Update on CN Activities 11/20-12/20

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 KABUL 005223 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR INL/FO AND SA/FO AMB QUINN NSC FOR AHARRIMAN/KAMEND E.O. 12958 N/A TAGS: SNAR PREL PGOV PTER KCRM AF SUBJECT: Update on CN Activities 11/20-12/20 REF A) KABUL REF B) REF C) KABUL 5137 ¶1. Summary: The Counter Narcotics Public Information (CNPI) campaign is entering phase two: eradication, which will be folded into ongoing rule of law and health campaigns. Hiring for PEP teams continues with the aim of hiring of Afghan staff by early January and the hiring of the International Advisors (IA) by the end of January. The national seed and fertilizer program is nearing completion with provisions distributed to farmers in 97 percent of all districts across Afghanistan. USAID, with its implementing partners is planning a spring planting activity using market-oriented vegetables, instead of wheat. Working with the Border Police and National Interdiction Unit (NIU) at Kabul International Airport, DEA assisted in the apprehension and arrests of four individuals attempting to smuggle drugs from Afghanistan to China and India. The Counter Narcotics Law was adopted by the Afghan Cabinet on December 17. To plan for governor-led eradication, the Afghan Ministry of Interior drafted a request for support to the Afghan Eradication Force (AEF) which outlines the resources needed for eradication, province by province. End Summary Public Information -------------- Poppy Elimination Program ¶2. (U) The Counter Narcotics Public Information (CNPI) program CNPI campaign is entering into phase two: comprehensive eradication messaging. Rule of law and health will be folded into a comprehensive eradication messaging campaign. In keeping with the Public Information Strategy as described in REF A, five radio spots will begin airing nation-wide next week and will include messages from: a mother of a drug addict, the chief of police in Kabul, the head of the Jalalabad Shura, a prominent Jalalabad school principal, a farmer from Badakshan and a Kabuli drug addict. Each radio ad will have a related CN message followed by an emphasis on the impending eradication process. ¶3. (U) From January 1 until January 15 we will have distributed 14,000 posters (2 designs),80,000 stickers, 100,000 booklets, 18 billboards and 42 banners. From Dec 28 to Feb 12 a projected 1,080 radio spots will air. ¶4. (U) The Embassy's CNPI team will release a second tranche of eradication products beginning January 15, which will include a similar number of printed materials and radio spots. ISAF has substantial CN messaging coverage in the Northern and Western parts of the country and the Embassy is discussing with the ISAF PSYOPS Support Element how to best integrate its CN campaign with ours. ¶5. (U) A CN survey will be completed the first week of January. This survey will build off the last survey conducted in April 2005 and will measure: economic conditions, local and national problems, attitudes/confidence towards community leaders and government officials, health related causes of using opiates, opinions about who uses opiates and overall exposure to the CNPI campaign. Poppy Elimination Program (PEP) Update -------------- ¶6. (U) Deputy Minister of the Interior Daoud hosted conferences from December 14-21 to develop plans for governor-led eradication. Daoud invited provincial representatives and tribal elders, from key opium producing provinces to Kabul, to discuss how eradication will be conducted in their provinces. The following provinces participated in the conference: December 14th---Nangarhar and Kunar December 15th---Kandahar and Helmand December 17th---Uruzgan and Farah December 18th---Badakhshan and Baglan December 20th---Balkh and Sar-e-Pul December 21st---Badghis and Samangan ¶7. (U) The conferences provided an excellent venue for the provincial leaders to air their grievances about the previous year's eradication campaign and for leaders to constructively develop plans for eradication in 2006. ¶8. (U) The governors in the seven PEP provinces were required to submit draft plans for governor-led eradication to the Ministry of Counter Narcotics by December 15. The Ministry of Counter Narcotics is in the process of reviewing these plans and determining what resources will be needed for the 2006 eradication campaign. ¶9. (U) General Daoud has begun discussions for a National Conference for Counter Narcotics, similar to the national conference held in December 2004. Daoud envisions a conference in Kabul of approximately 600 participants from all over Afghanistan that would include national, provincial and local authorities, elders and religious leaders. ¶10. (U) The Afghan PEP Program Manager reports that hiring for, the seven-member, Afghan PEP teams will be completed in early January. Hiring for the PEP International Advisors (IAs) continues. Post has reviewed more than