Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05BASRAH153
2005-12-21 12:39:00
CONFIDENTIAL
REO Basrah
Cable title:  

TOUR D'HORIZON WITH BASRAH GOVERNOR MOHAMMAD

Tags:  PGOV PREL KDEM PHUM 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 BASRAH 000153 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/21/2015
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM PHUM IZ
SUBJECT: TOUR D'HORIZON WITH BASRAH GOVERNOR MOHAMMAD

REF: BAGHDAD 5030

CLASSIFIED BY: Ken Gross, Regional Coordinator, REO Basrah,
Department of State.
REASON: 1.4 (b),(d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BASRAH 000153

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/21/2015
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM PHUM IZ
SUBJECT: TOUR D'HORIZON WITH BASRAH GOVERNOR MOHAMMAD

REF: BAGHDAD 5030

CLASSIFIED BY: Ken Gross, Regional Coordinator, REO Basrah,
Department of State.
REASON: 1.4 (b),(d)

1. (C) Summary: In a December 20 meeting with REO Basrah's new
regional coordinator, Basrah Governor Mohammad Mossibh Al Wahili
touted the possibility of a national unity government in
Baghdad. After being pressed on the question of the Fadhila
party's loyalty to the United Iraqi Alliance (555),Governor
Mohammad admitted that it could realign itself with Sunni
parties if an adequate power sharing arrangement was not
possible within 555. The governor said that he and other
governors will meet with the Prime Minister on December 21 to
discuss the rise in fuel prices, and he said he would suggest
that the Prime Minister address the nation to explain the
increase. On security issues, the governor warned that the
Basrah Provincial Council wanted to replace the Basrah police
chief with a SCIRI/Badr member, a dangerous move he said he
would block. Governor Mohammad affirmed the danger posed by
militia groups in Basrah and especially singled out Thar' Allah
as one of the most violent organizations. END SUMMARY.


2. (C) Regional Coordinator (RC) on December 20 paid an
introductory call on Basrah Governor Mohammad at his office.
While waiting for the governor to arrive, the RC had a brief
meeting with Deputy Governor Loway A. Al Batat, an independent
politician who is not close to the governor. Batat, still
sporting an ink-stained right index finger from voting five days
ago, urged close cooperation between the USG and the Basrah
Provincial Council and intercession with the British to curtail
their "harassment" of council members by subjecting them to
unwarranted searches and other security measures. Before the
conversation could develop further, the governor arrived and the
RC and deputy governor were ushered into his presence. After a
few minutes of pleasantries, the governor politely told the
deputy governor that he could go, and the conversation turned to
more serious subjects.

-------------- --------------
--------------
ELECTION - NATIONAL UNITY GOVERNMENT POSSIBLE?
-------------- --------------

--------------


3. (C) When asked about last week's national election, Governor
Mohammad said that the election was a success as evidenced by
the large voter turnout. He opined that a national unity
government, composed of 555, Ayad Allawi's National Iraqi List
(731) and the Kurdish parties, was a distinct possibility as the
various coalitions negotiate and jockey for position. (See
reftel for more on the possibility of an Allawi-led coalition.)
The governor said that his own list, 555 (Mohammad's Fadhila
party is a member of 555 and the Basrah party leader, Jaber
Khalifa Jaber, heads the 555 list here) would play the principal
role in such a grand coalition. And the governor reported that
the secretary general of Fadhila, Nadim Al Jabri, would be one
of the three leading candidates for prime minister in such a
government.


4. (C) Though the governor was sanguine about the possibility
of a national unity government, he did admit that the Fadhila
party could bolt from 555. Governor Mohammad said that it was
possible that Fadhila might drop out of 555 and align itself
with another party or group of parties. The final results of
the election - and the allotment of positions of power to
Fadhila members - will be the key factors of Fadhila's fidelity
to 555, according to Governor Mohammad. He added that in
Baghdad some Sunni parties have contacted Fadhila to sound out
whether it would be willing to join with them in a coalition.


