Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05BAGHDAD4122
2005-10-05 18:40:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Baghdad
Cable title:  

CONSTITUTION PUBLIC OUTREACH EFFORT INTENSIFIES

Tags:  PGOV PNAT PHUM KDEM IZ 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 004122 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/04/2015
TAGS: PGOV PNAT PHUM KDEM IZ
SUBJECT: CONSTITUTION PUBLIC OUTREACH EFFORT INTENSIFIES

REF: A. A. BAGHDAD 3868

B. B. BAGHDAD 3795

Classified By: Political Counselor Robert S. Ford for
reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 004122

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/04/2015
TAGS: PGOV PNAT PHUM KDEM IZ
SUBJECT: CONSTITUTION PUBLIC OUTREACH EFFORT INTENSIFIES

REF: A. A. BAGHDAD 3868

B. B. BAGHDAD 3795

Classified By: Political Counselor Robert S. Ford for
reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) Summary. UNAMI distribution of the Iraqi draft
constitution is well underway. 750,000 copies of the
text reached the southern governorates in the past
five days. Distribution to other parts of the country
continues. Kurdish copies are expected to arrive in
Kurdistan by October 6. Meanwhile, the international
donor community pressed on with multimedia outreach
campaigns designed to run parallel to the UNAMI
constitution outreach program. Recent Embassy
Baghdad-sponsored visits to the Sunni areas with IECI
commissioners have been a positive step in the
outreach effort. UNAMI has had to reduce the number
of contracted printers from three to four, due to
performance problems. End summary.

--------------
NATIONAL DISTRIBUTION UPDATE
--------------


2. (C) The UNAMI Constitution Support Unit (CSU) has
completed printing over 2 million copies of the draft
constitution. UNAMI is using PDS to distribute copies
to the southern governorates and Baghdad. UNAMI is
working through local authorities to distribute the
constitution in Kurdistan and through the Public
Affairs office of the Council of Ministers to
distribute copies to the rest of the country. CSU
reports nation-wide progress on distribution as of
October 5 as follows:

-- SOUTHERN PROVINCE PDS: 750,000 copies have been
delivered to PDS warehouses in the southern provinces
of Wasit, Maysan, Basrah, Muthanna, Najaf, Qadisiyah,
Dhi Qar, Karbala, and Babil. These drafts were
reportedly picked up by food agents and delivered to
PDS stores for Iraqi citizens to collect with their
monthly food allotment.

-- BAGHDAD: UNAMI has sent 395,000 drafts to the
Baghdad PDS for immediate pick-up by PDS agents.

-- WESTERN PROVINCES: UNAMI has delivered 500,000
copies to the Council of Ministers Public Affairs
office that were reportedly dispatched October 3 to
the western provinces. UNAMI provided an additional
250,000 copies to the Public Affairs office October 5
also destined for the western provinces, and will

provide an additional 200,000 for delivery to Ninawa
by week's end.

-- KURDISTAN: Deliveries to Kurdistan have been
delayed due to the late release of the TNA-approved
Kurdish draft. However, UNAMI predicted the first
300,000 copies would be delivered to Erbil October 6,
and another 300,000 copies to Sulaymaniyah October 9.
The final 400,000 copies should be delivered to
Sulaymaniyah on October 11.

-- TURCOMAN DRAFTS: UNAMI had previously arranged for
250,000 copies printed by the Turcoman community to be
locally printed and distributed in Dahuk. According
to UNAMI, the Dahuk Turcoman community reports that
all copies have been printed and distributed.

-- ITG DISTRIBUTION: In addition to the above, the CSU
has arranged for a final delivery by October 9 of
1,250,00 copies for distribution to ministries for
further distribution throughout the country to
national government offices, universities, mosques,
and civil society groups.

-- THREE OF FOUR PRINTERS ON THE JOB: Due to
performance problems with one of the four contracted
printers, UNAMI has tasked the remaining three
printers to increase production.

--------------
MEDIA AND PUBLIC OUTREACH CAMPAIGN
--------------


3. (C) CSU staff report they are focusing primarily on
TV and radio to conduct their constitution public
outreach campaign. For the final two weeks before the
referendum, UNAMI will support the TNA Constitution
Committee Outreach Unit with Public Service
Announcements, short presentations on constitution
education, and televised talk shows featuring
discussions between TNA members and civil society
leaders about the referendum. UNOPS in Amman is also
programming small workshops, radio programs, and
mobile team visits primarily in the north and south.

4. (SBU) In the run-up to the referendum, USAID-
coordinated implementers -- NDI, IRI, and America's
Democracy Foundation (ADF) -- will coordinate a series
of 3,700 workshops in all 18 governorates with the
goal of reaching an estimated 100,000 participants.
USAID is also sponsoring 100 town hall meetings with
local political and civic leaders. The IRI-supported
media campaign will include 600 slots for 30-second
ads on the Al-Arabiya, Al-Sharqiya, and Al-Iraqya TV
stations.


5. (SBU) Additional media programming includes four
45-minute programs on key themes such as women,
federalism, Iraqi identity, and Sunni Arab
participation. ADF and its subcontractor IREX
continue to produce the highly successful television
broadcast entitled "Our Constitution", a nationally
aired 90-minute program shown weekly at prime time.
In Sunni Arab areas, NDI and IRI are conducting an
estimated 500 constitution workshops aimed at reaching
an estimated 13,000 participants. USAID also has a
public information and get-out-the-vote campaign
targeting Sunni Arabs.


6. (C) In order to build a relationship of greater
trust between the Independent Electoral Commission of
Iraq (IECI) and Sunni Arabs, Embassy Baghdad has
continued sponsoring outreach visits of IECI
commissioners to key Sunni Arab-majority cities.
These trips have allowed local government and civic
leaders to address local election issues directly to
the IECI commissioners in order to improve
relationships between the Sunni Arab leaders and the
IECI. Most recently, post sponsored a combined
IECI/Embassy team visit to Mosul October 3 (septel).
Remaining trips include Fallujah (October 6) and
Tikrit (October 10). These trips also provide an
opportunity to deliver newly printed copies of the
draft constitution.
Khalilzad