KOREAN RALLY UPDATE, THURSDAY 08-03-2006

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 KABUL 003479 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: 08/02/2016 TAGS: CASC PGOV PHUM PREL PTER AF KS SUBJECT: KOREAN RALLY UPDATE, THURSDAY 08-03-2006 REF: A) KABUL 3320 B) KABUL 3455 C) KABUL 3456 D) STATE 125681 Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Richard Norland, for reasons 1.4 b, d. ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: President Karzai has ordered the "protection" of the estimated 1,200 ethnic Koreans in Afghanistan as part of the Institution of Asian Culture and Development,s (IACD) and Millennium Pacific Icon (MPIG) groups' planned August 5-7 peace rallies (reftels). According to Gen. Akhbar of the MOI, the President has ordered the police to prevent additional Koreans from entering the country and also to keep those already inside Afghanistan from moving to Kabul. Large groups of Koreans have already been reported in Mazar-i-Sharif, Herat, Kandahar, Bamyan, and Kabul. The MOI reports that Koreans already in Kabul are being restricted to their rented homes and only allowed out in small groups for their own safety. The MOI and NDS have created a plan to address potential problems this weekend including demonstrations, IEDs, and other violence. The IACD Representative Mr. Kang reports that 20-30 Korean children are ill and that there are some children in Herat but their parents are in Kabul. End summary. RESTRICTION OF MOVEMENTS -------------- 2.(C) POLoff received a call from IACD representative Mr. Min (a confirmed AmCit) last night, Aug 2, who reported that approximately 180 participants had been restricted to a guest house last night; three of them are confirmed AmCits. Mr. Min also complained that the house only has room for approximately 75 persons and asked for assistance in splitting the group between two homes. POLOff advised Mr. Min to avoid the house as he may be detained as well and that negotiations for transfer would be unlikely until morning. Today the MOI passed us the passport numbers of all of the persons in the house. As all but three were Korean citizens we have passed the list on to the Korean Embassy in Kabul. ¶3. (C) Mr. Min also said that a bus containing 50 children was stopped outside of Kabul on its way from Mazar-i-Sharif. The bus allegedly had three to five Americans on board and was being prevented from entering until morning by the ANP. POLOff contacted the National Police Command Center and asked for assistance in allowing the bus to enter Kabul and travel to one of the vacant guest houses already reserved by the Korean group. We later heard that the bus was released and had been met by members of the group. We received another call regarding the children this morning and were requested to provide medical assistance. We have asked for a list of nationalities so that we are able to provide assistance to AmCits as needed and coordinate with other embassies to provide assistance to their citizens. ¶4. (C) This morning, Aug 3, Mr. Kang, a Korean citizen from IACD, called saying that all of the Koreans in Kabul had been restricted to their guest houses and that they were not being allowed to KABUL 00003479 002 OF 003 leave. He also said that they were to be deported today. POLOff contacted Gen. Akhbar at the MOI and was told that this was not the case. Participants were to be partially restricted to their accommodations for security reasons. Under the terms of their tourist visas, they would be allowed to travel in small groups of five or less to get food and water as well as to undertake "tourist" activities. Akhbar also said that those carrying American passports would not be allowed out with the group because of security concerns. Kabul requested guidance from CA on whether or not the Embassy should protest to the GoA this singling out of Americans. CA responded saying that if there is a legitimate threat against the Americans and the actions taken are for their protection, then no demarche to the GoA is warranted. Post believes safety concerns warrant ensuring that these AmCits remain indoors. ¶5. (SBU) The Vice Consul and POLoff have been in contact with a group of three American passport holders in Kabul. One of the members notified us that his son was en route from Bamyan to Kabul with a group of 50-80 Americans. We later received word from the MOI that the bus had been turned back by the police and that the Americans would be returned to their hotel in Bamyan. Vice Consul contacted PRTOff in Bamyan and asked her to meet the group to provide information on departing Afghanistan and USG assistance. We are encouraging all American citizens associated with the groups to leave Afghanistan and are offering assistance in making the appropriate arrangements. Once they are in Kabul, Consular Officers from the Embassy also plan to meet with them. THE MOI PLAN -------------- ¶6. (C) The MOI has developed a plan to try to address potential incidents this weekend. Translation is still underway but a preliminary look has yielded some information. The plan has identified the following threats: attacks against GOA officials and buildings, suicide bombings, IEDs, rockets, and/or demonstrations. The ministry intends to use surveillance, traffic restrictions, and an increased police presence to prevent and respond to incidents this weekend. The plan details that 150 officers will be available at police HQ and 20-30 at each police station. Additional officers will also be provided: 250 from police reserves, 100 from the border police, 250 from poppy eradication teams, 50 from the counternarcotics force, and 40 from the highway police. The plan also stresses coordination between the MOI, MOD, NDS, ISAF, and UNAMA. The ANP will serve as the first line of defense to be supported by the ANA and ISAF if they fail. Special attention has been given to providing extra resources to Kabul Stadium, crowded areas, and areas in which there are high concentrations of Korean group members. The Head of the MOI Crime Branch has also been tasked to have provincial security officials collect information on where the participant's visas were issued and their point of entry to facilitate their departure. The government has also had frequent contact with the Ministry of Religious Affairs and the Hajj to deliver pro- KABUL 00003479 003 OF 003 government messages at Friday prayers. Lastly, the MOI is deploying fire trucks and ambulances as well as securing hospital beds in local hospitals. NDS PREPARATIONS -------------- ¶7. (C) DCM on Aug 3 met with NDS Chief Amarullah Saleh to reinforce ref (D) demarche urging the GOA to develop a robust security contingency plan. Saleh indicated that the GOA,s strategy is focused on actions to prevent Korean demonstrations that would likely prompt violent public reaction, but he said measures were also being put into effect (along the lines of para 6 above) to respond with an effective security presence if needed. He affirmed the IED threat noted by MOI as described above. Saleh said that the Koreans were attempting to lease two aircraft from Dubai to bring more demonstrators to Kabul; these planes would either be turned around or the passengers detained and deported upon arrival at Kabul airport. Saleh criticized the Afghan MFA for failing to heed his advice to stop issuing visas to the Koreans two weeks ago. He said if the Koreans try to carry out demonstrations, they will be moved to a "guest house" in a "remote" part of Kabul. At DCM,s request, he agreed to instruct security forces to pass names and passport numbers of AmCits to the Embassy, paying particular regard to individuals who appeared to be in need of medical assistance. AMERICAN CITIZEN INVOLVEMENT AND WELFARE -------------- ¶8. (SBU) From the beginning, the U.S. Embassy received information that a number of Amcits, of Korean descent and otherwise, planned to join the events, but we had not been contacted directly by any Amcits or received any confirmed names or passport numbers. On August 3, Cons Asst called the Consul to say he received a phone call from an Amcit who was part of this group. The Vice Consul called the Amcit back to inquire into his situation. The Amcit -- Paul Kim, PPT 218191910 - was in a guest house with two other Amcits -- Kristin Han, PPT 095152199 and Agnes Han, PPT 301402112. Mr. Kim said he has been in Afghanistan for one week doing "volunteer and peace work." He said he and the others were brought by the GoA to Kabul from Kandahar by bus and were being confined to the guest house. PolOff, ConOff, and ConsAsst will go to the guest house to meet with the three Amcits this evening (details to follow septel). NEUMANN