Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06PRAGUE97
2006-01-27 17:57:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Prague
how-toVZCZCXRO2497 PP RUEHIK DE RUEHPG #0097/01 0271757 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 271757Z JAN 06 FM AMEMBASSY PRAGUE TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6890 INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD 0060 RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PRAGUE 000097
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL KDEM IZ EZ
SUBJECT: CZECH DEMOCRACY PROMOTION: IRAQ
REF: A. PRAGUE 58
B. PRAGUE 66
C. PRAGUE 68
D. PRAGUE 85
E. 2005 PRAGUE 1614
PRAGUE 00000097 001.2 OF 002
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PRAGUE 000097
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL KDEM IZ EZ
SUBJECT: CZECH DEMOCRACY PROMOTION: IRAQ
REF: A. PRAGUE 58
B. PRAGUE 66
C. PRAGUE 68
D. PRAGUE 85
E. 2005 PRAGUE 1614
PRAGUE 00000097 001.2 OF 002
1. (U) Summary and comment. This cable, the fifth in a series
highlighting Czech transformational diplomacy, describes
Czech democracy promotion projects in Iraq. These projects
are motivated by the Czech interest in rebuilding Iraq, and
promoting democracy and regional stability throughout the
Middle East. To achieve these goals, the Czechs have promoted
democracy by providing capacity building training to Iraqi
journalists, NGOs, and civil servants. Though not the subject
of this cable, the Czechs have also strongly supported U.S.
policy in Iraq, committed medical teams as a member of the
Coalition, and provided humanitarian aid, such as bringing
Iraqi children with terminal heart disease to Prague for
surgery. For details of Czech democracy promotion projects in
Cuba, Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova, Burma, and North Korea, see
refs A-D. End summary and comment.
2. (U) Poloff recently discussed Czech democracy promotion in
Iraq with Gabriela Dlouha, Director of Czech MFA's
Transformation Cooperation Unit (TRANS),and separately with
representatives of TRANS' NGO partner, People in Need (PIN),
including Igor Blazevic, Director, and Megan King.
--------------
Democracy & Transition Center
--------------
3. (U) As with other Czech democracy promotion initiatives
around the world, Czech NGO People in Need (PIN) is the
primary service provider in Iraq. Since 2003, PIN has spent
more than $5 million on humanitarian aid and democracy
promotion programs there.
4. (U) With respect to the latter, PIN established the
Democracy and Transition Center in 2005 to provide capacity
building training to members of the Iraqi civil society. As
described below, PIN is currently providing training for
Iraqi journalists and NGOs, and is assessing the possibility
of expanding training programs for other sectors of Iraqi
civil society. For security reasons, the Center is located in
Jordan, and is staffed by PIN workers from the Czech
Republic. However, participants for the program are selected
in Iraq by Iraqis trained by, and well-known to, PIN.
5. (U) The PIN selection process for NGOs and journalists is
unique. The challenge is to select Iraqis who are committed
to rebuilding their country, not "training tourists," i.e.,
Iraqis who want to go to Jordan to enjoy the improved
security, plush hotel accommodations, meals, per diem, and
cell phones offered by some training programs. Indeed,
according to PIN, these "tourists" often move from one NGO
training program to another to stay in Jordan as long as
possible. To screen such people out, PIN informs prospective
participants they will stay in simple accommodations, they
will share their room, they will not be paid a per diem (and
indeed may never make much money as a journalist or NGO),and
they will not receive a cell phone or other equipment. If the
prospect still wants to participate, he/she must continue to
prove his/her commitment during the training to stay in
program.
6. (U) The Czech MFA (and now TRANS),is the primary source
of funding for the Center and its training programs: $487,500
is budgeted for 2006. PIN has also received funding from NED.
(PIN expressed gratitude for the "crucial role" NED played in
developing PIN's capabilities over the past five years.) PIN
also sought funding from USAID/Baghdad in Fall 2005, but was
informed there were no funds available for PIN projects.
--------------
Journalism Program
--------------
7. (U) PIN's first initiative for Iraq was a program to train
Iraqis to become journalists (ref E). The former Czech
dissident, Jan Urban, and an Iraqi journalist with Radio Free
Europe experience, Sami Alkjora, traveled to Jordan to teach
participants the philosophy of independent and objective
reporting. Thirty journalists graduated in 2005.
