Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06MOSUL58
2006-05-31 08:20:00
UNCLASSIFIED
REO Mosul
Cable title:
NINEWA PRT: PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT REACHES OUT TO ITS
how-toVZCZCXRO2501 PP RUEHBC RUEHDA RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHKUK DE RUEHMOS #0058 1510820 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 310820Z MAY 06 FM REO MOSUL TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0497 INFO RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE RHMFIUU/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL RHMFIUU/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE RUEHLU/AMEMBASSY LUANDA 0087 RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 0074 RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 0070 RUEHMOS/REO MOSUL 0516
UNCLAS MOSUL 000058
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PINS PINT PGOV PHUM IZ MARR
SUBJECT: NINEWA PRT: PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT REACHES OUT TO ITS
CONSTITUENTS
-------
SUMMARY
-------
UNCLAS MOSUL 000058
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PINS PINT PGOV PHUM IZ MARR
SUBJECT: NINEWA PRT: PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT REACHES OUT TO ITS
CONSTITUENTS
--------------
SUMMARY
--------------
1. In an effort to bring the provincial government into closer
contact with district constituents, PRT Ninewa and MNF-N have
provided logistical support for the Ninewa provincial council to
conduct a series of outreach events throughout Ninewa province.
The provincial leadership held town meetings in Sinjar,
Quyarrah, Tal Afar, Makhmour and Telkaif during April and May.
Turnout has been high, with crowds of approximately 130 persons
at each event. The impetus for the outreach events came from a
meeting provincial government officials had with MNF-N and the
PRT in March, where Governor Duraid Kashmoula said he and his
colleagues wanted to visit more remote parts of the province but
did not have the means to do so. The "town hall"-style meetings
allowed mayors, tribal leaders, and city and district councils a
chance to meet provincial officials from Mosul and discuss
issues affecting their areas and how the provincial government
could help. Overall, provincial government and PRT
representatives believe the events have been a rousing success:
they have focused provincial and district leaders alike on
concrete tasks and challenges. End Summary.
--------------
DISTRICT OUTREACH EVENTS DEEMED A SUCCESS
--------------
2. Provincial government district outreach events were open to
the public. Topics of discussion ranged from national issues,
such as security and stability, to those affecting local
officials and their constituents, such as aid to farmers.
Inevitably, security was the headline issue, with district
officials and constituents expressing concern about terrorism
and the need for better protection from Iraqi Security Forces
(ISF). Services (especially clean water, garbage collection,
and electricity) were also high priorities, with agricultural
areas concerned about having enough fuel, for instance, to do
their work. Local issues were also discussed, such as the need
for a sewage system in Telkaif District. Provincial Council
Chair Salem Hajj Issa and Vice Governor Khasro Goran attended
all outreach events. Governor Duraid Kashmoula attended the
events up to May 14 when he left Iraq for hip surgery in Turkey.
Provincial leaders spoke effectively about the need to address
issues and to work for improvement of all segments of society in
Ninewa regardless of religious or ethic background.
--------------
COMMENT
--------------
3. The willingness of provincial officials to engage in outreach
events in areas outside Mosul indicates a growing awareness of
their need to have a more responsive and transparent government
if they want to be considered legitimate by the citizens of
Ninewa. Given the Kurdish domination of the provincial
government (the Governor, Vice Governor, Council Speaker and 31
of 41 Council members represent the Kurdish list) there is a
natural skepticism among the population that the interests of
Shias, Sunnis, Christians and other minorities are not of
concern to the government. The effort of the government leaders
to reach out to these groups and to listen to their concerns is
a first step toward overcoming this skepticism and demonstrating
that the provincial government is genuinely concerned about all
the residents of the province no matter their religion, tribe or
ethnic group.
MUNTER
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PINS PINT PGOV PHUM IZ MARR
SUBJECT: NINEWA PRT: PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT REACHES OUT TO ITS
CONSTITUENTS
--------------
SUMMARY
--------------
1. In an effort to bring the provincial government into closer
contact with district constituents, PRT Ninewa and MNF-N have
provided logistical support for the Ninewa provincial council to
conduct a series of outreach events throughout Ninewa province.
The provincial leadership held town meetings in Sinjar,
Quyarrah, Tal Afar, Makhmour and Telkaif during April and May.
Turnout has been high, with crowds of approximately 130 persons
at each event. The impetus for the outreach events came from a
meeting provincial government officials had with MNF-N and the
PRT in March, where Governor Duraid Kashmoula said he and his
colleagues wanted to visit more remote parts of the province but
did not have the means to do so. The "town hall"-style meetings
allowed mayors, tribal leaders, and city and district councils a
chance to meet provincial officials from Mosul and discuss
issues affecting their areas and how the provincial government
could help. Overall, provincial government and PRT
representatives believe the events have been a rousing success:
they have focused provincial and district leaders alike on
concrete tasks and challenges. End Summary.
--------------
DISTRICT OUTREACH EVENTS DEEMED A SUCCESS
--------------
2. Provincial government district outreach events were open to
the public. Topics of discussion ranged from national issues,
such as security and stability, to those affecting local
officials and their constituents, such as aid to farmers.
Inevitably, security was the headline issue, with district
officials and constituents expressing concern about terrorism
and the need for better protection from Iraqi Security Forces
(ISF). Services (especially clean water, garbage collection,
and electricity) were also high priorities, with agricultural
areas concerned about having enough fuel, for instance, to do
their work. Local issues were also discussed, such as the need
for a sewage system in Telkaif District. Provincial Council
Chair Salem Hajj Issa and Vice Governor Khasro Goran attended
all outreach events. Governor Duraid Kashmoula attended the
events up to May 14 when he left Iraq for hip surgery in Turkey.
Provincial leaders spoke effectively about the need to address
issues and to work for improvement of all segments of society in
Ninewa regardless of religious or ethic background.
--------------
COMMENT
--------------
3. The willingness of provincial officials to engage in outreach
events in areas outside Mosul indicates a growing awareness of
their need to have a more responsive and transparent government
if they want to be considered legitimate by the citizens of
Ninewa. Given the Kurdish domination of the provincial
government (the Governor, Vice Governor, Council Speaker and 31
of 41 Council members represent the Kurdish list) there is a
natural skepticism among the population that the interests of
Shias, Sunnis, Christians and other minorities are not of
concern to the government. The effort of the government leaders
to reach out to these groups and to listen to their concerns is
a first step toward overcoming this skepticism and demonstrating
that the provincial government is genuinely concerned about all
the residents of the province no matter their religion, tribe or
ethnic group.
MUNTER