THE NEW VOICE OF THE SADR CITY DISTRICT COUNCIL

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 002332 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/25/2018 TAGS: PREL PGOV IZ SUBJECT: THE NEW VOICE OF THE SADR CITY DISTRICT COUNCIL REF: BAGHDAD 1999 Classified By: Baghdad EPRT-3 Leader Ted Andrews for reasons 1.4 (b) an d (d) ¶1. (C) Summary: In recent weeks, the Sadr City District Council (DC) has shown new life as it asserts its independence from malign actors and provides a voice for the district's two million residents. Since the June 17 ousting of Sadrist puppet Abd Al Hussein Jabara as DC Chairman and the subsequent June 24 terrorist attack on the DC hall, the Council has publicly called for all levels of government to make good on their assistance and development promises to Sadr City. DC meetings are now regularly attended by representatives from the Iraqi Army and Iraqi Police as well as ministerial and municipal representatives responsible for the delivery of essential services. The timing of the DC break from Sadrist influence may be the result of improved security and Jaysh al Mehdi (JAM) weakness or could be motivated by the acting DC Chairman's desire to raise his political profile in order to make his temporary appointment permanent. End Summary. ¶2. (C) June 17, in a bold display of autonomy, the Sadr City District Council forced the resignation of its Chairman Abd Al Hussein Jabara who was considered by most to be corrupt with close ties to JAM. A week later the DC intended to elect Hassan Shama as its new chairman, however, the session was interrupted by a bomb placed inside the DC hall that killed two U.S. Government employees, two U.S. military personnel and injured Chairman candidate Shama. In defiance to this overt attempt at intimidation, the DC members met shortly after the blast and elected Hassan Shama as Chairman in absentia and appointed Suedi as acting Chairman (Reftel). ¶3. (C) Acting Chairman Ali Al Suedi immediately set out to confront those authorities in charge of Sadr City development. July 15, Al Suedi assembled key technocrats from the national, provincial and municipal branches of government responsible for Sadr City's security and essential services. With DC members on one side of the conference table and the bureaucrats on the other, Sadr City representatives began a barrage of attacks and complaints aimed at those they felt were responsible for the deplorable plight of Sadr City. The usual platitudes and utterances of innocence from government officials were countered with phrases, such as "you are killing us (Sadr City)" and accusations of funds intended for Sadr City being siphoned off. Despite being placed in the "hot seat," at Suedi's insistence, subsequent DC meetings continue to be attended by representatives from the Iraqi Army (IA),Iraqi Police (IP) and other government institutions. ¶4. (U) Bypassing the Provincial Council, Sadr City District Council raised its voice to the national level through a letter addressed to the Prime Minister outlining the needs of its residents. July 18, Acting Chairman Suedi and five other DC members met with Council of Representatives (CoR) Speaker Mashadani. The meeting was initiated by DC members and took place at the Speaker's residence. The delegation briefed Mashadani on the change in the District Council and emphasized their break from JAM influence. The DC's primary concern, they explained, was to work with all levels of government to facilitate Sadr City's reconstruction and development. At the end of the meeting, the group presented Mashadani with a copy of their letter to the Prime Minister and thanked him for granting them an audience. ¶5. (C) Comment: While the District Council's recent initiatives are welcome signs that the Council wants to act as a watchdog over the executive branch, continued progress is far from certain. A possible stumbling block could occur with the return of Chairman Hassan. Hassan is expected to resume his duties in the beginning of August, but a possible showdown looms between Hassan and Suedi, who may wish to make his temporary assignment permanent. In the past, the Sadr City DC Chairman position was coveted for it role as a source of patronage and served as a hub for corruption rather than reform. It still remains unclear as to Shama's or Suedi's true motivation for seeking the chairmanship. POLOFF contacts indicate that while Suedi's recent activities have raised his profile among DC members, Hassan is considered to be the more experienced manager and still commands a majority within the Council. This potential dispute could provide JAM and other disruptive elements with a means to sow dissension and hinder the DC's progress. The EPRT will continue its efforts to provide the District Council with the tools it requires to perform as an effective, democratic advocate of community needs. End Comment. CROCKER