8. (U) The next step for the graduates is to gain practical
experience. After training, PIN places them as interns with
Iraqi publications. The graduates write articles using the
methods taught by the Center, and then submit them for
publication. PIN pays the graduates if their articles are
published. So far, 485 articles have been published as part
PRAGUE 00000097 002.2 OF 002
of this program. According to PIN, 14 of the graduates are
serious about pursuing journalism as a profession, and will
return to Jordan for follow-up training in February 2006.
--------------
NGO Program
--------------
9. (U) The goal of PIN's NGO training program is to foster
the creation of new Iraqi NGOs, and teach advanced management
skills to existing NGOs. After Iraqis are selected for the
program and trained in Jordan (in groups of 7-10),they
return to Iraq to develop and administer their own projects.
In the case of start-up NGOs, PIN provides micro-grants,
roughly $2,000, for these projects. Although the projects are
tiny, each NGO is required to fully account for the funds,
and to prepare the paperwork required by a typical
international donor, so that the NGOs learn how to
professionally manage a larger aid project from start to
finish. The most successful NGOs return to Jordan for
follow-up training. To date, 85 people have been trained as
part of this program.
10. (U) Examples of successful micro-grant projects include:
-- DEMOCRACY PROJECT: one NGO trained a theater troupe to
travel around the country presenting "plays" about the new
Iraqi Constitution to the community. According to PIN, this
project provided Iraqis with a "safe" forum in which to
discuss sensitive political issues.
-- HUMAN RIGHTS PROJECT: another NGO developed a photography
course for IRAQI children intended to help them understand
their human rights.
11. (U) In addition to training NGOs, PIN will conduct a
"train-the-trainer" course in June 2006 to further accelerate
the creation of new Iraqi NGOs.
--------------
Civil Society Training
--------------
12. (U) PIN is assessing whether it is possible to provide
capacity-building training similar to that conducted with
Belarusian civil society (refs A, C). Such training typically
involves a cross-disciplinary group composed of a mayor, a
PIN-trained NGO, a civil servant, and a president of a
teaching union. The group works on projects designed to help
them network effectively across sectors on local
governance-related issues. PIN said it applied for an NED
grant, and hopes to provide training in July and Fall 2006.
13. (U) In addition, Prague City Hall funded a project (the
cost was approximately $43,000) to bring nine Iraqi urban
planners to Prague in January 2006 for four weeks of city
planning training. According to local news reports of the
visit, the Iraqi planners said they came to Prague to learn
how to plan new development, such as shopping districts,
while preserving their culture, as the Czechs have done in
Prague. Nisan Jazairi, a Czech-Iraqi who runs a development
company in Baghdad, and is son of Iraq's former culture
minister, helped arrange the visit. He said the Czechs want
to help the Iraqis create a "recipe book" for a functional
city plan.
DODMAN
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL KDEM IZ EZ
SUBJECT: CZECH DEMOCRACY PROMOTION: IRAQ
REF: A. PRAGUE 58
B. PRAGUE 66
C. PRAGUE 68
D. PRAGUE 85
E. 2005 PRAGUE 1614
PRAGUE 00000097 001.2 OF 002
1. (U) Summary and comment. This cable, the fifth in a series
highlighting Czech transformational diplomacy, describes
Czech democracy promotion projects in Iraq. These projects
are motivated by the Czech interest in rebuilding Iraq, and
promoting democracy and regional stability throughout the
Middle East. To achieve these goals, the Czechs have promoted
democracy by providing capacity building training to Iraqi
journalists, NGOs, and civil servants. Though not the subject
of this cable, the Czechs have also strongly supported U.S.
policy in Iraq, committed medical teams as a member of the
Coalition, and provided humanitarian aid, such as bringing
Iraqi children with terminal heart disease to Prague for
surgery. For details of Czech democracy promotion projects in
Cuba, Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova, Burma, and North Korea, see
refs A-D. End summary and comment.
2. (U) Poloff recently discussed Czech democracy promotion in
Iraq with Gabriela Dlouha, Director of Czech MFA's
Transformation Cooperation Unit (TRANS),and separately with
representatives of TRANS' NGO partner, People in Need (PIN),
including Igor Blazevic, Director, and Megan King.
--------------
Democracy & Transition Center
--------------
3. (U) As with other Czech democracy promotion initiatives
around the world, Czech NGO People in Need (PIN) is the
primary service provider in Iraq. Since 2003, PIN has spent
more than $5 million on humanitarian aid and democracy
promotion programs there.
4. (U) With respect to the latter, PIN established the
Democracy and Transition Center in 2005 to provide capacity
building training to members of the Iraqi civil society. As
described below, PIN is currently providing training for
Iraqi journalists and NGOs, and is assessing the possibility
of expanding training programs for other sectors of Iraqi
civil society. For security reasons, the Center is located in
Jordan, and is staffed by PIN workers from the Czech
Republic. However, participants for the program are selected
in Iraq by Iraqis trained by, and well-known to, PIN.
