Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06KABUL1974
2006-05-02 13:51:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Kabul
Cable title:
PRT-SHARANA COMMUNICATIONS MEANS SECURITY -
how-toVZCZCXRO0860 OO RUEHDBU RUEHIK RUEHYG DE RUEHBUL #1974/01 1221351 ZNR UUUUU ZZH O 021351Z MAY 06 FM AMEMBASSY KABUL TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9953 INFO RUCNAFG/AFGHANISTAN COLLECTIVE RUCNIRA/IRAN COLLECTIVE RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC RUEKJCS/OSD WASHDC RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC//JF/UNMA// RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC//J3// RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL RUMICEA/JICCENT MACDILL AFB FL RHMFIUU/COMSOCCENT MACDILL AFB FL RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2493 RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 2675 RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 5903 RUEHUNV/USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA 1324
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KABUL 001974
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
RELEASABLE TO NATO/AUST/NZ/ISAF
STATE FOR SA/FO (AMB MQUINN),SA/A, S/CR, SA/PAB, S/CT,
EUR/RPM, EB/CIP
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR AID/ANE, AID/DCHA/DG
NSC FOR AHARRIMAN, KAMEND
OSD FOR BREZINSKI
CENTCOM FOR CG CFC-A, CG CJTF-76, POLAD
E.O. 12958 N/A
TAGS: PREL ECPS PGOV PTER TINT AF
SUBJECT: PRT-SHARANA COMMUNICATIONS MEANS SECURITY -
PAKTIKAS PLANNED COMMS BLITZ
KABUL 00001974 001.2 OF 002
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KABUL 001974
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
RELEASABLE TO NATO/AUST/NZ/ISAF
STATE FOR SA/FO (AMB MQUINN),SA/A, S/CR, SA/PAB, S/CT,
EUR/RPM, EB/CIP
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR AID/ANE, AID/DCHA/DG
NSC FOR AHARRIMAN, KAMEND
OSD FOR BREZINSKI
CENTCOM FOR CG CFC-A, CG CJTF-76, POLAD
E.O. 12958 N/A
TAGS: PREL ECPS PGOV PTER TINT AF
SUBJECT: PRT-SHARANA COMMUNICATIONS MEANS SECURITY -
PAKTIKAS PLANNED COMMS BLITZ
KABUL 00001974 001.2 OF 002
1.(SBU) SUMMARY: The Afghan government has begun
un
supplying telecom and Internet communications systems to
all of its provinces and districts. This fielding of
Chinese and Indian made equipment, funded by the World Bank
and USAID, is slowly coming to Paktika Province with the
arrival last year of the Provincial Communications Network
(PCN) in Sharana and District Communications Networks
(DCNs) in Orgun-e, Yaya Khel and Khair Khot Districts in
March 2006. Although only in operation since the middle of
March, the DCNs are proving to be very popular with a
public who, until now, have had little to no access to
reliable telecommunications or the internet. In order to
speed this much needed but slow to field program, PRT-
Sharana is funding and supervising the construction of
eight more district communications network buildings in
Paktika in 2006. This will speed the fielding of telephone
and internet communications to remote districts across
Paktika Province. The stabilization and security benefits
of having solid telecommunications and internet systems
throughout this frontier province, as soon as late summer
2006, are expected to be significant. END SUMMARY.
2.(SBU) A SMALL INVESTMENT MAY YIELD BIG SECURITY
RESULTS: Paktikas PRT Civil Affairs project team has
identified eight district communications network buildings
as projects to be funded in their spring and summer 2006
building season. The communications buildings, constructed
to Afghan government specifications, are simple, relatively
inexpensive affairs consisting of two small buildings. One
building is for the telecom and internet equipment, and the
other will house two small generators and fuel. The
districts that will receive PRT-built communications
centers are War Mamay, Tarwa, Gomal, Dila, Kushamond,
Yousef Khel, Omna and Waza Kwah. These districts are all
remote, and Tarwa, War Mamay and Gomal border the active
tribal areas of Pakistan.
3.(SBU) EQUIPMENT ON HAND, BUILDINGS NEEDED: The
he
equipment for the DCNs was purchased and received in Kabul
last year. With the communications equipment on hand and
ready for fielding, the delay in getting this much needed
communications to the public and, perhaps more
significantly, to the Afghan Security Forces has been the
ability of the Afghan government to fund and supervise the
building of DCN buildings in the districts. Afghan
government plans called for the establishment of only three
DCNs in Paktika in 2006. PRT-Sharana, recognizing the
security as well as stability benefits of connecting
Afghanistans remote and often volatile districts to the
rest of Afghanistan and thus the rest of the world, has now
agreed to build an additional eight DCN buildings in 2006.
4.(SBU) COMMENT: In the remote and underdeveloped
province of Paktika, government and public access to
reliable phone and internet service is a huge step forward.
