REQUEST FOR RETENTION OF ONE-TIME FILL POLITICAL

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DAR ES SALAAM 000428

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR AF/EX AND AF/E

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: APER AMGT TZ
SUBJECT: REQUEST FOR RETENTION OF ONE-TIME FILL POLITICAL
OFFICER POSITION IN DAR ES SALAAM

REF: A) STATE 29976
-- B) 02 STATE 268674


1. SUMMARY: Embassy Dar es Salaam requests that the FO-04
POL T/JORP (#14050000, vice Peterson) position be retained.
The loss of this position will severely impede post's
ability to achieve critical counter terrorism, democracy and
governance, humanitarian assistance, and other MPP goals,
and would seriously limit our ability to engage the GOT in
several areas at a particularly critical juncture. END
SUMMARY.


2. Embassy Dar es Salaam believes that the FO-04 POL T/JORP
(#14050000, vice Peterson) position may appear on the One-
Time Fill list by mistake. Post has never seen any
indication that this was not a permanent position and the
Department's staffing pattern shows the position as R
(regular),rather than X (one-time). Confirmation that this
position had been created is contained in 02 STATE 268674,
which makes no mention that it would be a One-Time Fill
only. If the One-Time Fill designation is correct, post
urgently requests that the position be retained. For the
reasons outlined below, post cannot absorb the loss of this
position at this time.


3. First, Tanzania has just assumed a seat on the UN
Security Council, which it will hold through 2006. As such,
Tanzania will be directly involved in numerous high-priority
and contentious issues, including the UN and AU roles in
Darfur, peace efforts in the Great Lakes region, and
Security Council reform. These will all require our active
and continuous engagement with the GOT. Post is already
experiencing a substantial increase in demarches as a result
and expects greater workload demands in the coming year as
we help the GOT navigate through this critical period.


4. In addition, Tanzania will hold national elections in
October 2005, and the likelihood of fraud, violence, and
related turmoil on Zanzibar is very high. The P/E Section
will need to closely monitor and report as election events
unfold, and engage vigorously with the Governments of
Tanzania and Zanzibar to ensure elections are free and fair,
and that violence is averted. The P/E Section can ill
afford to lose one-third of its officer strength at this
juncture.


5. Terrorism remains a critical threat in Tanzania, and
Counter Terrorism is the number one Mission priority. The
incumbent plays a key role by conducting innovative Muslim
outreach by visiting Muslim neighborhoods to report on
issues of popular concern, such as the political impact of
madrassa education, and to reach out to up-and-coming young
Muslims. Without this position, post's Muslim outreach
program will have to be severely curtailed. The incumbent
also monitors aviation security and recently uncovered a
massive corruption ring at Tanzanian airports targeting
international flights. If this position is cut, post will
not have the personnel to provide the continuous close
scrutiny of aviation security that is required in this
environment.


5. Tanzania continues to host over 400,000 refugees, one of
the largest refugee populations in Africa. With continued
volatility in eastern Congo and upcoming elections in
Burundi, the prospect of renewed refugee flows in either
direction is very substantial. As post's designated refugee
POC, the incumbent spends about 25 percent of her time
generating support for US refugee policy and monitoring and
reporting on hot button refugee issues like recruitment of
child soldiers. Post must continue pressing for voluntary
return to avoid potentially destabilizing Congo and Burundi.
The loss of this position will cripple post's vital work in
this area.


6. Human trafficking is a major issue in Tanzania, and
Tanzania is currently on the Tier Two Watchlist. As the
Trafficking point person, the incumbent is key to generating
understanding of the issue among government officials and
motivating action to combat it. The incumbent helped create
an anti-trafficking task force in Tanzania and her continued
attention contributed to Tanzania's first-ever arrest for
trafficking in persons. Moreover, the incumbent is
responsible for coordinating approximately USD 2 million of
trafficking assistance through the Presidential Initiative
on Trafficking. Without post's dedicated attention to this
issue, Tanzania is unlikely to progress beyond Tier Two
Watchlist status.


7. Finally, post's entire P/E section will turn over this
summer, so there will be no P/E veterans available to assume
extra duty if this position is cancelled. Post will also
have a new DCM/Charge, new Ambassador, new Regional Affairs
Officer, new Defense Attach, and new RSO. The loss of one
third of the officer strength of the Pol/Econ section would
be a severe blow that would cripple our ability to achieve
MPP goals, and to engage with the GOT at a key juncture.
Post urgently requests that this position be retained and
filled as expeditiously as possible.

Owen