5. (U) The PIN selection process for NGOs and journalists is
unique. The challenge is to select Iraqis who are committed
to rebuilding their country, not "training tourists," i.e.,
Iraqis who want to go to Jordan to enjoy the improved
security, plush hotel accommodations, meals, per diem, and
cell phones offered by some training programs. Indeed,
according to PIN, these "tourists" often move from one NGO
training program to another to stay in Jordan as long as
possible. To screen such people out, PIN informs prospective
participants they will stay in simple accommodations, they
will share their room, they will not be paid a per diem (and
indeed may never make much money as a journalist or NGO),and
they will not receive a cell phone or other equipment. If the
prospect still wants to participate, he/she must continue to
prove his/her commitment during the training to stay in
program.
6. (U) The Czech MFA (and now TRANS),is the primary source
of funding for the Center and its training programs: $487,500
is budgeted for 2006. PIN has also received funding from NED.
(PIN expressed gratitude for the "crucial role" NED played in
developing PIN's capabilities over the past five years.) PIN
also sought funding from USAID/Baghdad in Fall 2005, but was
informed there were no funds available for PIN projects.
--------------
Journalism Program
--------------
7. (U) PIN's first initiative for Iraq was a program to train
Iraqis to become journalists (ref E). The former Czech
dissident, Jan Urban, and an Iraqi journalist with Radio Free
Europe experience, Sami Alkjora, traveled to Jordan to teach
participants the philosophy of independent and objective
reporting. Thirty journalists graduated in 2005.
8. (U) The next step for the graduates is to gain practical
experience. After training, PIN places them as interns with
Iraqi publications. The graduates write articles using the
methods taught by the Center, and then submit them for
publication. PIN pays the graduates if their articles are
published. So far, 485 articles have been published as part
PRAGUE 00000097 002.2 OF 002
of this program. According to PIN, 14 of the graduates are
serious about pursuing journalism as a profession, and will
return to Jordan for follow-up training in February 2006.
--------------
NGO Program
--------------
9. (U) The goal of PIN's NGO training program is to foster
the creation of new Iraqi NGOs, and teach advanced management
skills to existing NGOs. After Iraqis are selected for the
program and trained in Jordan (in groups of 7-10),they
return to Iraq to develop and administer their own projects.
In the case of start-up NGOs, PIN provides micro-grants,
roughly $2,000, for these projects. Although the projects are
tiny, each NGO is required to fully account for the funds,
and to prepare the paperwork required by a typical
international donor, so that the NGOs learn how to
professionally manage a larger aid project from start to
finish. The most successful NGOs return to Jordan for
follow-up training. To date, 85 people have been trained as
part of this program.
10. (U) Examples of successful micro-grant projects include:
-- DEMOCRACY PROJECT: one NGO trained a theater troupe to
travel around the country presenting "plays" about the new
Iraqi Constitution to the community. According to PIN, this
project provided Iraqis with a "safe" forum in which to
discuss sensitive political issues.
-- HUMAN RIGHTS PROJECT: another NGO developed a photography
course for IRAQI children intended to help them understand
their human rights.
11. (U) In addition to training NGOs, PIN will conduct a
"train-the-trainer" course in June 2006 to further accelerate
the creation of new Iraqi NGOs.
--------------
Civil Society Training
--------------
12. (U) PIN is assessing whether it is possible to provide
capacity-building training similar to that conducted with
Belarusian civil society (refs A, C). Such training typically
involves a cross-disciplinary group composed of a mayor, a
PIN-trained NGO, a civil servant, and a president of a
teaching union. The group works on projects designed to help
them network effectively across sectors on local
governance-related issues. PIN said it applied for an NED
grant, and hopes to provide training in July and Fall 2006.
13. (U) In addition, Prague City Hall funded a project (the
cost was approximately $43,000) to bring nine Iraqi urban
planners to Prague in January 2006 for four weeks of city
planning training. According to local news reports of the
visit, the Iraqi planners said they came to Prague to learn
how to plan new development, such as shopping districts,
while preserving their culture, as the Czechs have done in
Prague. Nisan Jazairi, a Czech-Iraqi who runs a development
company in Baghdad, and is son of Iraq's former culture
minister, helped arrange the visit. He said the Czechs want
to help the Iraqis create a "recipe book" for a functional
city plan.
DODMAN