IRAQ PRTS WEEKLY ROUNDUP FOR 23-30 MAR 06

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 BAGHDAD 001149 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV ECON MOPS PREL IZ SUBJECT: IRAQ PRTS WEEKLY ROUNDUP FOR 23-30 MAR 06 ¶1. SUMMARY. The Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs) report weekly their activities, meetings, and progress towards helping the provincial governments achieve self-governance capability. For the period 23-30 March, the Ninawa Governor looked ahead to utilizing the current PRT site once it relocates. Ninawa tackled fuel supply shortages and waste removal programs. The Tamim Provincial Government focused on planning wisely for the development and reconstruction funds coming from the central government, and plans proceeded for locating an appropriate site to build a provincial prison in Kirkuk. In Babil, national issues in Baghdad affected the provincial scene and strained the PRT working relationship with the Governor and Provincial Council(PC). Baghdad PRT was inaugurated on March 26 and one day later, the PC terminated communication with it and all USG entities. END SUMMARY. -------------- NINAWA PROVINCE -------------- ¶2. POLITICAL. The Ninawa Governor attended the Southern Tigris Valley River Regional Security Council meeting and emphasized the importance of Iraqis taking responsibility for solving their own problems. He asked for better coordination and planning among Iraqi Police (IP),Iraqi Army (IA),and Coalition Forces (CF). He said the Provincial Joint Coordination Center (PJCC) is an information sharing site, not a planning site. The Governor stated his intent to have FOB Courage property, the current PRT location, turned over to the Ministry of Finance after the PRT relocates to FOB Marez in late May or early June. He would like to see FOB Courage turned into a revenue generating facility, possibly a tourist center. ¶3. In another demonstration of the PC dependency upon the Chairman, it did not meet during this report week due to his absence. The inability or unwillingness of the Chairman to delegate someone to act in his absence becomes an acute problem as reconstruction funds from Baghdad begins to flow to the province. ¶4. RULE OF LAW. On March 23, the deputy warden for Baddush Prison was assassinated while returning from Baghdad with a load of supplies for the prison. He played a significant role in establishing Baddush as a model Iraqi correctional facility and was considered a friend and ally to CF. PJCC representatives discussed detainee transparency with the Provincial Ministry of Interior Inspector General, PC representatives, and local CF groups. The desired goal is to provide local citizens one place (the PJCC) to find the status of friends or family members detained by the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) or CF. ¶5. SECURITY. Anti-Iraqi Forces (AIF) continued to target ISF in their attempt to discredit the Iraqi Government and gain support for the anti-coalition insurgency. Intimidation tactics and kidnappings focused on ISF family members, students, and store owners are favored methods for the AIF campaign. ¶6. INFRASTRUCTURE AND RECONSTRUCTION. Fuel supplies of all types are exhausted. Commerce primarily subsists from Syrian imports and the black market. Propane storage is virtually depleted and the black market cannot meet that demand. In efforts to improve solid waste removal, the Urban Planning Team met with a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) about its program in the Al-Kaffaat sector. The NGO has had success with its plan in which local residents pay about 1500 Iraqi Dinar per household per month (approximately US $1) to hire a private trash contractor. Nearly 460 households out of 600 are participating in the program. ¶7. Work on the new water network in Mosul City funded BAGHDAD 00001149 002 OF 003 by $70K CERP money was completed. The project included installation of a new water distribution system. It will benefit 4,000 people in east Mosul. Another CERP funded project to extend water pipes in east Mosul was also completed. This project extended the water network on the Mosul left bank by laying 5,900 linear meters of new network pipes and is expected to benefit approximately 200,000 citizens in east Mosul. The power generation and distribution upgrades in Dahuk Province were finalized and will feed power to the Zakho Military Academy. It is expected to fully meet projected future power requirements for the Academy. -------------- TAMIM PROVINCE -------------- ¶8. POLITICAL. The Kirkuk Provincial Government is making significant progress in prioritizing plans for the development and reconstruction funds disbursed by the central government. The Kirkuk Governor and Provincial Council Chairman are personally involved in the process and are determined to demonstrate that they have the ability to