SENIOR ANTI-NARCOTICS GENERAL FIRED BY PRESIDENT, THEN

S E C R E T DUSHANBE 001562 SIPDIS NOFORN SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/31/2017 TAGS: PGOV SNAR PREL TI SUBJECT: SENIOR ANTI-NARCOTICS GENERAL FIRED BY PRESIDENT, THEN REINSTATED - BUT LESSON LEARNED REF: DUSHANBE 1420 CLASSIFIED BY: Tracey A Jacobson, Ambassador, American Embassy Dushanbe, Department of State. REASON: 1.4 (b),(d) ¶1. (S) Summary: A senior anti-narcotics officer who was fired after he pressed for prosecution of a State Committee for National Security officer (and distant relative of the President) has been temporarily reinstated. He has told the embassy that his reinstatement is only until a replacement is found, that he has no powers and is, in effect, on vacation. The fired officer indicated that the State Committee for National Security chief had effectively neutralized efforts by the Ministry of Interior and the Drug Control Agency to stop drug smuggling by State Committee for National Security officers. The temporary reinstatement of this officer, who had been a longtime partner in USG counter narcotics efforts in Tajikistan, does not mitigate the damage done to our interest in stopping narcotics smuggling from Afghanistan. End Summary. Now You're Fired, Now You're Not (But You Are Fired) -------------- -------------- -------------- ¶2. (S/NF) On October 3 President Rahmon personally fired Major General Faizullo Gadoyev, head of counter narcotics and counterterrorism in the Ministry of Interior (reftel),because Gadoyev's men had for the third time in the past year intercepted an official State Committee for National Security car smuggling heroin from Afghanistan. Gadoyev had pressed for prosecution of the officers involved, one of whom was a distant relative of President Rahmon. General Gadoyev has since told the embassy that he has been reinstated, but for appearances only. According to Gadoyev, he has still effectively been fired. He will be "on vacation" for about the next month, with no authority in his position, and has no onward assignment. Damage Done -------------- ¶3. (S/NF) Gadoyev said that this represents a victory for the Chief of State Committee for National Security, and not only in the immediate sense of having his men's drug smuggling activity protected. According to Gadoyev, President Rahmon also agreed with the State Committee that Interior Ministry Police and Drug Control Agency officers would no longer be permitted to operate within several kilometers of the Afghan border, ceding responsibility to this area to the State Committee for National Security. Furthermore, Gadoyev stated the President and the State Committee chief were of one mind, that they should do as little as possible to cooperate with the Government of Afghanistan on border security. Gadoyev added that the President and State Security view the existence of the new Tajikistan-Afghanistan bridge as damaging to Tajik security, as it will simply facilitate weapons smuggling and terrorist activity from Afghanistan. Comment: Weakening of Regional Counter narcotics Cooperation -------------- -------------- -------------- ¶4. (S) The sacking of General Gadoyev is a setback to our counter narcotics efforts in Tajikistan, and sends a damaging message to senior officers in the Drug Control Agency and the Interior Ministry that they should not try to interfere with the State Committee for National Security or the President's relatives' drug trafficking. State Security's complete takeover of border security responsibilities and the apparent hostility of State Committee for National Security leadership to cooperation with Afghanistan, also damages counter narcotics efforts on the Afghan border, and may negatively influence efforts to get Tajikistan to cooperate with Afghanistan in other areas. Gadoyev's surprisingly direct comments about Rahmon are undoubtedly colored by his anger over his displacement and should be taken in context. For example, his insistence that Rahmon is somehow "against" the new bridge is contradicted by our own observations. End Comment. JACOBSON