While the Afghan security forces are expected to
significantly benefit from the reliable communications that
t
will come to the districts with the District Communications
Networks, the reach of the Afghan government is also
expected to be extended by these communication systems. If
the heavy use and popularity of the DCNs demonstrated in
KABUL 00001974 002.2 OF 002
the new center in Orgun-e is any indicator, the DCNs will
prove popular with the public and will help to demonstrate
the strength and reach of the Karzai government even into
the most remote of Paktikas districts. The PRTs
assistance with DCN buildings will speed, by a matter of
years, the fielding of DCNs throughout Paktika. This is an
idea that may be worth looking into in other areas of
Afghanistan with significant security concerns and
communications difficulties. END COMMENT.
5.(U) Dushanbe minimize considered.
NEUMANN
NN
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
RELEASABLE TO NATO/AUST/NZ/ISAF
STATE FOR SA/FO (AMB MQUINN),SA/A, S/CR, SA/PAB, S/CT,
EUR/RPM, EB/CIP
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR AID/ANE, AID/DCHA/DG
NSC FOR AHARRIMAN, KAMEND
OSD FOR BREZINSKI
CENTCOM FOR CG CFC-A, CG CJTF-76, POLAD
E.O. 12958 N/A
TAGS: PREL ECPS PGOV PTER TINT AF
SUBJECT: PRT-SHARANA COMMUNICATIONS MEANS SECURITY -
PAKTIKAS PLANNED COMMS BLITZ
KABUL 00001974 001.2 OF 002
1.(SBU) SUMMARY: The Afghan government has begun
un
supplying telecom and Internet communications systems to
all of its provinces and districts. This fielding of
Chinese and Indian made equipment, funded by the World Bank
and USAID, is slowly coming to Paktika Province with the
arrival last year of the Provincial Communications Network
(PCN) in Sharana and District Communications Networks
(DCNs) in Orgun-e, Yaya Khel and Khair Khot Districts in
March 2006. Although only in operation since the middle of
March, the DCNs are proving to be very popular with a
public who, until now, have had little to no access to
reliable telecommunications or the internet. In order to
speed this much needed but slow to field program, PRT-
Sharana is funding and supervising the construction of
eight more district communications network buildings in
Paktika in 2006. This will speed the fielding of telephone
and internet communications to remote districts across
Paktika Province. The stabilization and security benefits
of having solid telecommunications and internet systems
throughout this frontier province, as soon as late summer
2006, are expected to be significant. END SUMMARY.
2.(SBU) A SMALL INVESTMENT MAY YIELD BIG SECURITY
RESULTS: Paktikas PRT Civil Affairs project team has
identified eight district communications network buildings
as projects to be funded in their spring and summer 2006
building season. The communications buildings, constructed
to Afghan government specifications, are simple, relatively
inexpensive affairs consisting of two small buildings. One
building is for the telecom and internet equipment, and the
other will house two small generators and fuel. The
districts that will receive PRT-built communications
centers are War Mamay, Tarwa, Gomal, Dila, Kushamond,
Yousef Khel, Omna and Waza Kwah. These districts are all
remote, and Tarwa, War Mamay and Gomal border the active
tribal areas of Pakistan.
3.(SBU) EQUIPMENT ON HAND, BUILDINGS NEEDED: The
he
equipment for the DCNs was purchased and received in Kabul
last year. With the communications equipment on hand and
ready for fielding, the delay in getting this much needed
communications to the public and, perhaps more
significantly, to the Afghan Security Forces has been the
ability of the Afghan government to fund and supervise the
building of DCN buildings in the districts. Afghan
government plans called for the establishment of only three
DCNs in Paktika in 2006. PRT-Sharana, recognizing the
security as well as stability benefits of connecting
Afghanistans remote and often volatile districts to the
rest of Afghanistan and thus the rest of the world, has now
agreed to build an additional eight DCN buildings in 2006.
4.(SBU) COMMENT: In the remote and underdeveloped
province of Paktika, government and public access to
reliable phone and internet service is a huge step forward.
While the Afghan security forces are expected to
significantly benefit from the reliable communications that
t
will come to the districts with the District Communications
Networks, the reach of the Afghan government is also
expected to be extended by these communication systems. If
the heavy use and popularity of the DCNs demonstrated in
KABUL 00001974 002.2 OF 002
the new center in Orgun-e is any indicator, the DCNs will
prove popular with the public and will help to demonstrate
the strength and reach of the Karzai government even into
the most remote of Paktikas districts. The PRTs
assistance with DCN buildings will speed, by a matter of
years, the fielding of DCNs throughout Paktika. This is an
idea that may be worth looking into in other areas of
Afghanistan with significant security concerns and
communications difficulties. END COMMENT.
5.(U) Dushanbe minimize considered.
NEUMANN
NN