SNAPSHOT OF MUTHANNA: POOR, PEACEFUL, AND TRADITIONAL

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BASRAH 000034

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 3/14/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR PHUM ECON EAID ELAB KDEM KISL
SOCI, IZ
SUBJECT: SNAPSHOT OF MUTHANNA: POOR, PEACEFUL, AND TRADITIONAL

BASRAH 00000034 001.2 OF 002


CLASSIFIED BY: Ken Gross, Deputy REGIONAL COORDINATOR, REO
BASRAH, DEPARTMENT OF STATE.
REASON: 1.4 (b),(d)




1. (U) Summary: Located in the far southeast of Iraq, the
province of Muthanna is the second largest in Iraq in terms of
size, but the poorest and least populated of all of Iraq's
provinces. A fairly quiet region with few security concerns,
Muthanna's residents call it the "peaceful province." Typified
by a traditional society, tribal structure trumps political
bodies in Muthanna. Nearly homogenous, over 95 percent of
Muthanna's population is Shia Arab and holds conservative
Islamic values, looking to Najaf and the Ayatollah SISTANI for
guidance on all matters. For the foreseeable future, Muthanna's
concerns will, in all probability, be ones of economic
development. End Summary.

Overview
--------------


2. (U) Muthanna province, located in far southwest Iraq, with
a population of 622,351 and an annual median household income of
1,661,129 Iraqi dinars (approximately $1107),is the poorest and
least populated province in Iraq (Note: These are 2003 figures
from UNDP and the Ministry of Planning Survey of 2004; published
May 2005. End Note). Much of the population is concentrated in
the provincial capital of Samawah (population 125,000),
Rumaytha, and Kidhr (second and third largest towns). Both
cities are located in the far north of the province on the banks
of the Euphrates River. The rest of the population is scattered
throughout the arid desert that borders Saudi Arabia. The
ancient Sumerian city of Uruk, is located in Muthanna outside of
Kidhr, and the Japanese government provides site protection
assistance through UNESCO.

Security Situation: Uneventful
--------------


3. (SBU) Muthanna province has seen very few security
incidents in the past three years, and is considered by its
residents to be "the peaceful province" of Iraq. British and
Australian forces, stationed at Camp Smitty, and Japanese
forces, stationed at Camp Samawah, in Muthanna are there for
reconstruction efforts. In November 2005, the British concluded
a police-training program. Though there have been occurrences
of rock throwing at Coalition vehicles, expressions of
anti-Western sentiment, and the occasional mortar attack on the
Coalition camps in Muthanna, these are isolated incidents
believed to be undertaken by a small group of extremists and not
representative of the larger population. Following a trend seen
in surrounding provinces, increased Jaysh al-Mahdi (JAM)
activity and JAM-Badr skirmishes have resulted in a slightly
less secure environment in Muthanna since February 2006.

Society and Culture: Homogenous
--------------


4. (U) Over 95 percent of the population of Muthanna is Shia
Arab; there are estimated to be less than 5,000 Sunnis in the
entire province. The Shia of Muthanna are conservative and
traditional in their approach to religion and society. Women
rarely venture outside, and when they do, they are always
completely covered in black robes. No other major ethnic or
religious groups are represented. A traditional tribal society
is firmly ensconced in the province, with much of the population
taking direction from their tribal leaders, who in turn look to
Najaf for direction from Ayatollah SISTANI. Indeed, the
province of Muthanna is described as "looking to Najaf," and is
more appropriately grouped with the provinces of Hillah and
Najaf than with the other three southern provinces of Basrah,
Dhi Qar, and Maysan.


5. (U) The results of the homogeneity and tribal structure of
Muthanna are reflected in its voting patterns: over 98 percent
of the population voted in favor of the constitutional
referendum on October 15, 2005, and all five of Muthanna's seats
on the National Assembly went to the Unified Iraqi Coalition
(List 555) in the December 15, 2005 parliamentarian election.


6. (SBU) Although there are a dozen or so distinct tribes in
Muthanna province, the two most powerful and influential tribes
in the region are the Al Hassani tribe and the Al Zayadi tribe.
These two tribes control the provincial government and spar with
each other for power. The Al Hassani tribe, of which the
current governor is a member, is allied with the SCIRI/Badr
party. Al Zayadi, on the other hand, is linked with the Office
of the Martyr Sadr (OMS) political party and JAM.


BASRAH 00000034 002.2 OF 002


Economic Overview: Few Resources
-------------- --


7. (U) Muthanna province has the highest percentage of
unemployment of all the Iraqi provinces at 32.7 percent and is
among the provinces with the highest level of adult illiteracy
at 41 percent. (Note: From UNDP and Ministry of Planning
Survey of 2004; published May 2005. End Note.) Much of the
population relies on government employment or agriculture for
income. A large cement factory is located outside of Samawah,
and a railroad connects Rumaytha and Samawah to the Dhi Qar
provincial capital of Nassiriyah. Although much of the province
is barely habitable, the banks of the Euphrates River are arable
and produce wheat and rice. Tribes herd sheep and goats.
Unlike the other southern provinces, Muthanna has no substantial
oil deposits and few other natural resources to boost its
economy.


8. (U) The poorest of the provinces, Muthanna nevertheless
benefits from substantial donor investment. The Japanese
government has invested $220 million in water treatment units,
health infrastructure, road rehabilitation, and electric power
in Muthanna province. In December 2005, the National Embassy
Team approved $10 million in funds for projects in water, roads,
and power. In March, the Iraqi government allocated 31 billion
Iraqi dinars (about $21 million) to the provincial government of
Muthanna for projects in the education, sewer, and rural road
sectors.

Shia Islamic Parties Dominate Politics
-------------- --


9. (C) The Islamic Shia parties of OMS, SCIRI and Badr
Organization, and Da'awa are the most prevalent political
parties in Muthanna. Currently, the Governorship and Provincial
Council are dominated by the Al Hassani-backed SCIRI and Badr
Organization. The Chief of Police, Mohammed Najem Abd Swaidi,
is non-political, although the Australian policy advisor at Camp
Smitty estimates that JAM infiltration into the Iraqi police in
Muthanna is as high as 80 percent.


10. (U) Tribal influence and power sharing among Muthanna's
tribes takes precedence over regular elections and democratic
processes. Regardless of election dates, the Chair of the
Provincial Council rotates about every four months. In August
2005, Mohammed Zayadi (Independent; American citizen) was
removed from the position of Provincial Council Chair and Kareem
Ali Sajet (Fadillah; previously of Da'awa) was appointed Chair.
In March 2006, Kareem was replaced by Sheikh Assad Abdul Amin al
Duainee, an Independent Islamic Association member, former chair
of the Religious and Society Committee, and a Shia imam. Sheikh
Assad is also the brother of the Deputy Governor of Muthanna.


11. (C) BIO NOTE: The Governor of Muthanna, Mohammed Ali
Hassan Abbas Al Hassani, (SCIRI),was a former Badr commander
who fled to Iran during the Saddam regime but returned to
Muthanna in 2003 as head of SCIRI. His heavy-handed and
autocratic management style do not make him a popular public
figure, but his ability to keep OMS and JAM militias at bay has
earned him respect.

Comment
--------------


12. (SBU) The province of Muthanna, with its small population
and lack of natural resources, will most likely always face the
challenges of economic development and will probably always be
in the position of requesting financial assistance, either from
international donors or the Baghdad government. Although JAM
shows signs of growing activity in Muthanna and may even topple
the current SCIRI-led government, tribal structures will most
likely continue to have the final word in provincial politics
for the foreseeable future.
GROSS