FATA: MISSION PAKISTAN REPORTING AND ASSISTANCE

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 04 ISLAMABAD 009585 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/19/2015 TAGS: PL PREL PGOV SUBJECT: FATA: MISSION PAKISTAN REPORTING AND ASSISTANCE PLANS REF: A. ISLAMABAD 007164 ¶B. ISLAMABAD 01885 ¶C. ISLAMABAD 08541 ISLAMABAD 00009585 001.2 OF 004 Classified By: Ambassador Ryan C. Crocker, DSCG 05-01, January 2005, Edition 1, Reason: 1.4 (B,D) ¶1. (SBU) Summary. This cable is intended to inform the inter-agency discussion on how to stimulate counterrorism progress, stability, and political change in Pakistan's Federally Administered Tribal Areas. Mission Pakistan--in biweekly "Interagency FATA Working Group" meetings that include officers from NAS, RAO, ODRP, FAS, USAID, REF, POL, ECON, DAO, LEGAT, and Consulate Peshawar--has been working on ways to further FATA reform since August 2005. The FATA Working Group discusses the robust ongoing USG assistance effort in the region, identifies future assistance opportunities, and strategizes solutions the overall problems in the FATA. In the past year, Post has reported on the basic problems in the FATA (ref A),outlined current USG efforts and opportunities for increased assistance (ref B),and informed Washington readers about new challenges and opportunities in FATA. Over the next three months, Post will produce a series of analytic reports that assess opportunities for increased USG assistance in FATA, examine GOP's FATA reform efforts (their military/ stabilization, political/administrative, and economic development strategies),and evaluate the effectiveness of key GOP players in FATA reform. End Summary. SNAPSHOT OF EMBASSY REPORTING ON FATA -------------- ¶2. (S) The following is a list of cables released by Embassy Islamabad and Consulate Peshawar detailing different aspects of the challenges and opportunities in the FATA: Review of USG Present and Future Assistance in FATA (Islamabad 08115, February 2005) FATA Democracy (Peshawar 00440, 25 August, 2005) North Waziristan Operations Hailed as a Blow to Al Qaida (Islamabad 13942, 19 September 2005) Pakistan Earthquake: No Effect on Operations in FATA (Islamabad 15599, 18 October 2005) FATA Agency Councils (Peshawar 00546, 27 October 2005) FATA At the Crossroads: Accountability and Governance (Peshawar 00597, 25 November 2005) Violence Grows in North and South Waziristan (Islamabad 00498, 14 January 2006) Talibanization of Waziristan (Peshawar 00095, 24 February 2006) Military and Militants Clash in North Waziristan (Islamabad 03985, 10 March 2006) The North Waziristan Offensive (Peshawar 00122, 13 March 2006) NWFP PML Chief Proposes A Strategy for Waziristan (Peshawar 0143, 27 March 2006) A FATA Primer (ISLAMABAD 007164, 26 April 2006) ISLAMABAD 00009585 002.2 OF 004 GOP Announces New Strategy for FATA (Islamabad 008541, 10 May 2006) Explaining the Security Forces in FATA (ISLAMABAD 09473, 22 May 2006) MISSION PAKISTAN REPORTING PLAN: 3 Month Look-Ahead -------------- -------------- ¶3. (SBU) To inform the inter-agency debate on problems and opportunities in FATA, Embassy Islamabad and Consulate Peshawar plan a series of cables assessing GOP's strategies for the FATA and presenting opportunities (and constraints) for increased USG assistance. The GOP,s Political Goals in FATA Tentative Release Date: May 25-30 2006 Options for New USG Assistance (UPDATE OF ISLAMABAD 08115) Tentative Release Date: Late May-Early June 2006 Evaluation of Musharraf,s post-7/7/05 crackdown promises as they pertain to FATA Tentative Release Date: May 25-30, 2006 GOP Military Strategy in the FATA Tentative Release Date: Early June 2006 GOP,s FATA Development Strategy: Tentative Release Date: Mid-late June 2006 FATA GOVERNOR AND SECRETARIAT: Role, Effectiveness, Performance Status: Mid July 2006 (to give enough time for new governor to get up to speed) (Note: The FATA Working Group has acquired a significant knowledge-base over the past year, but with the impending summer transfer season, Posts' remaining expertise on FATA will be limited until new officers are able to get upto speed. End note.) CURRENT USG ASSISTANCE -------------- ¶9. (SBU) As outlined in Ref B, the USG has an ongoing robust assistance program in FATA, managed by several different Agencies. This includes: (U) State/INL (Narcotics Affairs) --Border Security Roads: Over $30 million to build over 300 km. of border security roads in Khyber, Khurram, North and South Waziristan, and Orakzai Agencies, working with the Pakistan Army Corps of Engineers. Construction started in Spring 2004. Progress has been slow due to security and weather conditions. Work has effectively stopped in North and South Waziristan since late Summer 2005 because of ongoing CT operations and the security situation. Road construction is accompanied by small schemes (water and electrification) to increase community buy-in. -- Frontier Corps Outposts: NAS has funded construction of 26 border outposts in FATA for the FC; 19 have been completed. Construction of the remaining even posts, all in North Waziristan, has been stalled due to security conditions. --Equipping Frontier Corps/NWFP: We are currently procuring $7.75 million for vehicles, communication equipment, night vision goggles, bullet proof jackets/helmets through FY 2005 supplemental Funds. We have provided such equipment to Frontier Corps since 2002. --Counter Narcotics: We have been involved in road building for enforcement and market access, and alternative