOWN, THE
SITUATION COULD BE RECTIFIED IN 30 MINUTES. THESE
STUDENTS ONLY HAVE WEAPONS SHE SAID BECAUSE THE
GOVERNMENT LOOKS THE OTHER WAY. SHE WOULD SUPPORT
THE GOVERNMENT IN A GENERAL AGREEMENT TO BACK AWAY
FROM STUDENT POLITICIZATION AND ON DISARMING THE CAMPUS.
WHEN PRESSED, SHE MENTIONED THAT THE MAIN REASON SHE
WOULD SUPPORT SUCH A RESOLUTION IS BECAUSE ARMING
THE STUDENTS IS COSTLY. SHE SAID THE AWAMI LEAGUE
CAN NO LONGER AFFORD TO SUPPLY ITS STUDENTS WITH
ARMS.
¶9. THE CONVERSATION SHIFTED TO U.S. PRESENCE IN
BANGLADESH, PARTICULARLY AFTER I BROACHED THE SUBJECT
OF THE RECENT VISIT OF THE PEACE CORPS DIRECTOR, PAUL
COVERDELL. I MENTIONED THAT, IN 1978, A PEACE CORPS
AGREEMENT HAD BEEN SIGNED BUT THAT THE THEN-GOVERNMENT
OF ZIA RAHMAN HAD NEVER ESTABLISHED A PEACE CORPS
PROGRAM BECAUSE OF THE REACTION OF THE OPPOSITION,
INCLUDING HER PARTY. I WENT ON TO DESCRIBE THE PEACE
CORPS AS A VOLUNTEER, FACE-TO-FACE ORGANIZATION WHICH
ESSENTIALLY WORKS AT THE MICRO LEVEL, USUALLY UNDER
THE DIRECTION OF THE GOVERNMENT ITSELF. SHEIKH
HASINA DID NOT RESPOND DIRECTLY TO THE POINTS I MADE
ABOUT THE PEACE CORPS. INSTEAD SHE ASKED ME WHETHER
THE U.S. OPPOSES HER AND OR HER PARTY. SHE SAID THAT
ONE OF THE CURRENT RUMORS IN BANGLADESH, PARTICULARLY
AMONG HER OWN PARTY WORKERS, IS THAT THE U.S. IS
STRONGLY OPPOSED EITHER TO HER OR TO HER PARTY
COMING TO POWER.
¶10. I RESPONDED IMMEDIATELY THAT THERE WAS NO SUBSTANCE
TO THIS RUMOR AND THAT WE DID NOT TAKE SIDES AMONG
POLITICAL PARTIES IN ANY COUNTRY, AND THAT WE WOULD
WORK EAGERLY AND POITIVELY WITH ANY GOVERNMENT ELECTED
BY THE PEOPLE OF BANGLADESH. IMENTIONED THAT WE
DID NOT AGREE WITH ALL OF THE ASPECTS OF THE PARTY
PROGRAMS OF MOST OF THE PARTIES IN BANGLADESH. I SAID
THAT THE TNDENCY ON THE PART OF SOME ELEMENTS 0F THE
AL TO THINK IN TERMS OF OCIALIST SOLUTIONS HAD ALWAYS
BEEN TROUBLESOME TO US. I ALS MENTIONED THAT, AS
HAD BEEN DEMONSTRATED OVER THE PAST SIX MONTHS, THERE
WERE SMALL ELEMENTS OF HER PARTY AND OF THE LEFTIST
PARTIES WITH WHICH THE AL IS ALIGNED, TOWARDS A KNEE-
JERK ANTI-AMERICANISM. SHE RESPONDED THAT THERE IS
STILL THE FEELING AMONG SOME MEMBERS OF HER PARTY'S
CADRE THAT THE U.S. WAS SOMEHOW IMPLICATED IN THE
ASSASSINATION OF HER FATHER. SHEIKH HASINA SAID THAT
SHE HAD TAKEN GREAT RISK WHEN SHE VISITED THE U.S.
FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE MIDDLE 1980'S. SHE STATED
THAT SHE HAD BEEN CRITICIZED LOUDLY BY MANY PARTS OF
HER PARTY AS WELL AS OTHER PARTIES FOR DOING BUSINESS
WITH THE AMERICANS. SHE WENT ON TO SAY THAT SHE
DOES NOT THINK THAT MOST OF THE MEMBERS OF HER PARTY
STILL HOLD THIS VIEW, BUT THAT SOME DO. SHE SAID
THAT PERHAPS THE U.S. SHOULD HAVE WORKED HARDER TO
REBUT THESE ALLEGATIONS IN THE EARLY YEARS AFTER THEY
OCCURRED, AND THAT THE USG SHOULD STILL SEEK TO ASSURE
PEOPLE THAT IT HAD NO CONNECTION WITH SHEIKH MUJIB'S
DEATH, WHENEVER THE OPPORTUNITY ARISES.
¶11. SHEIKH HASINA SPENT A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF TIME
EXPLAINING WHY THE PARTY'S CALL FOR SOCIALISM WAS
REALLY NOT/NOT A CALL FOR SOCIALISM. SHE SAID THAT
SHE PERSONALLY HAD NO SYMPATHY FOR SOCIALISM, THAT SHE
KNOWS THAT IT IS A FAILED SYSTEM, EVERYWHERE. SHE SAID
THAT THE ONLY PRESCRIPTION SHE WANTED WAS HOW TO HELP
THE BANGLADESH PEOPLE DEVELOP ECONOMICALLY.
¶12. I ASSURED HER AGAIN THAT WE DO NOT INTERFERE IN
THE INTERNAL AFFAIRS OF COUNTRIES AND WE WORK
POSITIVELY WITH FREELY ELECTED GOVERNMENTS. SHE
MENTIONED THAT IN PART, THE ANTI-AMERICAN CAST OF
SOME AL WORKERS MIGHT ALSO STEM FROM OUR PERCEIVED
PROCLIVITY TO WORK WITH ANTI-DEMOCRATIC FORCES SUCH
AS THE PREVIOUS REGIME. (NOTE: SHEIKH HASINA CON-
TINUALLY THROWS THE REGIME OF ZIA RAHMAN INTO THE
ANTI-DEMOCRATIC FORCES.)
¶13. THE MEETING ENDED ON A VERY FRIENDLY NOTE. TOWARDS
THE END, I SUGGESTED THAT IF SHEIKH HASINA WERE PRIME
MINISTER WE WOULD BE WORKING CLOSELY AND POSITIVELY
WITH HER, AS WE WOULD WITH MOST GOVERNMENTS. WHEN I
SAID THAT SHE MIGHT NOW BE PRIME MINISTER, SHE LIFTED
HER EYES TO THE CEILING AND SAID "GOD HELP ME,"
IMPLYING VERY STRONGLY THAT SHE WAS PERFECTLY PREPARED
AT THIS POINT IN BANGLADESH HISTORY, WITH ALL THE
IMMENSE PROBLEMS THE NEW GOVERNMENT FACES, TO SIT IN
OPPOSITION. DURING THIS SAME PART OF THE CONVERSATION,
I HAD MENTIONED THE TREMENDOUS TASK THE GOVERNMENT
HAS IN REFORMING THE ECONOMY AND SHE AGREED WITH
THAT, AND UNDERSTOOD THAT IT WOULD TAKE VERY, VERY
HARD DECISIONS ON VERY DIFFICULT ISSUES.
-
¶14. COMMENT: I AM UNABLE TO JUDGE WHETHER SHEIKH
HASINA REALLY BELIEVES THAT THE U"S. OPPOSES HER
OR HER PARTY. HOWEVER, THE LENGTH OF THE MEETING,
ITS WARMTH, AND HER RELAXATION CLEARLY INDICATE THAT
SHE WANTS TO IMPROVE HER TIES TO ME, TO THIS MISSION,
AND TO THE USG.
MILASource: WikiLeaks Cable
