DAILY LIFE IN MUTHANNA PROVINCE: ASSORTED

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 BAGHDAD 000439 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV SCUL ECON IZ SUBJECT: DAILY LIFE IN MUTHANNA PROVINCE: ASSORTED VIGNETTES ¶1. This is a PRT Muthanna cable. -------------- Summary -------------- ¶2. In many important ways, daily life in Muthanna Province differs little from that of life in 18th and 19th century Islamic society in Iraq. Religious dominance in daily life, rampant unemployment and persistent security concerns determine a daily existence rooted in hard work (mainly agricultural, petty business or governmental work),the search for work and religious rituals; there is hardly much time available for social interactions of the kind prevalent in western societies. There is however evidence of several changes in the Post Saddam era, and there is evidence that further changes may occur, even though they are more likely to be movements back to the way things were in the Pre-Saddam era. An examination of social, religious, economic and political activities generally addresses daily life in the province and seeks to identify those changes that have occurred. End summary. -------------- Social Activities -------------- ¶3. There are extremely limited social outlets in Post Saddam Muthanna. As is typical in most Islamic societies, there is practically no intermingling of adult males and females in a social context. This social taboo contributes directly to the limited social space. ¶4. In the Saddam era, a large bar operated in downtown Samawah that was usually open from approximately 0900 to 0200 hours daily. This bar served as a meeting house, coffee shop, point of intellectual exchange and source of cultural enlightenment, even though the actual clientele is uncertain and it may have only catered to out of town Baathists and/or government officials. The persistent rumor that this bar also served beer and whisky may help explain some of the nostalgia associated with its existence. In the Post Saddam era, the religious leaders closed the bar in recognition of its perceived influence on the community. In central Samawah, the capital city, tea sellers, coffee sellers and hooka owners still do a relatively thriving business. Coffee shops prevail in market places, especially covered ones, and operate from 1000 to 0100 hours daily. Some measure of socializing occurs through "walk arounds" in the market places. ¶5. Prostitution, long held in check by the dominant religious influences in the community, began to grow in the period after the 1980s war with Iran. Many families became desperately poor when the main "breadwinner" either did not return from the war or returned incapacitated. Even though many families did receive compensation in the form of lands to build homes and/or cultivate, particularly in the Shahada district, poverty inevitably followed. A few homes in Al Samawah are still identified as homes of prostitution, even though the local religious leaders have threatened to close them down. ¶6. Marriage continues to be arranged between families, particularly the women, and even though an adult male may get a quick glimpse of a partial face in the market place and try to get his sisters and other female family members to acquire information on looks, pedigree, personality for him, the decision is ultimately still that of the families. A recent innovation that may soon revolutionize this institution hinges on the cell phone. Adult males relate that youngsters are now engaging in secret text messaging and cell phone calls, which may ultimately undermine the system of arranged marriages and introduce courtship in the more familiar western sense. ¶7. A "gymnasium" exists in the capital city of Samawah and is usually open from 0800 to 1400 hours daily. During opening hours soccer, basketball and dominoes are allowed, but there are, reportedly, few takers. There are reports of casinos (four) on the banks of the Euphrates, in Samawah, but the clerics have threatened to close the doors and they have been repeatedly threatened by the Jaysh )al - Mahdi (JAM) militias. ¶8. There are several primary, secondary and tertiary schools in the Province, including an Agricultural Institute. Primary and Secondary school hours are 0800 to 1300 hours. Schools are reportedly well attended. Recently, provisions were made for the rapid inclusion of children of over 700 displaced families from Baghdad and its surroundings that moved in, largely with relatives, in the province. BAGHDAD 00000439 002 OF 004 ¶9. No public transportation system exists. Private mini-buses ply the roads and an average 20 minute ride around the city of Samawah costs 250 Iraqi Dinars (approximately $US 0.20). There is a large train station in Samawah, but passenger trains no longer run North through Baghdad to the Northern provinces or South to Basra, due to security concerns. Occasionally industrial freight trains from Basra rumble by. ¶10. Media activity in the province is muted, even though several national newspapers, including two large dailies ) The "Sabah" and "Zaman" along with several local newspapers are sold. The Government owned daily "Al Samawa" last published an edition on December 18, 2006. There are, reportedly, few readers and circulation is extremely limited. A local TV station and radio station (same owners) broadcast one-hour inserts of national news daily. There are satellite dishes in most