EPRT FALLUJAH: CITY COUNCIL BECOMING LEGITIMATE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 000472

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/19/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV ECON EAID IZ
SUBJECT: EPRT FALLUJAH: CITY COUNCIL BECOMING LEGITIMATE
FORCE IN FALLUJAH

Classified By: ePRT Fallujah Team Leader Steve Fakan
for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (U) This is a joint ePRT Fallujah/POL reporting cable.


2. (C) Summary: Nearly non-existent only eight short months
ago, the Fallujah City Council (FCC) is developing into a
legitimate governing force that is building political
capacity and driving economic development in Fallujah. The
Council's combined leadership of Mayor Sa'ad Awad Rashid
al-Dulaimi and City Council Chair Sheikh Hamid Ahmad Hashim
al-Alwani comprise a capable one-two punch, whose impact is
being felt beyond Fallujah's city limits. Security remains a
top priority for the Council. As Iraqi Security Forces, with
assistance from Coalition Forces (CF) and Concerned Local
Citizens (CLC) groups, continue to make security gains,
Council members are engaging more to resolve infrastructure
and service delivery problems. To combat pervasive
corruption in the contracting process, the Council has
developed more transparent procedures to vet prospective
contractors for USG funded-projects. It also has shown its
potential to wield influence with the provincial government
in Ramadi. Stood up with assistance from Coalition and ePRT
officials in May 2007, the Council is moving closer to
establishing itself as the principal link between provincial
and sub-district governments. End Summary.


3. (SBU) Virtually non-existent only eight short months ago,
the FCC is developing into a capable and influential
political organization under the combined leadership of Mayor
Sa'ad Awad Rashid al-Dulaimi and Council Chair Sheikh Hamid
Ahmad Hashim al-Alwani. Meeting bi-weekly, the Council
exhibits an increasingly responsive attitude to city
residents, needs and concerns. During a recent Council
meeting, members discussed how to resolve problems with
school reconstruction projects and ensure they have
appropriate oversight and are completed in a timely fashion.
Members also insisted that the Council address a recent
outbreak of a lung virus that has hospitalized large numbers
of young people.


4. (SBU) The Council also has assumed greater responsibility
for oversight of the contracting process. It now is an
active participant in all USG funded-projects (Commander
Emergency Response Project or Quick Relief Funds (CERP and
QRF)). To ensure greater transparency, the Council has
formed a diverse engineering committee, comprised of
representatives from the mayor's office, Iraqi Police (IP),
tribal sheikhs, and the appropriate director generals (DG),
to prioritize projects, vet potential contractors, determine
the scope of work, provide oversight of the work, and verify
its completion.


5. (C) The Council also appears to be gaining influence with
provincial officials in Ramadi. Recently, when Fallujah city
officials became disenchanted with the performance of the
local director general (DG) of education, they were able to
sway the provincial DG of Education to remove him from
office. The FCC also formed a selection committee, and
nominated a successor that was eventually selected by the
Provincial DG.


6. (C) Comment: The FCC has made considerable progress in
only the few short months since it was stood up with
Coalition and ePRT assistance. EPRT officials monitoring its
development have witnessed impressive progress in the
Council's ability to promote development in Fallujah and
confront the many formidable challenges. The combined
leadership of Mayor Sa'ad and Sheikh Hamid has proven
effective, as the younger, less experienced Sa'ad has drawn
on the sage advice and mentoring of elder statesman Sheikh
Hamid. Council members exhibit a propensity to conduct city
business with council members debating with fellow colleagues
and challenging the Mayor and Council Chairman in
wide-ranging lively debates. End Comment.


7. (SBU) BIO NOTE: Mayor Sa'ad Awad Rashid al-Dulaimi became
Mayor of Fallujah on March 28, 2007 after city council
members voted him into office out of five nominees. Sa'ad
replaced the previous Mayor Jassim, who was removed from
office when he was detained on corruption and insurgent
activity charges. In his late thirties, Sa'ad is relatively
inexperienced and still learning his role as mayor. EPRT
officials observe that he is soft spoken and most effective
in small groups in his office. Previously, Mayor Sa'ad was a
social studies teacher.


8. (SBU) BIO NOTE: City Council Chairman Sheikh Hamid Ahmad
Hashim al-Alwani was originally selected to the FCC as a
representative from the Albu Alwan tribe. He became Chairman
of the Council after the assassination of the three previous
chairmen, when he was the only person willing to assume the

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chairman's position. Sheikh Hamid is a former high school
chemistry teacher and owns a trucking company. Sheikh Hamid
has been associated with the Iraqi Islamic Party (IIP),but
does not appear to have a close relationship with Anbar
Governor Ma'amoun even though they are from the same tribe.
CROCKER