BAGHDAD PRT - CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS PUSH FOR

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 004119 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/02/2016 TAGS: IZ KDEM PGOV PHUM SUBJECT: BAGHDAD PRT - CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS PUSH FOR PROVINCIAL POWERS LEGISLATION Classified By: Classified by Joseph Gregoire, PRT Team Leader, for reas ons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: On October 18 Baghdad Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) officers and PolOff attended an NGO-sponsored conference to generate support for provincial elections and governorate powers legislation. The conference was hosted by the NGO Najaf Human Rights Commission and brought together a number of Iraqi human rights NGOs, and international and Iraqi government representatives from across Iraq. The conference sponsor released a set of 13 recommendations (not made available to PolOff until 25 October) for consideration by the Council of Representative (CoR) Governance Committee in its drafting of the anticipated provincial elections and local governmental powers laws. Highlights of the recommendations include a call to amend Article 121 of the Constitution to allow provincial governors to be elected rather then appointed by the provincial councils; to establish minimum educational, age and residency requirements to serve as governor; and to define the relationships between the provincial councils, national ministries, and sub-provincial districts. Notably absent from the discussion was talk about the timing of provincial elections. END SUMMARY. ATTENDANCE, ATMOSPHERICS, AND DISCUSSION -------------- ¶2. (SBU) The keynote speaker at the conference was Al Al-Shaibani, General Secretary of the Najaf Human Rights Center for Democracy Support. Shaiban,s remarks focused on Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) Order 71, the Local Government Powers Law, still in effect and the law under which the current provincial councils are authorized and function. Shaibani emphasized the historic nature of the CPA Order 71, which allowed provincial leadership to be democratically elected for the first time in Iraq,s history. He also called for provisions in its replacement that will permit the direct election of governors and deputy governors. ¶3. (SBU) Shaibani was followed by speakers from the Women Empowerment Organization, representing the Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) and the north; the Iraqi Organization for Human Rights Coordination, representing central Iraq; and the Najaf Human Rights Commission, representing the southern region. Each of the speakers, remarks and recommendations were similar. Each highlighted the overall poor quality of their respective provincial councils and the lack of a well-defined relationship of accountability between the councils and the people they ostensibly serve and represent. The speaker representing the north emphasized the need to reinforce the Iraqi identity. The speaker from the central region remarked that many of its inhabitants don't know how members of provincial council are selected. And the speaker from the south pointed to the disconnect between the provincial councils and the national government in Baghdad. CONFERENCE RECOMMENDATIONS -------------- ¶4. (SBU) The afternoon session of the conference began with open comment and discussion from the floor, after which a prepared statement and list of conference recommendations were presented to the attendees. The conference organizers plan to present the following 13 recommendations to the CoR for its consideration in preparing the provincial elections and provincial powers laws: ¶A. Provincial councils should be elected by direct popular vote in an open list electoral system. ¶B. Article 121 of the Constitution should be amended to allow for the direct election of provincial governors and deputy governors by the electorate rather than appointment by provincial councils as is the current practice. ¶C. The independence of provincial councils from Iraqi national ministries must be reaffirmed. ¶D. The term of office for provincial council members should be limited to no more than three years. ¶E. Minimum educational, age, and residency requirements should be established to run for election to provincial councils. BAGHDAD 00004119 002 OF 002 ¶F. The authority of provincial councils should be made clear. This authority should be focused on provincial governance, including the monitoring of local government performance. ¶G. The new law should ensure representation from each of the provincial districts on the provincial councils. ¶H. The new law should define the relationship between the provincial councils and district councils. ¶I. The new law should guarantee minority and ethnic representation on all provincial councils. ¶J. The new law should define the relationship between provincial councils and regional governments that may be formed as well as the relationship between provincial councils and the national government. ¶K. A committee composed of civil society organizations and NGOs should be set up to monitor and advise the provincial councils. ¶L. At least 25 percent of the members of provincial councils should be female. ¶M. The law should provide for government supported training centers for provincial officials. ¶5. (C) COMMENT: The conference was sparsely attended but heavily covered by local print and television media. Billed as a provincial elections conference, the focus was on provincial powers and on building momentum for the replacement of CPA Order 71 (Local Government Powers). Demands by participants resulted in modifications of the planned release, adding three additional recommendations. Provincial elections were not discussed as a specific topic at the conference. END COMMENT. KHALILZAD