Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08HILLAH20
2008-03-01 15:58:00
CONFIDENTIAL
REO Hillah
Cable title:  

DIWANIYAH COR MEMBER LAMENTS EXCESSIVE MINISTERIAL POWER;

Tags:  PGOV PREL IZ 
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VZCZCXRO2244
PP RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHKUK
DE RUEHIHL #0020/01 0611558
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 011558Z MAR 08
FM REO HILLAH
TO RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD PRIORITY 0897
RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1038
INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE
RUEHIHL/REO HILLAH 1101
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HILLAH 000020 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

SIPRNET

E.O. 12958: DECL: 3/1/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL IZ
SUBJECT: DIWANIYAH COR MEMBER LAMENTS EXCESSIVE MINISTERIAL POWER;
CAUTIONS ELECTION FRAUD

HILLAH 00000020 001.2 OF 002


CLASSIFIED BY: Angus T. Simmons, Team Leader, PRT Najaf,
Department of State.
REASON: 1.4 (b),(d)



This is a PRT Reporting Cable.

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HILLAH 000020

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

SIPRNET

E.O. 12958: DECL: 3/1/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL IZ
SUBJECT: DIWANIYAH COR MEMBER LAMENTS EXCESSIVE MINISTERIAL POWER;
CAUTIONS ELECTION FRAUD

HILLAH 00000020 001.2 OF 002


CLASSIFIED BY: Angus T. Simmons, Team Leader, PRT Najaf,
Department of State.
REASON: 1.4 (b),(d)



This is a PRT Reporting Cable.


1. (C ) Summary: On February 25, Hussein Al-Shalan, a Council
of Representative member from Diwaniyah Province, discussed with
PRT Offs his concerns about the negative impact levied on Iraq
by "murderous centralization" and an extreme, partisan focus by
the ministries in the performance of their duties. Al-Shalan
blames budget execution difficulties on ministries withholding
funds to undermine opposing political parties in the
governorates. He calls for the scientific application of
government by managers rather than party whips. Al-Shalan also
expresses his concern about dire consequences of likely election
fraud by the powerful political parties and asks that the US
"work tirelessly" to assure fair provincial elections. End
Summary.


2. (C ) Diwaniyah Council of Representative Member Hussein
Al-Shalan met with Team Leader and PRToffs at the REO for a
general discussion on February 25. Al-Shalan is concerned about
over centralization from Baghdad, and possible election fraud.


3. (C) Al-Shalan criticizes the national government for
"murderous centralization" and for being "foolishly" controlled
by excessive party alliances. He calls for the scientific
application of government by managers rather than political
hacks. (Note: This view was recently expressed to PRToffs by
the head of the Karbala Women's Center, a view she says people
in the street are attributing to Grand Ayatollah al-Sistani; it
would be better to see Iraq ruled by a fair secularist than a
Muslim tyrant.) Budget execution, he says, is retarded by
ministers withholding funds from departments and governorates
solely to advance national party power. The negative
consequences, he complains, fall upon the people in the streets.
The GOI funds, he says, are as a result of the powerful, party
dominated ministers distributed not to benefit the people but to
forge party loyalty and assert political domination.


4. (C) Al-Shalan blames a rush to federalism for harmful turf

wars between partisan officials at the national and provincial
levels. He asserts that Iraqis lack sufficient commitment to
the concept of a nation and that successful federalism requires
that the many parts appreciate the importance of the whole. As
an example, he points to a dispute between the Iraqi Minister of
Education and the Diwaniyah Provincial government. The
Provincial Government, he says, requested the removal of the
Director General (DG) of Education to allow for the installation
of a party loyalist. Al-Shalan reports that the standoff
between the Ministry and the Province has led the Ministry to
withhold funding for education projects in Diwaniyah. It was
suggested to Al-Shalan that the fault appears to be in part the
Ministry's disregard for the COR budget allocations rather than
an inherent deficiency in the federal system as the DG can
properly stand firm against the province on an issue of federal
personnel without extracting financial retribution from the
citizens. Al-Shalan agrees but reports the COR lacks political
ability to challenge the powerful ministry. He reports similar
problems in Diwaniyah with the Ministry of Health.


5. (C) Al-Shalan expressed concerns about anticipated fraud in
the 2008 provincial elections. The sheikh reports that ISCI is
very concerned that it will not be able to control the IHEC.
Based on his experience in the 2005 elections, where he claims
he passed video taped evidence of fraud to the coalition
authorities, he predicts that ISCI and other parties will resort
to massive fraud to assure their electoral success. He believes
that if the election process is fair that perception will
contribute significantly to the stability of Iraq. On the other
hand, he warns, electoral fraud on the scale he claims existed
in the past election will unleash a public reaction that "U.S.
forces will not be able to resolve." The U.S. must "work
tirelessly" he believes to assure fair elections in Iraq. He
also wants the U.S. to assist in voter education. PRToffs
responded by noting that this is an Iraqi run election, not a
U.S. run election, but the U.S. is available to provide certain
assistance as requested by the Iraqi government to support the
Iraqis and the UN in the UN's role as election monitor.
Election fraud was widespread he claims in the last election but
did not lead to more intense public reaction because most people
saw the importance of unity. This time around, Al-Shalan
believes, the intense popular dissatisfaction with the existing
government will result in the people being less accepting of
election fraud.


HILLAH 00000020 002.2 OF 002



6. (C) Asked about the anticipated elections law, Al-Shalan
states that he does not know if the law will provide for open or
closed lists. (He has not yet seen a version of the GOI
draft.) He says he and most Iraqis support open lists but
states the opposition to open lists includes ISCI, Dawa, and the
Kurds.


7. (C ) Comment: The CoR Member's comments are focused on his
concern that excessive control by powerful political parties can
undermine two key initiatives for 2008: budget execution and
fair elections. Budget execution can be distorted by the
ministries' de facto, absolute discretion with regard to the
budget allocation made to their ministries by the COR; the
political parties are, through their absolute control of the
various ministries, able to undo the hard fought political
consensus reached by the legislative body. End Comment.
SIMMONS