urban and rural homes; even the Bedouins are proud owners. There is a government owned TV station and a local TV Station ) Al Samawa. Internet services are under private sector control and several companies compete. Average subscription costs are $40.00 (US) monthly. Most Muthanna internet customers use internet cafes, and several have sprung up in the cities of Samawa, Rumaitha and El Khidr. ¶11. Residents point out that social activities in the province do exist, but consist of home visits among friends. They do, however, admit that even during these periods of "socializing" men go to one part of the home and discuss matters of import, while women go to another part of the home to discuss "women's matters". -------------- Religious Activities -------------- ¶12. Religious activities in Muthanna province, where over 97 percent of the population are Shiites, remains much as it has been for the last several hundred years. The most important change in the post-Saddam period is the competition for religious authority between those with traditional religious schooling and credentials, and those who lack these particular attributes but rely instead on popular appeal, demagoguery and street power. There are several Sunni mosques in the main cities of Samawa and Rumaythah, and the calls to prayer five times daily continue to determine the rhythm of daily life. There is much speculation that financial support for most of the religious centers, which engage in helping the poor and religious instructions for all, is provided by Iran and Saudi Arabia principally, and also by the Gulf States. The power of the religious clerics continues to grow, as evidenced by their ultimatums to groups and businesses such as the casinos, bars and houses of ill repute. The growing power of the clerics is only kept in harness by the return to power of the tribal sheikhs who have won for themselves some measure of political power in the new Iraq. -------------- Economic Activities -------------- ¶13. Economic activity within the province remains largely linked to agriculture, which has experienced a steady decline since the 1980s, when government support dwindled. PRT activity within the province has focused heavily on revitalizing this sector, and several projects have been planned and examined. A list of these projects was submitted to PRT Muthanna on January 15, 2007 at a meeting with the Provincial Reconstruction Development Council (PRDC) and at a meeting with the Agricultural Working Committee on January 16, 2007. Prior meetings with the Agricultural committee had examined several agricultural sub-sectors, and wheat, dates and rice production, coupled with related de-salinization and canal cleaning operations had been thoroughly discussed, costed and examined with a view to determining who and how many Iraqis would benefit from each project. The agriculture group also hopes to benefit significantly from a USAID plan to disburse over 100 million dollars (US) to the provinces for agricultural projects in 2007 (400 million over 5 years). A seminar on the Provincial Development Strategy (PDS) and Sector Planning, planned for Amman, in February of 2007 will also assist in agricultural planning in the province. ¶14. Iraqis within the province note that most of the goods provided in the market places are of Iranian, Turkish, Syrian or Gulf State origin. These imports range from fresh vegetables and fruits to clothing and heavy equipment. Iraqi intermediaries are beginning to conduct a brisk trade, limited only by low median incomes within the province. Shops are open from 0900 to 1900 hours with some closures for BAGHDAD 00000439 003 OF 004 prayers. A more often seen business innovation is the wheeled tray on which items for sale are openly displayed. These "shops" move from place to place, following pedestrians. Many of the vegetable "traders" purchase their vegetables from Basra, Najaf and the closest Iranian towns and villages. ¶15. Twenty percent of the working population are employed in the public sector. These include the police, army, teachers, and civil servants in such ministries as the ministry of immigrants and immigration, which has an office in Al Samawah. A cement factory, owned by the government in Samawah reportedly hires approximately 100 employees, and has plans to expand to over 2,500 by August 2007. Local newspapers for January 15, 2007 claim that the Al Samawa cement factory has started operating the third production line, after 8 months of renovation and rebuilding, and that a fourth production line will soon be ready. The publications however warned that operations will continue to be affected by electric power and transportation shortages. Power Generators, which were funded by the Japanese government and constructed by a local contractor, reportedly remain unoperational due to maintenance issues and neglect. There is also a government owned Salt factory and six government owned gas stations in the province. According to recent newspaper reports, the provincial council is seeking to open the factory to private investors. The Provincial Council is reported to be working assiduously at creating new jobs. Several citizens are currently employed in cleaning the cities for the municipalities. ¶16. There is a tiny private sector. There are, reportedly, more than 18 small family owned Brick factories and 10 private gas stations, which receive some help from the government. The mayor of Al khidr also