ISLAMABAD 00009585 003 OF 004 development projects in Mohmand and Bajaur Agencies since ¶1989. Similar projects began in Khyber Agency in 2001. We also provide support for poppy monitoring and eradication in FATA. --Levies Training: When the final Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is signed with the SAFRON ministry, NAS will begin the $686K refurbishment of the Levies Central Training Facility in Bajaur Agency. NAS will also provide technical assistance with curriculum development and instructor development training through ICITAP. (S) Military Assistance (ODRP),including: (Note: This section includes ODRP resources allocated Pakistan-wide because a majority of this support and funding is intended for the GWOT. End Note) --Coalition Support Funds (on average $80 million per month) provided to the Federal Government as a reimbursement for operational expenses in support of OEF. Includes: reimbursement for the costs for feeding and housing 35,000 Army, 41,000 Frontier Corps, 1,500 Pak Air Force and 105 Pakistan Navy officials),ammunition, fuel, wear-and tear on vehicles and equipment used in direct support against Al Qaida and anti-Coalition militants. (Note: ODRP indicates that while CSF has been worth the investment to date, because it encourages the Pakistan Military to deploy troops in areas it has been long been reluctant to enter, it may be time for a USG policy review on the issue. ODRP suggests that future CSF should not be guaranteed for mere presence; instead, reimbursement should be based on performance, and that CENTCOM/SECDEF should determine the criteria for reimbursement based on desired behavior. End note.) --Foreign Military Financing: ODRP manages the $300 million per year allocated for shaping Pakistan's Defense Structure. To date, Pakistan has chosen to spend national funds and FMF against conventional defense needs instead of targeting procurement for training and equipment that would have higher utility in its internal GWOT. (Note: ODRP suggests more direct management of FMF to ensure GWOT-essential efforts are adequately resourced. End note.) --Counter Narcotics: Through ODRP, DOD provided $22 million in FY06 to enhance Pakistan's ability to control the Makran Coast against the flow of narcotics through southern Pakistan. In the process, Pakistan has enhanced its control of semi-governed territory and improved control of its southern borders. --International Military Education and Training (IMET): ODRP manages $2.04 million per year in IMET funds to increase the mil-mil bonds, and fill in a 11-year gap in relations due to sanctions. --Overseas Humanitarian Disaster Assistance and Civic Aid (OHDACA): ODRP manages a DOD pilot program of $800,000 as proof of a concept for providing assistance to FATA. This money supplements USAID's school construction projects throught the FATA. --Counter Terrorism Fellowship Program: Through ODRP, DOD provided $500,000 in CT fellowship funds to accentuate education in subjects of value to the GWOT. (U) Development Assistance (USAID) includes: ---School Construction and Furnishing: USAID provided $4.7 million to the Pakistani firm, Associates in Development, to construct 65 primary, middle, and high schools in 6 agencies in the FATA. One school is completed, 44 are underway in ISLAMABAD 00009585 004.2 OF 004 Khyber, Bajaur, Khurram, Mohmand, and Orakzai, and an additional 12 sites are being assessed and identified. Security considerations have delayed construction of 8 schools in North Waziristan. Sanitary and drinking water are being provided by the $800,000 DOD OHDACA grant mentioned above. The Embassy of Japan has agreed to construct an additional 65 schools in FATA using USAID's design. ---Scholarships for Pre-Service Teacher Education: 20 scholarships have been awarded to females from FATA to attend a one-year pre-service teacher education program in Khyber Agency. The Academy for Educational Development was awarded $200,000 to administer this program. --Water/Sanitation: In September 2005, USAID awarded $400,000 to UNICEF to implement a program to improve water and sanitation facilities in 190 girls' schools in Khyber and Mohmand Agencies. Activities are also underway to provide hygiene and sanitation education to community members and parent-teacher associations. USAID will also partner with the GOP to implement President Musharraf's Clean Drinking Water initiative in Bajaur, Mohmand, and Khurram. Under this program, GOP will construct water treatment plants and USAID will provide capacity building and training in plant and water-resource management and the promotion of hygiene practices. USAID expects to award a grant in June 2006 for this project, which we anticipate will begin in early 2007. --Microcredit: In September 2005, USAID provided $4 million to Khushalibank to establish stand-alone and mobile bank branches in all seven FATA Agencies. 50,000 loans and 1,000 small infrastructure schemes are to eventually be provided in the five-year program. --Child Health: USAID plans to implement a child-health program in FATA to focus on increasing the access and availability of child health services, improving the quality of health services, and increasing awareness and knowledge at the househlold level. USAID plans to award a grant in June 2006 for this project. (S) Other USG Assistance for FATA --Several other Agencies at Post also have projects related to FATA stability and GWOT. Details of programming and funding allocated may be reported via other channels. CROCKER