PRESIDENT TALABANI HOSTS 750 BAGHDAD TRIBAL

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 004088 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/16/2027 TAGS: PREL PGOV IZ SUBJECT: PRESIDENT TALABANI HOSTS 750 BAGHDAD TRIBAL SHEIKHS, ATTENDED BY CG AND CHARGE, ORGANIZED BY IRAQI ISLAMIC PARTY Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Patricia A. Butenis for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (S) On December 13, President Jalal Talabani hosted at his Baghdad compound 750 Baghdad sheikhs (Sunni and Shia) along with Vice President Hashimi, Interior Minister Bolani, Parliament Defense Committee Member al-Samaraie, General Petraeus, the Charge, the UK Ambassador, and other distinguished guests. The media-intense event, organized by the Iraqi Islamic Party on behalf of Vice President Hashimi, highlighted the role of tribal awakenings in the current political process and provided a venue to publicize their demands for continued participation. President Talabani, VP Hashimi, MOI Bolani, the CG, and the Charge gave speeches welcoming recent security gains, recognizing the importance of tribal cooperation, and calling for further improvements in governmental service delivery and security. PM Maliki, NSA Rubaie, and Defense Minister al-Mufragi did not attend the event. At the conclusion of speeches, a spokesman for the Sheikhs (under the banner of the "Independent Tribal National Assembly") addressed a list of eight "demands" to the government and Coalition (text below at paragraph three), focusing heavily on jobs, detainee releases, and amnesty for former military/security elements. A panel led by the President and Vice President provided an opportunity for attendees to air individual grievances and pose specific questions. ¶2. (S) Comment: This hastily-organized event underscored the growing national-level attention being focused on tribal organization and the role sheikhs are playing to ensure continued stability and effective governmental service delivery. The Iraqi Islamic Party is devoting considerable time and energy to organize similar events in and around Baghdad, hoping to strengthen its popular support base during its exile from the Maliki government (even as it tries to negotiate its way back in). This gathering, no doubt, was intended to highlight the IIP's ability to muster grass roots support as well as its ability to link local neighborhood leaders to the national government. No doubt such events make PM Maliki and the Shia leadership uncomfortable, even though Interior Minister Bolani (the only Shia GOI representative at the event) showed no visible signs of disquietude and the overall reaction to his remarks was polite. End comment. ¶3. (SBU) List of demands from the "Independent Tribal National Assembly": Begin text (Embassy translation from Arabic): The tribes are the crucible of the Iraqi people and the substance of Islam. They are the basis of unity and the source of genuineness and fulfillment of pledges. The genuine Iraqi tribes played an effective role in establishing security and fighting terrorism after years of lack of security, killings, and displacement. Today, our neighborhoods are witnessing stable security thanks to Allah the Almighty and the efforts of our sons and the sacrifices of our tribes. The sons of the tribes started enlisting in security agencies in their neighborhoods to maintain security and stability and to emphasize the genuine Arab values and the Islamic high ideals. We hope that your Excellencies will cooperate in fulfilling the following demands in support of national reconciliation and the establishment of security in our beloved country. - 1. To emphasize the participation of the sons of tribes in all state institutions, especially the security agencies because of their achievements in establishing security and stability. - 2. To complete the requirements of recruiting the sons of tribes in the Army and Police and to expedite equipping them in order to be able to complete the noble national task of establishing security and not to be content with hiring them on the basis of a contract because contracts are not a permanent solution. - 3. To issue a general amnesty for the innocent detainees in the Iraqi and American prisons for the purpose of achieving a real national reconciliation. - 4. To return the displaced families and to compensate those damaged by military and terrorist operations. - 5. To emphasize the true representation of the sons of the BAGHDAD 00004088 002 OF 002 tribes in the Municipality Councils and the Baghdad Provincial Council. - 6. To create jobs for the unemployed through activating the services file. - 7. To emphasize the return of the former Iraqi Army officers in order to make use of their strong experiences in developing the performance of our armed forces. - 8. To make use of the experience of elements of the former security agencies and to retire those who are not willing to return with the payment of dues for previous years. God is the Master of Success. Committee For Follow-up to the Activation of Demands From The Conference of Tribal Awakenings. - 1. Sheikh Alaa Kurdi, Chairman. - 2. Sheikh Omar al-Jabouri, Vice Chairman - 3. Sheikh Abdullah Mehdi al-Jabouri, Member - 4. Sheikh Adnan Burhan al-Juhayshi, Member - 5. Sheikh Abdel Qadir Karem al-Humayri, Member End text. CROCKER