reports that there are two Bee keeping operations in the province. Private tea and coffee sellers in the market places amount for a sizeable portion of the private economic activity within the province. The informal private sector does however employ a substantial number of persons, especially in construction wage labor. ¶17. On Monday, January 15, 2007, The Al Rumaythah city council publicly confirmed that many projects were in fact completed in 2006 within the town. They also stated that a list of priorities for 2007 was currently being coordinated with the various economic sectors and funding agencies. -------------- Political Activities -------------- ¶18. The political arena is currently dominated by the Provincial Councils, the Tribal Chieftains and the Shiite militias, particularly Muqtada al Sadr's JAM. There are several political parties, which following the last provincial elections, comprise the provincial council: --SCIRI ) 8 Seats --ISLAMIC FADILAH ) 6 Seats --MIDDLE EUPHRATES PARTY ) 6 Seats --INDEPENDENT ISLAMIC ORGANIZATION ) 5 Seats --DAWA ) 4 Seats --ASSEMBLY OF MUTHANNA ) 4 Seats --ALLEGIANCE COALITION ) 3 Seats --IRAQI NATIONAL ACCORD ) 3 Seats --IRAQI COMMUNIST PARTY ) 2 Seats ¶19. The Provincial Council, comprising several committees and sub-committees, meets in Samawah on a regular basis, and appears to be under the direct and able control of Governor Muhammad Ali Hassani of Muthanna. Twenty Five percent (25%) of the Council, in keeping with constitutional directives, are women. There are two highly vocal women councilors in this group. They are self-proclaimed leaders of female oriented NGOs in the region. Ms. Bedur al-Yassiri, the more vociferous of the two, heads the "Free Women Organization" NGO, which focuses on internet courses in sewing and related "feminine" issues. The NGO reportedly receives substantial funding from International donors, and the office building itself was reportedly rehabilitated by Coalition Forces. ¶20. A very few NGOs, such as the Iraqi Red Crescent, the Free Women Organization and the Iraqi Reconstruction Institute (IRI - an NGO which focuses on agricultural issues) continue to operate in the province. These NGOs are largely subsidized and, in the case of the IRI, utilized by international donors. Orphanages for children without parents are scarce, but a new Orphanage building, built by the local government, is currently nearing completion in Samawah. BAGHDAD 00000439 004 OF 004 ¶21. There are several tribes in Al Muthanna, and there is some confusion over the exact definition of tribes and sub-tribes. Some of the known tribes in the Muthanna region are: a. Bani Zraige ) 70,000 approx. ) strong tribe b. Al Ajib ) 30,000 approx. c. Al Zayad ) 20,000 approx. d. Al Tauba ) 3,500 approx. e. Albu Jayash ) 20, 000 approx. f. Al Abbas ) the criminal heavyweights in the province g. Albu Hassan ) a dominant tribe ) 30,000 ) many JAM members. Governor belongs to this tribe h. Al Duwalim - j. Al Sufran k. Al Burkat l. Al Ghanim m. Al Attawa n. Al Juwabir o. Al Furtose p. Al Mohssen ¶22. The tribes have begun to play a major role in political negotiations within the province, providing support for the provincial government when tribal members have been attacked by militias or inconvenienced by stringent curfews in response to militia attacks. They have brokered agreements with JAM, threatened to fight the militias with the Iraqi military and Para-military forces and experienced an enhanced profile in the political space. -------------- Security -------------- ¶23. Muthanna Province is fortunate to have a strong acting Police Commander, Lcol Ali, and a committed Army commander in Col. Salam Jabar ) 2/10 IA Brigade. Lcol Ali has faced down the militias in at least two recent encounters, insisting on upholding the law, while the army commander has indicated his commitment to eradicating the militias, if permitted. PRT Muthanna has established strong working relations with both commanders, and training for the Iraqi Army continues under the AUSTRALIAN Overwatch Brigade. Recent efforts by Baghdad to replace the Police Chief with Brigadier Basim of Baghdad met stony defiance from the provincial council. Even though there is currently a Baghdad inspired investigation to determine what role, if any, Lcol Ali played in the torture of four recent JAM prisoners, the prospects for continued security in the province appear to be good. -------------- Comment -------------- ¶24. Whereas political activity in Muthanna has grown significantly, and the provincial council appears to be a model of a young democracy at work, social activities have changed little and some security concerns remain within the province. Life in Muthanna province continues at the leisurely pace it has always been known for (except perhaps in the 1920s when it was a hotbed of anti-British activity), and PRT Muthanna has managed to engage in constructive dialogue with both the Qadas (local governments) and the Provincial Council. Bringing the two entities together is a realizable goal. Muthanna Province appears ideal for experiments in capacity building, State Owned Enterprise revitalization and large scale agricultural activities. The presence of strong tribal affiliations coupled with the willingness of the tribes to defend their own against the militias and the current strength of local Police and Army commanders augurs well for the development of the Province. End comment. KHALILZAD