prioritize, obligate, and disburse these funds. This is viewed as an opportunity to deliver needed projects to the citizens of the province, and thereby demonstrate the effectiveness of the provincial government. ¶9. There is little evidence of preparations for provincial elections in Kirkuk. KDP and PUK leaders seem to be either focused on party unification efforts taking place in Erbil or vying for position within the Provincial Council. In other activities this week, PRT members met with several local Kurdish sheiks and student leaders. They discussed local dissatisfaction with the two main political parties. The sheiks stated that many Kurds view the PUK and KDP as "corrupt and out for themselves". The sheiks claim to be apolitical, but may have a personal agenda against members of both parties. ¶10. The Deputy Team Leader met with Kirkuk Provincial Council Member Babakir Sadiq Ahmad, the chairman of the Provincial Council TAL 58 Committee. They discussed compensation of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) returning to Kirkuk and Arabs brought to Kirkuk under the various "Arabization" programs. According to Sadiq, many of these Arabs wish to return to their ancestral homes in Southern Iraq but are awaiting compensation from the central government. This issue is a high priority with the Kurds who would like to remove a part of the Arab population and receive compensation for returning Kurds. ¶11. RULE OF LAW AND SECURITY. The PRT Rule of Law Coordinator and a project engineer viewed two potential construction sites for a provincial prison in Kirkuk. Both sites are located within 10 miles of the city and the land for either site will be donated to Kirkuk Province by their current owners. Assessment of the sites, construction plans, and inquiries into possible funding sources continue. -------------- BABIL PROVINCE -------------- ¶12. POLITICAL. The Babil Provincial Government claimed that they are "boycotting" the PRT and CF due to unspecified infractions. National issues in Baghdad continued to dominate the Babil political scene which has resulted in an increased trend of criticism directed at the CF and USG. The PRT reported it is creating difficulties in their working relationship with the Provincial Government as evidenced by its cancellation of a meeting this week. ¶13. RULE OF LAW. Two judges, several university law BAGHDAD 00001149 003 OF 003 professors, the Federal Protective Deputy Director and his assistant, in separate meetings, told the PRT of their concern that the Babil Police Academy is not teaching police recruits the basic skills needed to be effective street officers and definitely not command officers as their careers mature. Rather, the present police and security forces appear to be rife with corruption or incompetence. ¶14. SECURITY. Northern areas of Babil Province continued to see a greater frequency of attacks. Improvised explosive devices (IEDs) were the most common form of insurgent activity. The IA and IP continued to improve their operational capabilities through constant operations and joint training exercises with CF. Mahdi militia members actively engaged in an information campaign against CF and included both mass media and word of mouth to carry their message. ¶15. RECONSTRUCTION. The last four of 21 contracted ambulances were delivered to the Hillah Regional Embassy Office. These ambulances will be turned over to the Babil Province Health Director General. -------------- BAGHDAD PROVINCE -------------- ¶16. POLITICAL. On March 27, the Baghdad Provincial Council issued a statement ceasing all communication and coordination with the U.S. military, the U.S. Embassy, and the PRT one day after the PRT inauguration. The PC said its decision to end engagement with the USG also applies to all subordinate councils in the province. This announcement followed a March 26 Iraqi-U.S. military operation in the Al-Adhamiyah District of Baghdad and ensuing allegations of unwarranted attacks on civilians. Several subordinate councils expressed the desire to maintain contact with the PRT and, in fact, communication with members of almost every sub- governorate continued. ¶17. RULE OF LAW. Amanat (City Hall) Inspector General (IG) told PRT members that he has the right to exercise oversight of all monies spent within the city of Baghdad under Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) Order 57, yet he offered no evidence of having worked with the PC to that effect. He noted that until CPA Order 57 is strengthened, his actual powers will remain problematic. The PC Economic Committee Chairman confirmed to the PRT that the province should strengthen its provincial oversight but that there is no provincial IG. He said there should be one, not only for Baghdad but for each province. CPA Order 57 is being revised and will provide independent oversight authority to the IG at provincial level. KHALILZAD