twenty resumes and has recommended seven candidates. Offers were made to the seven and four advisors have been hired to work in the following provinces: Kandahar: Tim Sessum (Kandahar- on the ground) Uruzgan: Tim Stiffey (Tarin Kowt- on the ground) Nangarhar: Charlie Rentieria (Jalalabad- on the ground) Balkh: Martha Barbosa (Mazar e Sharif- 12/12/05) Badakshan: empty Farah: slotted for non-US (Farah) Helmand: slotted for non-US (Lashkar Gah) ¶11. (U) The Embassy continues to work with DynCorp to identify candidates for the remaining PEP provinces and hopes to have all hiring completed by the end of January. ¶12. (U) Site Surveys for PEP offices have been conducted in all but two provinces: Balkh, with a survey trip scheduled for next week. A cursory trip was conducted in Badakshan and a follow-on trip will be scheduled for early January. Dyn Corp has identified three sites for PEP offices: Kandahar, Nangarhar and Helmand. Dyn Corp has submitted a cost proposal for construction of the office in Laskar Gah. Post is in the process of reviewing the proposal and will forward comment SEPTEL. Alternative Livelihoods -------------- ¶12. (U) The national fall seed and fertilizer program is drawing to a close. The program distributed wheat seed and fertilizer to farmers in all provinces across Afghanistan. The program was unable to reach 11 of 397 districts in time for fall planting due to early snow falls, and security issues. However, the seed and fertilizer used in these areas is suitable for spring wheat planting and will be kept until spring to allow farmers in those districts to benefit from the program. Thus, the program has successfully delivered seed and fertilizer with counter narcotics messages to 97 percent of its target beneficiaries. ¶13. (U) USAID plans to implement a spring seed and fertilizer program that will focus on market-oriented production of vegetables, rather than the one off distribution of wheat seed in the fall program. The spring program is a sustainable development activity that will require a lot of assistance not only to deliver the seed, but also to transport and market the products. USAID's Alternative Livelihoods implementing partners will implement the program in nine provinces (Badakshan, Takhar, Nangahar, Laghman, Kunar, Kandahar, Helmand and Zabul/Uruzgan. The spring program will 1) be driven by existing market networks to ensure producers will not over produce for current market conditions, 2) work through and strengthen the Afghan Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Food (AMAAHF) extension services, and 3) provide business development support services for market intermediaries. Interdiction -------------- ¶14. (U) National Interdiction Unit (NIU) and CNPA (Counter Narcotics Police Afghanistan (CNPA) officers (186 total) attended sessions during the five one-week Basic Narcotic Investigator Seminars, conducted by the DEA Office of International Training. A graduation ceremony for all participants was held on December 7 and was attended by Deputy Minister of Interior General Daoud and U.S. Ambassador Neumann. ¶15. (U) DEA continues to mentor the Border Police and NIU at Kabul International Airport and have assisted in the apprehension and arrests of four individuals attempting to smuggle drugs from Afghanistan to China and India. (December 7: one Ghana male arrested with 2.7 kg of heroin destined for Urumqi, China, 12/10/2005, two female Afghan couriers with 5.5 kg of heroin and an Ariana Airlines employee destined for New Delhi, India). Justice Sector Reform -------------- ¶16. (U) As reported in REF B, the Counter Narcotics (CN) law was adopted by the Afghan Cabinet on December 17. This law will greatly enhance the tools available to law enforcement to combat narcotics trafficking. The law also allows for the extradition, of persons of interest, to the United States. ¶17. (U) The Requests for Proposals (RFP) for the construction of the interim Vertical Prosecution Task Force facility at the CNPA, are under review and bids should be obtained by the end of December. Construction will likely start in early January with a target completion date in mid- February. Eradication -------------- ¶18. (SBU) The Afghan Eradication Force continues preparations for the upcoming season. The Afghan Ministry of Interior has developed a plan outlining AEF support for governor-led eradication during the month of January. The first targeted area (according to the UK plan) is Nangahar. The addition of aerial assets, further targets and eradication locations will be finalized using aerial and ground recons. ¶19. (U) Pay problems continue to plague the AEF. We have paid the last of the AEF their basic salaries and supplements for September and October and have requested additional funding from INL (REF C) to support the AEF. The Embassy has requested the funding through post's Financial Management Office (FMO) for the AEF's November and December payroll. NEUMANN