PRT ANBAR: ANBARIS HOST YET ANOTHER SUNNI-SHI'A

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 003522

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/22/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV IZ
SUBJECT: PRT ANBAR: ANBARIS HOST YET ANOTHER SUNNI-SHI'A
EVENT

REF: A) BAGHDAD 3366 B) BAGHDAD 3451

Classified By: PRT Team Leader James Soriano for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d
)


1. (U) This is a PRT Anbar/Karbala joint reporting cable.


2. (C) Summary: Anbar Governor Ma,amoun and Karbala Governor
Aqeel al-Kahazali met at the Ramadi residence of Sheikh Ahmed
Abu Risha, head of the Iraq Awakening Movement (SAI),on
October 20 along with 80 tribal sheikhs from their respective
provinces, to foster Sunni-Shi,a reconciliation. Earlier in
the day, Ma,amoun and Provincial Council Chairman Abdulsalam
Abdullah met with Aqeel and four Karbala Sheikhs in his
office in downtown Ramadi prior to adjourning to the plenary
session at Sheikh Ahmed,s residence. In their public
remarks at the plenary session, both Aqeel and Ma,amoun
discussed national unity. The Karbala sheikhs encouraged
Governor Aqeel to invite the Anbar sheikhs to Karbala in the
future. Governor Ma'amoun told us that his motivation for
holding the gathering in Anbar was to strengthen the
province,s tribal movement and the Anbar Tribal Awakening --
not necessarily the Iraqi Awakening Movement (SAI). End
Summary.

DISPLAYS OF UNITY
--------------


3. (C) Anbar Governor Ma,amoun and Karbala Governor Aqeel
met at the Ramadi residence of Sheikh Ahmed Abu Risha, head
of the SAI, on October 20 along with 80 tribal sheikhs from
their respective provinces to build Sunni-Shi,a
reconciliation. The four-hour meeting was originally planned
as a follow-up to the July meeting between the two governors
at REO Hillah, with the aim of giving structure to a proposed
joint coordinating committee, but Ma,amoun changed tack and
opted instead for a broader reconciliation meeting among the
tribal leaders. The event was the third such gathering of
Anbar and Karbala sheikhs in two weeks, this time organized
by the two Governors.

ONE IRAQ FROM BASRAH TO MOSUL
--------------


4. (C) Earlier in the day, Ma,amoun and Provincial Council
Chairman Abdulsalam Abdullah met with Aqeel and four Karbala
Sheikhs in his office in downtown Ramadi prior to adjourning
to the plenary session at Sheikh Ahmed,s residence.
Ma,amoun warmly welcomed his guests, emphasizing the strong
bond between Karbala and Anbar. The Karbala sheikhs replied,
"We are all interested in one Iraq from Basrah to Mosul. We
will support each other. We are all brothers."


5. (C) In their public remarks at the plenary session, both
Aqeel and Ma,amoun keyed on themes of national unity. Aqeel
warned against those who breed sectarianism. He also
described Karbala and Anbar as the main axis of Iraq,s
stability. Ma,amoun praised the role played by Anbari
tribal leaders in bringing stability to their province,
adding that the SAI is part of a larger movement. His
comment was noteworthy in that he drew a distinction between
the province,s "tribal awakening" in general, and the more
prominent role played by the SAI. Ma,amoun also thanked
Sheikh Ahmed for allowing the event to be held at the Abu
Risha compound, emphasizing Ahmed,s role as leader of the
Abu Risha tribe, not as the leader of SAI.

DIFFERENT ACCENT
--------------


6. (C) Two police officers guarding the plenary session told
a by-stander that Shi,a leaders have recently become a
common sight at Sheikh Ahmed,s house. One of them praised
the reconciliation efforts declaring: "We are one people --
we have one blood, one God and one prophet." The other
officer said that he rarely met people from Karbala
previously, commenting "I see they have a different accent,
but they border Anbar and do not live that far away. So it
is good if they visit us."


7. (C) Former Governor Sheikh Ali Kamona told Karbala Team
Leader that this was his first visit to Anbar and he is
impressed by the sincerity and welcome from the Anbar
sheikhs. In his words, all of the people were
"compassionate," but were waiting for the first step to be
taken. After he returned to Karbala, he was contacted by
many people including some political figures from Baghdad,
who said they wished they participated. After the group
returned to Karbala, the sheikhs encouraged Governor Aqeel to
invite the Anbar sheikhs to Karbala. Governor Aqeel
responded he has formally invited them. The sheikhs
expressed their willingness to host the next meeting. (Note:

BAGHDAD 00003522 002 OF 002


the Karbala sheikhs appear to want to establish a tribal
council and want to maintain communication with the Anbar
sheikhs. End Note.)

COMMENT
--------------


8. (C) Unlike the meeting in July, the timing and
organization of the meeting was the decision of the two
Governors. Governor Aqeel was privately effusive in his
thanks to BG Cardon and the PRT for their support. The event
was heavily covered in the local and national media. It was
Governor Ma,amoun,s decision to change the meeting,s
format from a working bi-lateral between provincial officials
to a broader Sunni-Shi'a reconciliation gathering, as well as
to ask Sheikh Ahmed to host the plenary session at his
residence. He told us that his motivation in doing so was to
strengthen Anbar,s tribal movement and the Anbar Tribal
Awakening -- not necessarily SAI itself, which he harbors
some skepticism. Both Ma,amoun and Sheikh Ahmed are in a
group of eight Anbari notables who will travel to the US to
participate in an International Visitors Program beginning in
Washington on Oct. 29. Seven of the eight IV delegates were
present at the meeting with the Karbala sheikhs.


9. (U) This cable was coordinated with PRT Karbala.
CROCKER