PRT TIKRIT: SALAD AD DIN LEADERS DISCUSS WAY AHEAD

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 000971 SIPDIS SBU SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: TAGS SUBJECT: PRT TIKRIT: SALAD AD DIN LEADERS DISCUSS WAY AHEAD ¶1. (U) This is a PRT Tikrit, Salah ad Din cable. 2.(SBU) SUMMARY. On February 15, leaders from Salah ad Din,s (SaD) public and private sector met for a CF/PRT-sponsored Dialogue and Communication Conference (DACC) to address the opportunities and challenges facing the province. The meeting provided a forum for attendees representing various sectors of the community to frankly discuss a range of difficult issues. While the specific subjects discussed in each group varied, one central theme emerged - the lack of consistent communication between different levels of government. This includes the relationship between the GOI and the province as well as the Provincial Council (PC) and municipalities. END SUMMARY. -------------- - Communication Gap between GOI and Salah ad Din -------------- - ¶3. (SBU) During a discussion in the governance committee led by the Deputy Governor, General Abdullah, representatives from Bayji emphasized that there was very little regular contact between their municipal council and local Director Generals (who represent the Ministries locally) and the Provincial Council (PC),arguing that the PC often allocated provincial resources without soliciting input from the localities involved. (NOTE: Leaders in Samarra strongly conveyed this sentiment to IPAO during a February 14 visit; communicating a lack of visibility of the provincial budget execution process. Bayji and Samarra are in similar situations ) both boycotted the 2005 provincial elections ) and have very little representation in the PC, making visibility on provincial issues more difficult. END NOTE.) As in past conferences, delegates called for an individual ) as opposed to a list ) election in 2007, contending that this would lead to more competent leaders being elected. ¶4. (SBU) Local governance in Iraq is almost solely focused on capital projects spending, with municipal and provincial governments having little control over national institutions that implement local programs. Attendees expressed frustration with this situation, arguing strongly for a more decentralized system with greater local influence. When other delegates claimed that the GOI discriminated against SaD residents, the Deputy Governor responded, stating that &They (the GOI) treat everyone (all of the provinces) poorly.8 Admitting that communication with Baghdad was a ;problem, Abdullah stressed that the Provincial Government was focused on working productively with all of the GOI Ministries. -------------- Business Lobbying in SaD? -------------- ¶5. (SBU) Although the economic committee discussed frequently well-known impediments to economic development in SaD, such as security and the lack of financial services, delegates focused on the lack of attention by the PC on issues critical to the business community. Representatives argued that targeted spending from the provincial budget ) such as the establishment of an Iraqi-funded microfinance center or a secure business convention center ) could promote economic development. The committee chairman, Dr. Saad Salih, described the Economic Subcommittee of the Provincial Council as &all talk and no action.8 Salih and other representatives said they planned to begin attending council meetings and lobby for spending proposals which would benefit the business community, potentially promoting greater accountability and transparency within the Council. -------------- Agricultural Challenges -------------- ¶6. (SBU) Lamenting the fact that despite being located in Iraq,s breadbasket SaD province must import much of its food (due to extremely low agricultural production), representatives from the agricultural sector of the economy discussed current challenges for the province,s farmers. Citing the manager of the Bayji Fertilizer Plant refusal to release 5,000 metric tons of fertilizer without &additional payment8 as an example, attendees expressed frustration with both the Fertilizer Plant,s and the Ministry of Agriculture,s unresponsiveness to the needs of SaD farmers. -------------- Rule of Law -------------- ¶7. (SBU) Discussion in the Rule of Law committee at the DACC primarily focused on the restoration of the Samarra BAGHDAD 00000971 002 OF 002 courthouse. Being a regional center of over 300,000 residents, a new courthouse in Samarra is desperately needed, given the enormous backlog of cases awaiting trial, and has the support of key local players, including Salah ad Din Chief Judge Abdul Hamid Salman. However, the challenge remains the Ministry of Justice,s dysfunctional bureaucratic process, which continues to frustrate final approval of the courthouse. A lack of communication between the province and Baghdad is evident; authorities in SaD intend to convert a medical clinic into the courthouse, while Ministry officials in Baghdad assumed that the former courthouse building would be utilized. (NOTE: The PRT is actively engaged and will continue to promote communication between all parties in order to resolve this issue. END NOTE.) ¶8. (SBU) Representatives also discussed important judicial issues in the province, such as the final preparations for the establishment of a Major Crimes Court (MCC) in Tikrit, judges, personal security, future courthouse construction projects, etc. Seeing a future influx of cases from Bayji as likely (due largely to increased security measures recently taken at the Bayji oil refinery),the delegates reached agreement that persons detained for petroleum theft would be sent to the Tikrit High Crimes jail and the cases would be processed as any other serious crime. -------------- Educational Opportunities -------------- ¶9. (SBU) In the education committee, a dozen education professionals, ranging from elementary school teachers and NGO workers to university professors and government officials, discussed access to education and adult literacy. Focusing on ways to access learning in spite of the security situation, the group suggested greater use of Salah ad Din satellite television station for reaching both youth and adult audiences. Additionally, they agreed that more focus should be put on primary school students in order to establish a strong base in linguistic and mathematic skills and to cultivate a desire among students to continue learning. ¶10. (SBU) Given the large number of Iraqi Army (IA) and Police (IP) officers who are illiterate, the group suggested making literacy programs regular and mandatory training for Iraq's security forces. They surmised that this would make the officers more effective at their jobs, thereby generally increasing the security situation and reducing security-related school absenteeism. ¶11. (SBU) The Deputy Governor, who moderated the wrap up session, further suggested that the province is plagued by two types of illiteracy: traditional and technological. He agreed that focus should be put on adult literacy programs but also suggested that the education system should work to ensure the province's students are learning to use computers and the internet. -------------- Nursing Shortages -------------- ¶12. (SBU) Due to social stigma and bureaucratic rules, Salah ad Din faces a dire shortage of trained nurses. Males are not allowed to train to be nurses (according to the Ministry of Health),and many female nurses, considered to be too ambitious, are shunned by the local population. The healthcare committee - composed of leading doctors and healthcare professionals in Salah ad Din - discussed methods of addressing the problem, such as changing the MoH,s prohibition on male nursing students and increasing student pay. ¶14. (U) For additional reporting from PRT Tikrit, Salah ad Din, please see our SIPRNET reporting blog: http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Tikrit. KHALILZAD