IRAQ PRTS WEEKLY ROUNDUP FOR 31 MAR - 6 APR

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 BAGHDAD 001215

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV ECON MOPS PREL IZ
SUBJECT: IRAQ PRTS WEEKLY ROUNDUP FOR 31 MAR - 6 APR
2006


1. (U) INTRODUCTION AND SUMMARY. The Provincial
Reconstruction Teams (PRTs) report weekly their
activities and progress towards helping the provincial
governments achieve self-governance capability. The
following paragraphs summarize their activities in
several areas for the period 31 March - 6 April. Two
Provincial Councils (PC),Babil and Baghdad, have
boycotted cooperation with the PRTs after a
contentious U.S.-Iraqi military operation in late
March. A fourth, Qadisiyah (Diwaniyah),boycotted for
one week, but has since lifted this boycott.
Sectarian problems in southern Iraq did not reach into
the Kurdistan Region on any large scale. Ninawa PRT
and Governor discussed the pros and cons to a
commercial airport in Mosul. Kirkuk PC Chairman made
the first step towards preparations for a provincial
election by meeting with the Independent Electoral
Commission (IECI). The killing of power plant workers
closed the plant and reduced power supply sources in a
Kirkuk district. In Baghdad, Iraq court system
technology was compared to the U.S. in the 1920s.
Hundreds of displaced persons are causing problems for
Babil Province. END INTRODUCTION AND SUMMARY.

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NINAWA PROVINCE
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2. (U) GOVERNANCE AND ECONOMIC. Recent Ministry of
Finance instructions on the spending authorization and
execution of $20M USD in capital projects from the
Government of Iraq (GOI) has caused confusion and a
disjointed effort in developing a plan in Ninawa
Province. Currently, the PC is developing its by-laws
for these funds and it has not included the Governor
in discussions. The current Chairman believes that
the Governor is part of "his" council and therefore,
the council is the higher supreme authority on this
type of issue from Baghdad. Currently, the Governor
is also not included in the spending authorization and
execution of the funds, but the PRT Governance Team
expects significant changes to occur on this issue.


3. (U) The sectarian and ethnic strife found further
south is still absent, for the most part, in Ninawa.
The PRT hears complaints of issues between Kurds and
Sunni Arabs, and occasional instances of Kurdish heavy
handedness in treatment of minorities (Assyrian
Christians, Shabbak, Yazdi, Turcomen, and others) in
eastern areas of the province. However, violent
attacks are generally aimed at Iraqi Security Forces
(ISF) or Coalition Forces (CF). The Kurds expressed
dismay at the continued sectarian conflict in the
south and see themselves as observers, rather than
participants in the struggle to move Iraqi politics
forward.


4. (U) The Iraqi Private Sector Growth and Employment
Generation spokesperson said it is not willing to
assist the Ninawa Business Center (NBC) manage its
micro-loan program, due to perceived mismanagement.
The PRT recommended an audit of the NBC to account for
its original $1M USD funding.


5. (U) RULE OF LAW. Police officials continued to make
progress in assuming full responsibility for detainee
accountability across the province. The various
detainee facilities started submitting updated lists
of detainees to the Provincial Joint Coordination
Center (PJCC). The Governor and Provincial Chief of
Police are working together with the Iraqi Army (IA)
to ensure that all detainee questions are answered by
Iraqi officials at the PJCC.


6. (U) SECURITY. There has been a concentrated effort
by the Anti-Iraqi Forces (AIF) to intensify the deadly
impact and sophistication of its attacks. A recent
Vehicle Born Improvised Explosive Device (VBIED)

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attack on CF in Mosul involved multiple munitions with
a secondary complex attack by AIF forces.


7. (U) INFRASTRUCTURE AND RECONSTRUCTION. The DG of
Water provided the PRT the first 18 projects nominated
for funding with monies set aside for small water
projects. The projects totaling over $2.2M USD will
focus largely on pump stations in Mosul and well
system refurbishment in several surrounding villages.
These approved projects have been forwarded to the
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for funding approval and
execution.


8. (U) A PRT member met with the Governor and Mosul
Airport Manager to discuss the probability of opening
the airport to commercial airline traffic. Both
understood the vulnerability of aircraft operating
into and out of the Mosul Airport given the heavily
residential encroachment and the present terrorist
threat against aviation.

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(U) TAMIM PROVINCE
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9. (U) POLITICAL. The PC Chairman held meetings with
the Kirkuk IECI Director in anticipation of planning
for the provincial elections. The largest issue is
expected to be voter registration. In other events
during the report week, the Governor presented a plan
for the Jubori tribe to play a more active security
role in Kirkuk. The Governor said that the powerful
Sheik Muhairi is interested in resolving security
issues in Iraq. Other Jubori tribes are subordinate
to the sheik so his stance on security could have a
significant positive impact on the security situation.
Reportedly, the Kirkuk Governor wants an Arab Chief of
Police for the city.


10. (U) The Understanding and National Solution
Committee, a local Arab delegation, formed to
represent the Arabs brought into Kirkuk during
Arabization programs. The group met with the
Transitional Administrative Law (TAL) Article 58
Committee to discuss membership and compensation. The
special committee would like membership on the TAL
Article 58 Committee. Although they were told
membership is not possible, they were encouraged to
attend meetings. Approximately 70,000 relocating Arab
families should receive compensation. The TAL Article
58 Committee agreed to visit the abolished villages
and meet with local officials to better understand
their needs.


