NINEWA: PROVINCIAL ELECTION PREPARATIONS MOVING

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 002114

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/23/2018
TAGS: EAID IZ KDEM PGOV PREL PINR
SUBJECT: NINEWA: PROVINCIAL ELECTION PREPARATIONS MOVING
FORWARD BUT INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT NEEDED

Classified By: Classified by Ninewa PRT Leader Jason Hyland: Reasons 1.
4 (b,d).

This is a Ninewa Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) message.

Summary
--------------


1. (C) Preparations for provincial elections in Ninewa are
moving forward well, with the Governorate Electoral Office
(GEO) beginning to work closely with the Iraqi Security
Forces (ISF) to coordinate security for voter registration
sites and election sites. Most people in Ninewa are ready to
vote, and want to focus on issues rather than ethnic or
religious affiliation in the upcoming elections (but may vote
along ethnic or sectarian lines anyway). There have been no
surprises thus far in terms of problems faced by the GEO, and
numerous issues remain to be solved before elections can be
held. Most people await the passage of a national election
law to sort out many of the issues being faced by provincial
election authorities. Although there are no plans for
international long-term election observation, all involved
stress the desire for independent international
organizations, such as the United Nations (UN),to get
involved soonest to monitor and assess the fairness of the
elections.

Election Preparations Moving Forward Well
--------------


2. (SBU) Election preparations are moving ahead relatively
well in Ninewa. The GEO director is in place and conducting
regular meetings with relevant stakeholders. Due to the hard
work of the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment (3ACR),the GEO and
the chief of election security for the province, Major
General Hassan, are planning to hold regular meetings to
discuss and coordinate security for the voter registration
and election sites. According to the GEO director, voter
registration will now be held in the province for 45 days
starting July 15. (Note: This indicates a lack of
communication between IHEC and the GEOs, as this first phase
of the voter registration process will only last thirty days.
End comment.)

People Ready to Vote -- On Issues
--------------


3. (SBU) PRT Officers met with voters and political party
leaders from across the province and one message came across
loud and clear ) people are ready and eager to vote in the
upcoming elections. Citizens across the board were adamant
that elections needed to happen on time. Furthermore, many
citizens said that they were ready to move past sectarian-
and religious-based politics and vote based on important
issues, such as essential services, education, etc. (Comment:
Given the current political realities in Ninewa, though, it
is likely that voters will largely vote according to ethnic
or sectarian lines.)

No Surprises: Kurdish Heavy-Handedness and Sunni
Disorganization
-------------- ---


4. (C) There have been no major surprises in the province
thus far in terms of problems faced by the GEO. Several
Kurdish political groups have come together and registered as
a coalition for Ninewa Province. Kurdish parties, especially
the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP),have been relatively
heavy-handed in many of the districts in the northeast (Tel
Kaif, Shekhan, and Hamdaniya) and in the west (Sinjar) due to
tensions arising from the discussions on disputed boundaries
under Article 140. Rumors of Kurdish security forces stating
that they would be providing election security in disputed
areas have already caused some worries over Kurdish
intimidation of voters, especially in areas with large
minority (Christian and Yezidi) populations. (Note: Many
PRT contacts stated that, during the 2005 elections, Kurdish
Forces turned non-Kurds away from voting locations in
Kurdish-controlled areas. End Note.) Both the GEO and the
ISF claim to be following up on such complaints.


5. (C) Sunni parties complain of their potential
disenfranchisement and the general disorganization of the
non-Kurd parties in some parts of the province. In the far
west, near the key crossing point of Rabe'ea on the Syrian
border, the head Sheikh of the Shammar tribe, Sheikh

BAGHDAD 00002114 002 OF 002


Abdullah, complained that election workers in the area were
all Kurdish and that the Sunni Arabs were not accurately
represented in the area. (Note: IHEC workers are selected in
Baghdad through a process overseen by UNAMI. End note.)
Many Sunni parties in the west and the south complain of a
lack of internal organization and inability to campaign
effectively in their areas.

Provincial Election Law Needed
--------------


6. (SBU) Everyone in the province, from government officials
to political leaders to everyday people, recognizes the
urgent need for a provincial election law to be passed
immediately by the Council of Representatives. Without a
law, citizens stress, the GEO will not be able to move
forward effectively with planning and they cannot work to
educate the voters on what to expect in the upcoming
elections.

International Organizations Top Priority
--------------


7. (SBU) In a recent meeting with the PRT and Coalition
Forces, the GEO and the head of the ISF stressed the
importance of international organizations coming to Ninewa
immediately to begin monitoring and assisting in the
preparations for elections. According to the GEO Director,
the UN and other international organizations had not been in
contact or visited with the GEO or with the ISF. Many people
in the province also complained that, during the 2005
elections, NGOs and the UN were &invisible8 in the
province.

Comment
--------------


8. (C) While UNAMI and USAID/IFES are closely assisting IHEC
in preparations for the election, there
are currently no concrete plans on the part of IHEC or UNAMI
to field international election observers. NDI and UNAMI
(via UNOPS) are training domestic observers who will monitor
polls on election day. There are no observers for the
registration process, but UNAMI will be visiting some
registration centers during the 30-day registration period.
While Ninewa officials appear eager for involvement of
international organizations, it is not clear what precisely
they are looking for besides general "monitoring." UNAMI
already has the lead for the international community and is
deeply involved in addressing these issues. IHEC and UNAMI
have discussed the possibility of international observers,
who would be invited and organized centrally by IHEC to
oversee elections in all provinces, but there are significant
obstacles, especially security. Once an election law is
passed and an election date is set, UNAMI may revisit the
question with IHEC.
CROCKER