PRT/QALAT: GOVERNOR, CJTF-76 PUSH SHAJOY DISTRICT

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 04 KABUL 003264

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR SCA/FO DAS GASTRIGHT, SCA/A, S/CRS, SA/PB, S/CT,
EUR/RPM
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR AID/ANE, AID/DCHA/DG
NSC FOR AHARRIMAN
OSD FOR BREZINSKI
CENTCOM FOR CFC-A, CG CJTF-76, POLAD

E.O. 12958: DECL: 7/22/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER AF
SUBJECT: PRT/QALAT: GOVERNOR, CJTF-76 PUSH SHAJOY DISTRICT
MULLAHS AND ELDERS FOR COOPERATION IN RETURN FOR DETAINEE
RELEASE

Classified By: Acting Political Counselor Mary Townswick, for reasons 1
.4 (b),(d)


1. (C) Summary: At Governor Arman,s request, CJTF
commander MG Freakley met with mullahs and elders
from Shajoy district, an area which has become more
problematical in recent months. The ultimate
objective is the release of a BAF detainee, Mullah
Riais, in return for his allegiance to the GoA, plus
information and allegiance to the GoA from the Shajoy
mullahs and elders. End summary.

BACKGROUND
--------------


2. (C) Prior to the Sec Def visit on July 11, CJTF-
76 MG Freakley met with Zabul Governor Arman, who
proposed this meeting with mullahs and elders.
Several of them had met with President Karzai a few
weeks before when the Governor was in Kabul.
Although not a Provincial Security Assessment (PSA)
focus district, Shajoy has been a traditional route
for Taliban to cross from Pakistan (via Shamulzai)
across the Ring Road en route to Day Chopan.
However, since the spring, the situation there has
worsened, in part due to the Provincial and District
Chiefs of Police.


3. (U) There were 23 mullahs and elders from Shajoy
district at the meetings, representing several
tribes. In addition to Governor Arman, Provincial
Chief of Police General Nur Mohamed Paktin, NDS
Chief COL Shah Zada, and ANA kandak commander COL
Rasik attended, plus a few other provincial
officials. In addition to MG Freakley and his
staffers, TF Warrior commander and XO and PRT
commander and PRTOff attended.

Lack of Reliable Intel, Cultural Awareness,
Development; Detained Mullahs
--------------


4. (U) The meeting was somewhat scripted., Gov
Arman introduced the attendees, and told the mullahs
and elders he wanted them to have a better
understanding of the Coalition Forces (CF),and had
therefore arranged this face-to-face dialogue.


5. (U) After the Governor, three mullahs spoke,
expressing appreciation for this meeting. One
praised the Governor for working and consulting with
elders, and claimed that was why things were better
in Zabul now than in Helmand, Kandahar and Uruzgan
provinces. Another hoped that the CF would not make
a mistake that the Russians did, of searching homes
by themselves. However, he added, it was acceptable
if local elders accompanied the CF and entered the
homes first.


6. (U) A second concern of the mullahs and elders
was reliability of intelligence. One recommended
the CF contact the NDS, ANP, and ANA before
conducting any operations. Another noted that due
to tribal hostilities, people will falsely accuse
others of being Taliban (one Mullah Askif (sic),at

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Guantanamo, being an alleged example). Others felt
that foreign parties, including the Pakistani ISI,
were trying to cause friction between Afghanistan
and the CF. One commented that although
Afghanistan,s neighbors interfere, since the U.S. is
so far away from Afghanistan that actually
demonstrates that the U.S. has no ulterior motives.
Another claimed that most villagers do not support
the Taliban. However, CF (plus ANP and ANA) would
search an area where a Taliban attack or IED had
originated and arrest innocent villagers for having
been in proximity. The interlocutor offered no
recommendations as to how this issue should be
resolved.


7. (U) Another interlocutor stated that one cannot
tame, Afghans by fighting with them; one must
negotiate. He also noted that Americans do not know
much of Afghan culture; that is another reason they
should work through mullahs and elders.


