LEBANON: UK AND UNIFIL SEEK FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIRUT 000209 SIPDIS SIPDIS NSC FOR ABRAMS/SINGH/YERGER DEPT FOR EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/07/2018 TAGS: EAID MASS PBTS PGOV PREL IS LE SY SUBJECT: LEBANON: UK AND UNIFIL SEEK FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR LAF SECURITY AND BLUE LINE REF: BEIRUT 208 Classified By: DCM William Grant for Reasons: Section 1.4 (b) and (d). SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. (C) International donor country representatives working with Lebanon's security sector met on February 6 to discuss a number of items pertaining to security sector reform and stabilization. Items ranged from a UK recommendation for the funding of a newly trained Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) "Public Order" contingent, to requests for funding from UNIFIL for reconstruction projects in the south. The latter includes targeted donations to help solve a growing water dispute between Lebanese villagers and Israeli farmers that has the potential to turn violent, according to UNIFIL representatives (reftel). End Summary. UK REQUESTS USG HELP FUNDING/TO EQUIP UK TRAINED LAF PUBLIC ORDER CONTINGENT -------------- ¶2. (C) In a February 6 International Donor Security Sector Coordination meeting, Jeremy Chivers, the British Embassy's Stabilization and Recovery Advisor, announced that the UK had begun training a contingent of 600 Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) soldiers in "Public Order" management. The violent demonstrations of January 27, in which seven protesters were killed by LAF soldiers, demonstrates that the training is necessary now more than ever, according to Chivers. Chivers approached the international donor community to seek funding or equipment for the newly formed contingent, which the UK is training but not capable of equipping. ¶3. (C) According to Chivers, the UK needs close to $1 million to equip the contingent. Chivers added that the UK would also accept equipment donations in lieu of money. Chivers said the soldiers need non-lethal riot equipment, such as rubber bullets and the weapons to fire rubber rounds (Note: In a side conversation after the meeting, Chivers invited Emboffs to attend a training session of the new Public Order contingent, in the hope that the USG would fund or equip this particular group. End Note.). Without the equipment, the contingent will be unable to complete its mission to confront demonstrators in a non-lethal manner, Chivers argues. (Comment: While it is preferable to have the Internal Security forces (ISF) handle riot control operations, at the moment the LAF is the most capable of the two organization to manage public order activities. End Comment.). UNIFIL QUICK IMPACT PROJECTS -------------- ¶4. (C) UNIFIL Civil Affairs Officer, Lillah Fearnley, announced that UNIFIL is currently funding a number of small infrastructure projects in southern Lebanon, such as the development of parks, recreational facilities, and agricultural development projects in damaged villages. UNIFIL would like to redirect its funding for these Quick Impact Projects (QIP) in the south, towards civil society and conflict resolution projects and less on infrastructure, according to Fearnley. She said QIP projects are capped at around USD 25,000 thousand per project. Fearnley admits that funding is typically easy to obtain for one or two years, but projects often go unfunded in their third year. She said UNIFIL is approaching the international donor community because she received guidance from superiors to begin seeking alternative sources of funding for ongoing infrastructure projects for 2009. COMMENT -------------- ¶5. (C) Funding the LAF "Public Order" contingent with non-lethal equipment would go a long way in preventing unnecessary fatalities, such as those that occurred during the January 27 demonstrations, which would further reduce the threat of confessional violence. Post will explore use of possible ODC, INL, or NADR-ATA funding to possibly equip the LAF's "Public Order" contingent, as well as alternative BEIRUT 00000209 002 OF 002 sources of funding to contribute to UNIFIL's Quick Impact Projects. End Comment. SISON