GOVERNOR OF NAJAF CALLS ON MINISTER OF THE INTERIOR

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 HILLAH 000077 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 5/20/2017 TAGS: PGOV PREL MARR PTER IZ SUBJECT: GOVERNOR OF NAJAF CALLS ON MINISTER OF THE INTERIOR HILLAH 00000077 001.2 OF 003 CLASSIFIED BY: Mark G. Davison, Team Leader, Provincial Reconstruction Team, DOS. REASON: 1.4 (b),(d) ¶1. (U) This is a PRT Najaf/Diwaniyah Cable. SUMMARY ¶2. (C) The Governor of Najaf traveled to Baghdad on 14 May accompanied by Coalition officers and PRT leader. During his call the Governor gave the Minister a detailed list of weapons and ammunition, as well as a proposed budget, for an expanded 14,000-strong police force for Najaf province. He also shared with the Minister his concerns regarding security in the Province, which was returned to Iraqi Provincial Control (PIC) last December. The Third Infantry Division was instrumental in facilitating the meeting, provided dedicated helicopter lift to and from REO Al Hillah for the Governor and PRT leader, as well as logistical support within the Green Zone. End Summary FACE-TO-FACE BRINGS OUT SECURITY POINTS ¶3. (C) On 14 May the Governor of Najaf Province met with the Iraqi Minister of the Interior, Jawad Al-Bulani to discuss his needs and concerns regarding the police and security in Najaf Province. As outlined below, the Governor provided Al-Bulani an inventory of small arms and light weapons, along with ammunition, as well as specific requests for substantial augmentation. The request, based on a police force of 14,048 officers, was included in a seven-page document, which also listed certain budget line items, with requested round figure amounts in Iraqi Dinars. ¶4. (C) Of note during the meeting, the Governor made the following points: -- Notwithstanding the supposed inventory amounts, weapons available to the police force are in very short supply; police supervisors have been know to tell their officers to "bring (personal) weapons from home." -- A check of the warehouses shows a serious lack of working inventory, either of weapons or ammunition; -- The central government has an obligation to supply the Province with the means to maintain security; in addition, the currently proscribed budget is insufficient to meet the Province's needs -- the requested budget was cut in half by the Ministry; -- Numbers of police are illusory, with rumors that half the Brigade does not report for duty on a regular basis, there is a need for improved discipline; in point of fact, there are not enough police to patrol, particularly not during mass demonstrations; -- Recruitment efforts must focus on a higher caliber of officer; salaries must be raised and danger pay provided; -- Those injured in the line of duty must be reassured that, if seriously injured and if their injuries cannot be treated successfully in Iraq, then the government will send them abroad; MINISTER RESPONDS ¶5. (C) Minister Al-Bulani listened sympathetically to the Governor's points, responding specifically to several, only: -- Sharing the concern over police equipment, the Minister promised to dispatch inspectors the next week to compare the lists of those items which had been delivered, and those actually received; -- The care of injured officers was the responsibility of the Chief of Police; -- Police surge capacity must be planned for; for this reason protestors must receive a permit from the Chief of Police and his authorization will be based on specific intelligence received regarding potential risk; -- For the Ministry's part, it can provide assistance with intelligence regarding protest movements. SYNOPSIS OF THE DOCUMENT ¶6. (C) We have reviewed the document provided by the Governor to the Minister. The following figures represent the supposed amounts in the Iraqi Police inventory, followed by a HILLAH 00000077 002.2 OF 003 parenthetical, proposed additional amount: Weapon Current Inventory Additional Request AK-47 3431 8561 RBK 149 851 BKC 242 458 Iraqi Sniper Rifles 79 421 Mortars 230 270 Peketa 4 46 Tecktiroff 8 0 Mortar - 60 mm 5 95 Pistols (Glock) 6958 7070 Ammunition AK-47 (9mm) light 744879 1440000 (9mm) med. 156342 2800000 Pistol (9mm) 164736 701400 PBK 100 2500 Mortar (100mm) - 1200 Grenades - 5000 Additional Requests Mortars (82mm & 120mm) Anti-aircraft machine guns Ballistic vests & helmets Humvees (4) ¶7. (C) The document also proposed the formation of a new battalion to protect the strategic fuel line passing through Najaf Province. ¶8. (C) Following are budget line items with annual amounts requested in Iraqi Dinar (USD 1 equals ID1127): Retirement annuities 5 million (monthly) Danger pay 60 trillion Food 60 trillion Fuel 120 trillion Uniforms 30 trillion Mattresses 150 million Computers 50 million Printers 50 million Scanners 50 million Building Rentals 1 trillion Representational Funds 40 million Telephone 60 million Training Courses 60 million Police Vehicle Maintenance 120 million Boat Maintenance 120 million Building Renovation 120 million Building Maintenance 120 million Furniture 150 million Office Machinery 150 million Office Misc. 150 million Office Supplies 150 million Radio Communications 150 million Weapons & Ammunition (Maintenance) 150 million ¶9. (C) The document also listed vehicles in inventory and requested additional vehicles, as follows: Vehicles Present in inventory: 456 (with 19 not functioning) Vehicles Requested: 1- ton Trucks 50 Sedans 50 Buses 2 Fork lifts (5tn.) 2 Water trucks 10 Armored Anti-terrorism Vehicles 10 ¶10. (C) Finally, the document laid out a list of new facilities, construction (some of which is vast) as well as reconstruction of named police stations: Additional Facilities Requested: Ammunition Depository Internal Affairs Center Accountancy & Inventory Center HILLAH 00000077 003.2 OF 003 Warehouse Quick Reaction Force Headquarters Motor Pool New Construction Project Central Prison New Police Academy for the South Central Region, called the "Imam Ali Middle Euphrates Police Academy" Police Station Renovation Al Radhwia Souk Shah Allem Market Al Askeri Al Karur Al Mowkeif COMMENT ¶11. (C) The Governor's wish list is informative in terms of needed equipment; it is also ambitious, particularly taking into account the desire for a new regional police academy and prison. The Governor has raised many of these needs with Coalition authorities, both in the run-up to Provincial Iraqi Control (PIC) last December and since. He continues to hope for "train and equip" from the Coalition even as he makes his appeals to the central authorities. As Commander's funding (CERP) for Najaf is once again available, and as PRTs will themselves be receiving discretionary funds, we may well be able to coordinate specific and rapid assistance with this list and the vital needs of the Governor in mind. DAVISON