5. (C) In response to a question about the upcoming provincial
elections, Governor Mohammad said that he does not expect them
to take place until June. He believes that the new government
will be formed by the end of January, but possible amendments to
the constitution would delay provincial elections, and "besides,
the IECI needs a vacation."

-------------- --------------
--------------
FUEL PRICE INCREASE - AND THE PUBLIC'S REACTION
-------------- --------------
--------------


6. (C) Governor Mohammad said that the government's recent
announcement of fuel price increases had shocked the people.
Peaceful demonstrations took place December 19 in front of the
Basrah governorate. In his opinion, any increase should be
gradual to avoid the possibility that "other forces" could take
advantage of the protests and turn them in another direction.
The governor specifically cited the Badr Organization as one
group that was attempting to use the price increase to push
people to violence. He alleged that members of this group were
burning tires in the streets on December 19 to incite the public
to a more dangerous reaction. Governor Mohammad plans to start
a media campaign to inform the public and at the same time
prepare appropriate security measures.


7. (C) The governor said that he would fly to Baghdad later on
December 20 for a meeting of all the governors with the Prime
Minister on December 21. He said that the Prime Minister
invited them to discuss a number of issues, but the fuel price
increase is the most important subject they will discuss.
Governor Mohammad said that he would urge the Prime Minister to
address the Iraqi people on national television to explain the
reasons for the price increase and to inform them that it would
take effect on January 1.

-------------- --------------
BASRAH CHIEF OF POLICE - IN OR OUT?
-------------- --------------


8. (C) The RC next asked the governor about rumors that
reform-minded Basrah Chief of Police Hassan Sawadi would be
replaced soon. (NOTE: the governor and the chief of police
have been at odds for some time and are known to be bitter
enemies. END NOTE.) The governor said that Chief Sawadi is
still in his position, though there is a plan in the Provincial
Council to replace him. Governor Mohammad said that the
council's choice to replace Sawadi is General Ashraf Salah
Zatiji, a SCIRI/Badr member who has close ties to and is
presently in Iran.


9. (C) Governor Mohammad noted that Chief of Police Sawadi has
his negatives, but averred that General Zatiji would bring more
militia members into the police force and allow them to operate
more openly. With the Minister of Interior a SCIRI member,
having a SCIRI adherent as Basrah police chief would be
"dangerous," the governor warned, and he would block such a
move.

--------------
MILITIA IN BASRAH
--------------


10. (C) The RC asked Governor Mohammad about the prevalence of
militia in Basrah and in particular their presence in government
entities. The governor replied that the number of militia in
Basrah has decreased somewhat, though they still are a major
problem. He said that the Badr Organization, with its close
ties to Iran, has assassinated many people in Basrah and that he
is on its target list. Badr and other groups are present in the
security forces and constantly subvert the law by allowing
criminals sympathetic to their goals to go unpunished.


11. (C) Thar'Allah is a particularly dangerous militia,
Governor Mohammad noted. Iranians work closely with Thar'
Allah, Governor Mohammad said, and it carries out many
assassinations at the behest of Iran. The governor laid blame
for many of the recent political murders in Basrah with
Thar'Allah and said that his forces are trying hard to capture
Thar' Allah's leader, Sayed Yousif; he vowed that they would
bring him into custody soon.


12. (C) COMMENT: Governor Mohammad was willing to spend
considerable time with the new RC answering his questions, but
we have no illusions that he spoke the unvarnished truth or
provided any startling revelations. His answers were designed
to provide information that he thought the U.S. Government would
want to hear. Nonetheless, Governor Mohammad is open and ready
to have a dialogue with REO personnel, and we will continue to
increase our contacts with him. At the end of the 90 minute
meeting, Governor Mohammad thanked the RC for coming to his
office to meet with him, noting that our security requirements
makes this difficult. END COMMENT.
GROSS