PRT MAYSAN: ARREST OF PC CHAIR/MEMBERS - BUSINESS

S E C R E T BAGHDAD 002073 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/05/2018 TAGS: PINS PGOV IR MOPS SUBJECT: PRT MAYSAN: ARREST OF PC CHAIR/MEMBERS - BUSINESS AS USUAL? Classified By: PRT Team Leader Dan Foote for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (S/REL MCFI) Summary: In a July 3 meeting with Team Leader (TL) at Camp Sparrowhawk outside of Amarah, Maysan Provincial Director of Development and Reconstruction Zaid Khalaf al-Hoshi and Provincial Reconstruction Development Committee Chairman Mohan Mahy Shaheeb confirmed press reports that Provincial Council (PC) Chairman Abdul Jabbar Waheed and two other PC members were arrested on July 2. Contrary to open-source reporting, Governor Adel Mohder has not been arrested. Although IA General Nabil claimed that he was in charge of the province and predicted that the IA would arrest the governor soon, neither of these statements can be confirmed at present. End summary. ¶2. (S/REL MCFI) Early on July 2, Iraqi Army (IA) troops arrested PC Chairman Abdul Jabbar, PC member and deputy of the Security Committee Fadel Nehma, and PC member Ali Hassan. Abdul Jabbar, a staunch Sadrist and member of the governor's Hussein Ideology Front (HIF) party, was arrested at his residence (Note: HIF controls approximately 15 out of the total 42 Maysan PC seats. End Note.) The IA also uncovered approximately 50 AK-47s and other automatic weapons at Abdul Jabbar's residence. Several members of Abdul Jabbar's protective security detail were also arrested after they opened fire on IA forces. General Nabil, the commander of the 10th IA Division/38th Brigade, predicted that the IA would likely arrest the governor within the week. When asked who is currently running the provincial government, Nabil replied that he was in charge. (Comment: The veracity of either of these statements is difficult to determine with any precision at this point. End comment.) ¶3. (S/REL MCFI) Maysan Provincial Director of Development and Reconstruction Zaid Khalaf al-Hoshi (previously referred to as the governor's close personal advisor and the Representative for Maysan Province in VP al-Mehdi's office) and Provincial Reconstruction Development Committee Chairman Mohan Mahy Shaheeb focused on reconstruction in the province rather than current political and security developments. They asked for PRT assistance to the GOI Ministry of Electricity on jump-starting two 50-MW electrical-generation projects, and with the Ministry of Health on getting approval to begin construction of a new, 400-bed teaching hospital adjacent to Maysan University; both projects have been under discussion with the GOI for two years. They also discussed the possibility of renovating and reactivating two state-owned enterprises, a sugar factory and a paper factory south of Amarah, both of which have been dormant since the early 1990s. Zaid contended that each factory could provide employment for up to 1000 people, and a sugar factory re-start could also significantly stimulate agricultural activity if done in conjunction with projects to re-irrigate sugar-cane production areas. ¶4. (S/REL MCF) Comment: The political future of Maysan and the status of its elected government following the arrests remain uncertain. Zaid and Mohan are moving full-steam ahead on engagement with the PRT, but undertook a conscious effort to channel the conversation away from the topic of provincial government upheaval. End Comment. CROCKER