MINISTRY OF HIGHER EDUCATION DISCUSSES UNIVERSITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 004555 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/13/2016 TAGS: PGOV KDEM IZ SUBJECT: MINISTRY OF HIGHER EDUCATION DISCUSSES UNIVERSITY AND MINISTRY SECURITY Classified By: Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY. Minister of Higher Education Abd Dhiyab al-Ajili told the Ambassador December 13 that he had not discouraged students and staff from going to universities. He stressed the lack of adequate security for the students. The Minister acknowledged the need to take strong action and said he has wanted to dismiss some university presidents and deans, but there has been no support from the GOI. Al-Ajili said if he could just dismiss one university president, it would send a strong message, but there is a danger that the militias could attack the university in response. The Minister told the Ambassador that 88 hostages from the November 14 mass kidnapping had been released, but that 56 still are missing. While acknowledging that there has been a heavy cost from students and staff not attending the universities, the Minister said if he were to make a statement that the universities are safe and that students and staff must attend, he would be blamed if an incident happened. END SUMMARY. -------------- -------------- Universities Not Safe: Guard Force Cannot Be Trusted -------------- -------------- ¶2. (C) Minister of Higher Education Abd Dhiyab al-Ajili told the Ambassador December 13 that he had not discouraged students and staff from going to universities and denied rumors from other Ministers that he and the Iraqi Islamic Party are behind such efforts. The Minister stressed the lack of adequate security for the students; the universities do have guards, but they are not well trained, were selected and previously, and are infiltrated by Badr and Jaysh al-Mahdi (JAM). He alleged that the students and staff are threatened and do not feel safe, with reports that the guards let people in to kidnap students. He said it is difficult to change the guards now because there would be complaints and possible violent reaction from the militias. ¶3. (C) The Minister acknowledged the need to take a strong position. He said he has wanted to dismiss some university presidents and deans (specifically citing the president of Mustansiriya University),but there has been no support from the GOI. He mentioned another incident where he tried to move a university administrator from one position to another. He claimed that he received calls from various Ministers and the PM himself, who told him that Najaf had contacted him to push for the person to remain. Al-Ajili said if he could just dismiss one university president, it would send a strong message, but there is a danger that the militias could attack the university in response. He alleged that each university president is starting to create his own militia. -------------- Update on Hostages and Ministry Security -------------- ¶4. (C) The Minister told the Ambassador that 88 hostages from the November 14 mass kidnapping had been released, but that 56 still are missing. He said the Ministry knew where the hostages were, but do not have exact information now. He claimed that the Ministry of Interior (MOI) knows the identities of the kidnappers and that they are from JAM. He said the mass kidnapping has discouraged staff from attending work, and some employees from the engineering and scholarships department do not want to return to the same building. He claimed that other Ministers have criticized him for making a big fuss over this. The Minister speculated that the reason for the kidnapping was to drive out the educated elite, saying that he suspected Iranian involvement. He also said the Ministry has been strict on rules and regulations, not bending them for admitting students or for appointing cultural attaches. He said he even has written correspondence from the PM to appoint a certain person as an attach. When he told the PM that this was against the regulations, the PM did not ask him to break the rules. ¶5. (C) While acknowledging that there has been a heavy cost from students and staff not attending the universities, the Minister said if he were to make a statement that the universities are safe and that students and staff must attend, he would be blamed if an incident happened. The Minister said he is encouraging students and staff to attend through letters. He stated that he has requested permission to recruit a neutral Facilities Protection Force (FPS) and plans to send them to two universities. He also described his efforts to make a secure area around the Ministry headquarters; he says the current FPS force numbers around 300 divided into three 100-man shifts. The problem is the quantity of weapons (just fifty) and quality (no heavy weapons). He alleged that other ministries have heavy weapons, but that the PM has to give permission to equip the BAGHDAD 00004555 002 OF 002 FPS with these weapons. He said the PM had refused the Minister's request to do so before the kidnapping, but will likely not now. -------------- Relationship with the Prime Minister -------------- ¶6. (C) The Minister told the Ambassador that he feels PM Maliki tries to speak about the Ministry of Higher Education without discussing it with him. He said he does not mind, but that the PM should check with him; otherwise, the PM is not taken seriously. He added that he only sees the PM at Council of Ministers meetings and would like to see him more often. KHALILZAD