NORTHERN WAZIRISTAN UPDATE: SEPTEMBER 8

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 04 ISLAMABAD 017963 SIPDIS NOFORN SIPDIS DEPT FOR P, EUR, NEA, PM, IO E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/05/2016 TAGS: PK PREL MOPS UN MARR LE SUBJECT: NORTHERN WAZIRISTAN UPDATE: SEPTEMBER 8 Classified By: CDA Peter W. Bodde, Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (S) Summary: While the September 5 agreement between the GOP and North Waziri leaders allows foreigners to remain in the North Waziristan Agency so long as they do not engage in attacks on or in Afghanistan, some foreigners reportedly are leaving NWA for neighboring areas, a development that perhaps supports Pakistani military claims that Waziri tribal leaders are serious about enforcing the agreement's restrictions on militant activities. Pakistan Army told Office of Defense Relations Pakistan on September 7 that it would not decrease troop levels in North Waziristan Agency (NWA),but instead would redeploy them to forward bases and border posts where they could fight infiltration. End Summary. -------------- Foreigners in North Waziristan -------------- ¶2. (S) (Note: The Embassy's unofficial translation of the Sep. 5 agreement between Northern Waziri leaders and the GOP is contained in paragraph 10. End Note.) The final text of the agreement between North Waziri leaders and the GOP confirms that foreigners in North Waziristan Agency (NWA) will not be forced to leave nor be forced to register with the government. The agreement specifies that only those foreigners with signficant ties ("for whom leaving would be a hardship") should remain in North Waziristan Agency. The document does not detail who will arbirtrate "hardship." Waziri tribal leaders promise that those foreigners who remain will "live in peace, respecting the laws in force and agreement." A Consulate Peshawar contact claims that four of the 12 signatories on the Waziri side were foreigners. ¶3. (S) On September 7, Pakistan Army GHQ Director General -- Military Operations MG Pasha told the Office of Defense Relations Pakistan (ODRP) that tribal leaders were committed and motivated to enforce the agreement's restrictions on foreigners. MG Pasha said that the Pakistan Army would continue to target enemy fighters -- especially foreign fighters -- and that any in North Waziristan Agencywho did not abide by the peace agreement would be hunted down as enemies. On September 7, the Pakistani military reported some movement of foreign fighters from NWA to Khyber, Kurram and Orakzai Agencies, where the militants' actions would not be covered by the September 5 agreement. On September 8, Sailab Mehsud, President of the Tribal Union of Journalists, told political FSN that he had seen numerous Uzbek Taliban leaving North Waziristan Agency to resettle in South Waziristan, also not covered by the agreement. -------------- Operation Mountain Fury -------------- ¶4. (S) General Pasha told ODRP emphatically that the NWA agreement would not affect Pakistani Military support to OPERATION Mountain Fury. He said that the GOP intended to fulfill all of its commitments. -------------- -------------- Locals Worry of "Talibanization" of NWA -------------- -------------- ¶5. (C) Several Northern Waziri businessmen told post on September 8 that Taliban who had not been seen for months were "appearing everywhere." These contacts feared that, without GOP troops present, North Waziristan could become increasingly "Talibanized." (Note: In the peace agreement, North Waziri leaders specifically commit that "No parallel administration shall be established. The writ and authority shall be of the Government of Pakistan only." That said, the businessmen with whom post spoke were ISLAMABAD 00017963 002 OF 004 not yet convinced that local tribal and political administration leaders would be able to enforce this requirement vis-a-vis the Taliban. End note.) -------------- GOP Implementation -------------- ¶6. (C) On September 8, post contacts reported that GOP forces were dismantling "new" checkpoints and returning older ones to Waziri officials, as required by the agreement. The contacts added that GOP troops had not departed from NWA, but had relocated to colonial-era forts and camps. MG Pasha confirmed to ODRP that Pakistani troops were remaining in NWA but were being repositioned to forward bases, garrisons, and border posts. MG Pasha stressed that the agreement would not affect the Pakistani military's level of vigilence and that most of the newly-closed checkpoints were in the interior of NWA, not along the border. Indeed, the GOP viewed the agreement as an opportunity to fill gaps in their presence in remote border areas believed to be used as infiltration routes. An XI Corps officer in Peshawar told ODRP there that closing interior check points allowed the military to build a reserve that could serve as a rapid reaction force near the border. The officer added that the Pakistan Army would not remove any posts west of Miran Shah or Razmak. ¶7. (C) Post contacts reported that the government had begun paying compensation to families and madrassas whose homes and facilities were damaged or destroyed during hostilities. ¶8. (SBU) Late