PRT FARAH: A NEW GOVERNOR TAKES OFFICE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KABUL 000723 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR SA/FO GASTRIGHT, SCA/A, S/CRS, S/CT, EUR/RPM STATE PASS TO USAID FOR AID/ANE, AID/DCHA/DG NSC FOR HARRIMAN OSD FOR KIMMIT CENTCOM FOR CFC-A, CG CJTF-76,POLAD, JICCENT REL TO NATO/AUS/NZ E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PINR IR AF SUBJECT: PRT FARAH: A NEW GOVERNOR TAKES OFFICE ¶1. (U) SUMMARY: Farah Province welcomed its third governor in six months as Mawlawi Mohideen Baluch took up office January 31. In a public speech, Baluch outlined his priorities to build a madrassa and university, improve the economy, maintain existing Iran-Afghan relations, reach out to anti-government and criminal elements, improve security, and travel to all districts and assess local officials. A key goal will be to promote coordination and cooperation among local officials, donors, and the PRT. He welcomes Iranian assistance but does not want to become dependent on Iran. END SUMMARY ¶2. (U) Mawlawi Mohideen Baluch, Farah's third governor in six months, arrived January 31 to a welcoming crowd of local officials, ANP, ANA, and children bearing flowers. He delivered his first public speech on February 1, highlighting the importance of building a madrassa and university in Farah. The new Governor called on Farah,s economy to be self-supporting and assured citizens he would focus on their needs and problems. Baluch plans to meet with religious and tribal leaders and elders, both in Farah City and throughout the province, to engage on development and security concerns. He also hopes to reach out to anti-government and criminal elements through open discussion. Baluch expressed his hope for a dam in the province and noted the current dam survey underway in Bakhshabad, Bala Baluk District. ¶3. (SBU) A key goal will be to promote coordination among local officials, donors, and the PRT. The new Governor understands the need for a comprehensive Provincial Development Plan and that province-wide surveys are necessary. While he is willing, he says, to accept assistance from Iran, he does not want to foster dependence on Iran, e.g., he will allow Iran to provide electricity to Farah but only until the Bakhshabad Dam is built and Farah can provide for itself. Baluch added that although he lived in Iran for seven years, he has no desire to build up relations and has no POLITICAL interests in Iran. He will accept Iran's planned assistance program as it was approved by the GOA. ¶4. (U) Baluch will soon make his choice for Deputy Governor, a position vacant since July 2006. Former Governor Stanikzai was set to name someone just before he left, but Baluch will now make the choice. Baluch mentioned his concerns about some district administrators, police chiefs, and other officials and plans to review personnel performance as he travels around the province. ¶5. (SBU) Bio Information: Mawlawi (Mullah) Mohideen Baluch is a member of the Baluch tribe and was born in Farah Province in 1949. His parents were from Nimroz Province. He attended primary school in Farah and graduated in 1972 from a religious high school in Kandahar. A Sunni Hanifi, both he and his father served as mullahs in Farah. Baluch was a mullah and religious teacher in Bakwa District for seven years. In 1979-80 Baluch openly criticized the Communist government and in 1980 fled to Iran, speaking out against the miserable conditions of Afghans in Iranian refugee camps. Baluch opened a POLITICAL office in Iran for the Hezb-Islami-Maulawi-Khales party. After seven years he decided to leave Iran and spent the next several years in and out of Quetta, Pakistan. Four of his years were in a refugee camp, while his family remained there 14 years, from 1989-2003. Baluch left in 1993 for Nimroz Province. He served from 1993-98 as Nimroz Deputy Governor. Baluch then returned to Quetta to join Karzai. He did not physically fight against the Taliban but participated in peace discussions, accompanying Karzai to Frankfurt, Islamabad, Istanbul, and Bonn. In 1999 Baluch attended a 25-day peace-building workshop in Omaha, Nebraska. The KABUL 00000723 002 OF 002 program included additional days to tour the U.S. He will continue informally as one of President Karzai,s religious advisors. Governor Baluch has two wives and 14 children -- ten daughters (four married) and five sons (two married),one of whom the Taliban killed. The family resides in Kabul. Languages include Dari/Farsi, Arabic, Pashto, and Baluchi. He speaks no English. NEUMANN