11. (U) The PC discussed hiring employees from Tuz,
Kifry, Jam Jamal and Kalar districts. The PC would
like to re-hire people (all ethnicities) fired during
the Saddam regime. The Chairman said it is not a
political issue, it is a matter for all ethnicities.
The Arab and Turcoman members (not on the Brotherhood
List) left the meeting because they did want to take
part in the discussion.


12. (U) The PC established a bank account with three
signatures, two PC members and the Ministry of
Municipalities Finance Manager. The account has
$12.2B Iraqi Dinars transferred to Kirkuk Province
from the Iraqi Minister of Finance. The PC Chairman
and Governor resolved their differences over the
management of these funds. They pledged to work
together to ensure fair and equitable distribution.


13. (U) RULE OF LAW. The Chief Judge of Kirkuk
Province told PRT Rule of Law Coordinator that the
courthouse capacity is inadequate to meet current
requirements. In a separate meeting, investigative
judges told PRT member that they need Iraqi Police
investigator training on criminal law and

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investigative procedures. The judges feel the police
cannot effectively handle citizen criminal complaints,
conduct timely and complete criminal investigations,
and do not follow court orders. They also requested
PRT assistance to obtain firearm, drug, and explosive
testing equipment.


14. (SBU) SECURITY. Leaflets targeting the Kirkuk
Regional Embassy Office (REO) were discovered pasted
on compound walls, along with threats that the REO is
under surveillance and targeted. Advanced Improvised
Explosive Device (IED) tactics, techniques, and
procedures indicate new insurgents have moved into the
Kirkuk area. To date, CF, Iraq Security Forces (ISF)
and Iraq Police continue to be the primary target for
insurgent acts.


15. (U) INFRASTRUCTURE. During the past ten days, 11
Bayji Thermal Power Plant engineers and technicians
were killed in Bayji, a mostly Shia area. The plant
stopped producing electricity as a result of these
deaths and, hence, reduced the refinery power source
to only one source, the Bayji Gas Power Plant. Unlike
other provinces, Kirkuk does not have an oil product
shortage. Existing depot stocks are adequately
supplying Kirkuk and Sulaymaniyah. Kirkuk receives
between 700,000 to 875,000 liters of benzene daily.
Kirkuk Governor took aim at the black market by
issuing an order to arrest anyone selling benzene on
the street.

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BAGHDAD PROVINCE
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16. (U) POLITICAL. For the second week in a row, the
PC enforced a policy of no communication or
cooperation with USG personnel in Baghdad. The
boycott, which includes subordinate councils, started
after a March 26 U.S.-Iraqi military operation in a
Baghdad City neighborhood. Several PC members oppose
the boycott and reportedly are attempting to have it
lifted. PRT members held informal talks with a PC
representative to clarify issues and work towards a
resolution.


17. (U) The PC appealed a ruling from one month ago
in which the Baghdad City Council won an
Administrative Court decision against the PC for its
April 2005 dissolution of the City Council. The court
ruled that the PC had no legal authority to dissolve
the City Council and that the council members should
return to their offices immediately. Currently, the
City Council is holding its meetings in another
district.


18. (U) RULE OF LAW. PRT members met with a group of
prominent Baghdad community women. The Sunni, Shia,
and Kurdish women included members of the Council of
Representatives, chief executive officers of private
companies, and association presidents. They discussed
ways to empower women on rule of law issues. In a
separate meeting, Judge Fa'iq Zaida Khalef said the
technology sophistication of the Iraq court system
resembles that of the U.S. in the 1920s. He claimed
it is not yet the right time to bring TV cameras into
the courtroom, mostly due to security concerns. He
also suggested the Iraqi Bar association was not
dissolved, as some reported, but only put on hold for
administrative or political reasons and will resume
operations in a few days.

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BABIL PROVINCE
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19. (U) POLITICAL. The Babil Provincial Government,
along with others previously noted, is boycotting the

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PRT and CF. It does, however, remain willing to work
with the civil affairs unit. PRT members are trying
to re-invigorate communications.


20. (U) The situation with hundreds of
persons/families displaced from Baghdad and other
municipalities to Babil Province is developing into a
serious problem. Housing and aid is not available to
meet the need. Funding is generally from local non-
governmental organizations (NGOs) and religious
organizations.


21. (U) SECURITY. The security situation remained
stable in Babil with the frequency of attacks against
CF below the 90-day average. The Babil Iraqi Police
and an Iraqi Infantry Division continued to progress
in their development. The Infantry Division conducted
several raids during this report week resulting in the
capture of numerous weapons caches and insurgents.


22. (U) RECONSTRUCTION. The PRT Deputy Engineer
visited the Ministry of Planning in Baghdad to procure
construction standards and codes. Only about half of
the codes were procured. The visit provided PRT
insight into the difficulties faced by the average
contractor in acquiring important quality control
documents. The PRT plans to distribute the obtained
construction codes within the province.

KHALILZAD