in the day September 8, the press reported that the governor of NWFP, who had orchestrated the Loya Jirga that led to the NWA agreement, was hoping to call a Jirga with the same goals for South Waziristan Agency. -------------- ABC Story Aftermath -------------- ¶9. (SBU) The headline of the September 6 ABC News story on the North Waziristan Agency agreement ("Osama gets safe haven in Northern Waziristan") was not/not a direct quote from ISPR MG Sultan. Sultan told post that, during his interview with ABC, he had explained that the agreement allowed law-abiding foreigners to remain in NWA. He stressed that his comments in no way concerned Bin Laden. The print version of the ABC story supported Sultan's explanation. Sultan issued a press release late Sept 6 that underscored that the GOP would continue to target Osama and Al Qaeda leaders. The MOD issued an equally strong press release. (Note: Post has forwarded the statements, as well as the MFA's press release, to SCA/PB. End Note.) Sultan gave several press interviews September 7 in which he stated that GOP officials regretted the concern caused by the ABC report. -------------- Text of Agreement -------------- ¶10. (SBU) GOP representatives and representatives of Waziri tribes, Taliban students, and foreigners signed the following agreement on September 5. While there is still no official translation, we believe this one, produced by Embassy staff, to be fairly accurate. (Begin Text) PEACE AGREEMENT North Waziristan Agency ISLAMABAD 00017963 003 OF 004 Party One: Political Agent of North Waziristan Agency as a representative of Governor NWFP, Federal Government Party Two: Tribal elders of North Waziristan Agency, local Mujaheddin, students and ulema of Utmanzai tribes The following agreement is a decision of the competent jirga. The parties had entrusted the authority to the jirga according to the tribal traditions. The following decision was announced based on the same authority (Wak). By virtue of this agreement the parties shall be bound to abide by the following conditions: Students, Ulema of Utmanzai Tribes The second party, i.e., tribal elders of North Waziristan Agency, local Mujaheddin, students, and ulema of Utmanzai tribes shall make sure that: ¶1. The law enforcement agencies/forces and government property shall not be attacked and there shall be no targetted killings of any sort. ¶2. No parallel administration shall be established. The writ and authority shall be of the government of Pakistan only. Political administration shall be contacted for the resolution to administrative problems and the administration shall resolve all problems with the support of Utmanzai tribes according to traditions and in accordance with the FCR. ¶3. Cross-border movement into neighboring Afghanistan shall not be allowed for the purpose of military operations. However, movement shall be allowed for trade and business, and meeting with relations according to the traditions and law. ¶4. There shall neither be infiltration into districts adjacent to North Waziristan Agency nor shall a parallel administration be established. ¶5. All foreigners in North Waziristan Agency shall leave the area. Those who shall not be able to leave due to some compulsion (literally for whom leaving would cause hardship) shall live in peace, respecting the laws in force and the agreement. Morever,the above conditions shall apply to them. ¶6. All the government property in the shape of vehicles, arms, wireless sets etc. that has fallen into the hand of Party Two during the conflict shall be returned to the government. Government ¶1. All people arrested during the (military) operation shall be released and shall not be re-arrested on the basis of past incidents. ¶2. The government shall restore all tribal privileges. ¶3. The government shall dismantle all new check posts and the old ones, as in the past, shall be manned by 'Khasadars' or 'Levies'. ¶4. The government shall return the seized vehicles and other equipment such as weaponry etc. ¶5. After the agreement the government shall stop aerial and ground (military) operation and resolve issues in keeping with the local customs. ¶6. The government shall offer compensation t ISLAMABAD 00017963 004 OF 004 o the heirs of those innocent people who have lost their lives and property during (military) operation. ¶7. There neither is restriction on (small) arms in accordance with tribal traditions nor shall there be (any restriction) by the government, but restriction on large arms shall remain. ¶8. The agreement shall come into effect upon the withdrawal of troops from check-posts to camps. Miscellaneous ¶1. According to this agreement, a ten-member committee shall be formed after mutual consultation. This committee shall consist of ulema, tribal elders and members of the political administration. This committee shall be tasked to perform the ollowing functions: a. Keep a constant contact between the tribes of Utmanzai and the government. b. Review and ensure the implementation of the agreement. ¶2. If any person or group (local or non-local) shall not abide by the peace agreement and shall try to breach peace in (North) Waziristan, action shall be taken against him (or them) CROCKER