8. (U) Other comments involved the lack of
development. One speaker opined there had been no
GoA benefit to Zabul for 52 years, until the past
year under Gov Arman, who he hoped would remain
here. Another speaker (head of a construction
consortium bidding for PRT projects) opined that
results of development had not met expectations and
complained of cancelled projects. He also said that
the education system was broken and that 60 percent
of Taliban recruits join because they need money;
thus, jobs are needed as an alternative.


9. (U) One claimed he knew of a mullah in
detention, who, although innocent, would be pro-GoA
if released. He further added that the elders would
vouch for him. Another noted several attendees
have family members in detention, some of whom are
in fact guilty. However, if released, they would
commit no further offenses, he said.

CJTF Response
--------------


10. (U) MG Freakley thanked the attendees for their
presence, reminding them that the GoA had requested
the CF to be here to help with security and
reconstruction, including education. He reminded
them that the CF are not at war with the Afghan
people, but rather those who would hurt the Afghan
people and the rest of the world.


11. (U) He then addressed the cultural sensitivity
issue, stating that it bothered him that his
soldiers were not respecting elders, or searching
homes without elders being present (which is against
CF SOPs). He wants his soldiers to respect the
elders, the mullahs, Islam, and Afghan customs. He
also promised to work more closely with the
Governor, ANA, ANP and NDS, reminding them that the
CF work "for," not "with" the Governor and GoA.


12. (U) Linking security and development, he
emphasized that the Governor and the CF both want a
better life for Afghans and want to carry out

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projects in small villages. However, security
concerns created limitations. MG Freakley offered
that if the elders would help provide security, then
the CF could execute more development projects. He
continued that, as soon as security permits, the UN
will open an office in Zabul, which he understands
will happen next month. The UN wants to also get
out to the villages, but will not send its staff out
to places where they may be beheaded (a reference to
the Indian telecom engineer who was kidnapped and
beheaded in Shajoy about two months previously).


13. (U) MG Freakley then got to the key point of
the meeting. He said there were two basic
alternatives for the enemy: Negotiate and build a
future for Afghanistan, or else be killed or
captured. While he preferred negotiation, he was
willing to use his power against the enemy.

Mulla Riais case
--------------


14. (C) Referring to Mullah Riais Abdul Ali, MG
Freakley stated the CF knew that he worked with
Mullah Allam to build IEDs and was implicated in the
kidnapping and beheading of the Indian engineer
several months ago. Some of the mullahs claimed
that these allegations were not true. However, they
all promised that if Riais were released, he would
meet with the Governor and promise to support the
GoA, and that they themselves would promise to keep
him loyal to the GoA.


15. (C) MG Freakley next asked for their promise to
help find Mullah Allam and Mullah Zarbai, and to
work with the NDS. One mullah present claimed they
did not know Zirbai, and that Allam is in Pakistan,
not Shajoy district, but that they would report IEDs
that they learned about.


16. (C) MG Freakley sweetened the pot a little by
offering to provide more humanitarian assistance
(even though Shajoy has received quite a bit already
from the CF). If the mullahs kept their promises,
then MG Freakley promised to try to release Riais to
them within the next 30 days. He also asked them
for a list of other possible detainees that they
were interested in.

Governor,s Wrap-Up
--------------


17. (U) Gov Arman wrapped up the meeting by
emphatically lecturing the attendees that it is
against Islam to oppose the Islamic Republic of
Afghanistan. Furthermore, he emphasized that true
Muslims would work with the GoA to improve
Afghanistan. He pointed out he was saying this in
front of the Americans present, who are helping to
rebuild Afghanistan, to demonstrate that the U.S. is
not anti-Islam.

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


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18. (U) By bringing MG Freakley to meet with the
elders, Governor Arman demonstrated both his desire
to work with local leaders, as well as his clout
with the CF. We hope the proposed bargain will work
out. If not, the Governor and the CF can at least
show that they made a good faith effort to work with
the mullahs and elders from Shajoy.


19. (U) This cable has been cleared with TF Warrior
and Qalat PRT commanders and CJTF-76.
NEUMANN