PRT TIKRIT: COMMUNITY LEADERS HIGHLIGHT CHALLENGES

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 004501 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ECON EAGER IR IZ SUBJECT: PRT TIKRIT: COMMUNITY LEADERS HIGHLIGHT CHALLENGES FACING SAD AT PROVINCE-WIDE CONFERENCE ¶1. (U) This is a PRT Tikrit, Salah ad Din cable. ¶2. (SBU) SUMMARY. On November 30, representatives from Salah ad Din's private sector, academia, citizens? groups and municipal governments met in Tikrit for a Dialogue and Communication Conference sponsored by the 3BCT and the PRT. The Governor and Deputy Governor were also in attendance. Designed to promote Iraqi responsibility for improved governance and to elicit ideas for economic development, the conference also provided an essential forum for important public and private sector actors to discuss the difficult challenges facing Salah ad Din (SaD). . END SUMMARY. -------------- A Resurgent DACC -------------- ¶3. (SBU) CF created the Dialogue and Communication Conference (DACC) in 2004 to be a forum for community leaders to discuss important concerns with provincial government representatives and CF. Dormant for several years, CF and the PRT revived the DACC by inviting a diverse group of 21 prominent local judges, businessmen, teachers, reporters, and doctors to the event on November ¶30. The participants were assigned to one of five small discussion groups - governance, rule of law, education, economics, and healthcare - based on their area of expertise. -------------- Economics -------------- ¶4. (SBU) Aside from the abysmal security situation, participants highlighted the lack of small-business lending and banking services as a major impediment to sustained economic growth. While lamenting the failure of private banks (such as Dar Es Salaam) to establish local branches, the delegates did express hope that the pending Iraqi Investment Law would provide greater opportunities to attract foreign and domestic capital. ¶5. (SBU) Group members also discussed the dire shortage of agricultural inputs in SaD such as fuel, fertilizer, and seed. Charging the GOI with neglect of the province, several representatives from Tikrit stated that their municipalities may support area farmers through fuel cards and other subsidies. Executing such a program would be a challenge for a municipal government without revenue-raising ability. The suggestion reflects the high level of frustration with the Ministry of Agriculture as well as a willingness by local leaders to explore a more autonomous approach to address community issues. -------------- Rule of Law -------------- ¶6. (SBU) The rule of law group meeting was attended by Provincial Chief Judge, the Chief of the Provincial Joint Coordination Committee (PJCC),the Deputy Governor, and PRT/CF representatives. The participants agreed that a Central Criminal Court of Iraq (CCCI) and supporting detention facilities ? which would try and detain suspected insurgents rather than alleged regular criminals ? should be created in SaD. To enhance Iraqi judicial protection capabilities, group members proposed the creation of a provincial branch of the Iraqi Marshal Service, expressing the hope that the upcoming U.S. Marshals visit would be of significant assistance in this process. ¶7. (SBU) CF representatives agreed to coordinate the discharge of detainees with Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) through the PJCC before the actual release takes place. While CF generally maintain a higher evidentiary requirement in order to detain a suspect, the accord is consistent with both parties' common goal to confine and try suspected AIF members. -------------- Governance -------------- ¶8. (SBU) During the governance group SaD civic leaders spoke out on key provincial issues ? such as better enforcement of anti-corruption laws and more transparent budget execution - as well as national topics such as de- Baathification and pensions for former Iraqi National BAGHDAD 00004501 002 OF 002 Army members. The delegates identified a low level of public awareness of USG-funded projects; one representative even suggested that support for AIF primarily stemmed from a common belief that the U.S. was not improving the life of the Iraqi people. Various group members also stated that the media was controlled by CF, without any freedom of the press. ¶9. (SBU) The representatives unanimously agreed that provincial elections should be held as soon as possible to empower areas such as Bayji and Ad Dawr that did not participate in the previous election. Additionally, many of the delegates opined that the process of electing party lists rather than individual candidates should be changed, arguing that it enables the election of corrupt and inefficient officials. -------------- Education -------------- ¶10. (SBU) The dominant theme in the education group discussion was the lack of personnel, physical, and financial resources facing teachers in SaD. Many participants noted that the reintegration of former Baathists would help, but not alleviate the current shortage of instructors (NOTE: Due to de-Baathification, 459 teachers in the SaD school system were suspended in 2003-2004, and have yet to be reinstated despite their records and waiver petitions having been with the National De-Baathification Commission for over two years). The concern that the current educational budget was insufficient to obtain adequate staffing or resources was also emphasized. Some participants also suggested that SaD schools partner with foreign universities to improve the level of education. ¶11. (SBU) Many delegates stated that there is a direct relationship between improving security and successful educational initiatives. For example, adult education is a priority in SaD but underutilized because many students are unable to travel away from home for fear of attack. -------------- Healthcare -------------- ¶12. (SBU) Four local hospital/clinic directors met with the 3BCT surgeon to discuss proposals to improve the healthcare system in SaD. Key points included reorganizing local hospitals to improve emergency medical services, recruiting and train more nurses (including males, which they also saw as an employment opportunity for a target group),and improving supply of medical products and fuel. The committee members - recognizing that CF medical services will not be available indefinitely - were in agreement that the Ministry of Defense (MOD) will need to create and sustain a military medical system as it did under the previous regime. The present Iraqi civilian healthcare system is incapable of treating large numbers of ISF casualties. ¶13. (U) For additional reporting from PRT Tikrit, Salah ad Din, please see our SIPRNET Reporting Blog: http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Tikrit. KHALILZAD