FORMER GOVERNOR CLAIMS POPULAR SUPPORT FOR SECTARIAN CONTOL

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HILLAH 000008

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/17/2017
TAGS: IZ
SUBJECT: FORMER GOVERNOR CLAIMS POPULAR SUPPORT FOR SECTARIAN CONTOL
IN DECLINE


HILLAH 00000008 001 OF 002

Classifed by Angus T. Simmons, Team Leader PRT Karbala. REASON:
1.4(b) and (d).


1. (U) This is a PRT Karbala Cable.


2. (SBU) Summary: On January 12, PRT Leader and PRT offs met
with NGO and politically independent leaders in the REO in al
Hillah. They described their activities and the NGO community
and stated that popular support for sectarian control of the
political process is declining due to the failure of sectarian
parties to deliver on promises to rebuild Iraq, and provide
essential services and security. End summary.


3. (C) On January 12, PRT offs met at the REO in Al Hillah
with: Ali Abdul Hussein Kamona (former CPA Governor of Karbala /
President of Karbala Citizens),Yousif Talib Mustafa al-Mijid
(President of the Noble Council of Karbala),Yusuf Jawad Kadnum
Al-Zamili (Director General of the Noble Council of Karbala),
and Mohammed Rutha Fath Allah (Human Rights Activist).


4. (C) The attendees were all members of a new umbrella NGO,
the Noble Council of Karbala. This NGO is registered through
GOI in Baghdad. It is a civil society organization independent
intended to be independent of sectarian influences. The stated
purpose of the NGO is to support the education of rural
citizens, especially women, the care of children, and to promote
civil society, economic development, and the rule of law. The
Iraqis expressed their support for the CF mission in Iraq and
their thanks to President Bush. They stated that they have been
pursuing these causes independently through their existing NGOs
for the past four years without US support. They are interested
in QRF support for their activities.


5. (C) Our interlocutors stated that many of the NGOs operating
in south central Iraq are fronts for various sectarian groups
and that some are under the control of foreign governments,
including Iran, that seek to exert influence in Iraq. They
claimed that inadvertant US financial aid to some NGOs in the
past has furthered the cause of these outside influences (they
did not offer any specific examples) and are contrary to efforts
to establish a secular government in Iraq. The group added that
popular support for sectarian control of the political process
is declining due to the failure of sectarian parties to deliver
on promises to rebuild Iraq, provide essential services, and
provide security.


6. (C) (Sheik) Ali Kamona stated that he had attended a
reconciliation conference with the Provincial Governor, a
representative of the Dawa party, and representatives of OMS in
Karbala and Najaf. The main point of discussion in that
engagement was the mass detention of Sadrists in Karbala. He
said that Governor Aqeel asked OMS representatives not to press
for release of the final 60 detainees. They also discussed OMS
ceasing operation of its special (religious) courts, refraining
from carrying weapons on the streets of Karbala, and agreeing to
operating procedures for Saderists in the Mosques in Karbala and
Najaf. Kamona stated that he advised the governor and the
Provincial Council not to be too aggressive to avoid fueling
resentment that would undermine efforts to promote peace in the
Holy City of Karbala. Asked about the current state of security
in Karbala, the Iraqis stated that NGOs can now operate openly
in Karbala, although travel remains dangerous.


7. (SBU) Asked about the Karbala Governorate's interaction with
the tribal sheiks (two of the attendees are tribal sheikhs),the
Iraqis stated that the Provincial Council has a functioning
tribal issues committee. However, the Governor interacts with
the Prime Minister's office of tribal affairs and takes his cues
from that office.


8. (C) Sheikh Yusuf Jawad Kadhum Al-Zamili states that he is
the leader of the Honorable Sadr of Karbala, a group of 25
tribes spread over nine provinces in the south and south central
Iraq that provides education to rural women, distributes goods
to meet the basic needs for tribal members, and supports
economic development.


9. (C) Asked about IDPs in Karbala, the Iraqis estimated that
there are 12,000 to 20,000 IDPs in Karbala. There are no IDP
camps or IDP areas, but IDPs can be found throughout Karbala.
The IDPs are from all areas of Iraq and many live in dire
poverty. They claim that some women are forced into
prostitution to support their families.


10. (C) Comment: These NGO representatives echoes statements
by civil society members and and secularists we have heard on
occasion throughout south-central Iraq. They say security has
improved but it is far from perfect. They are concerned that
Iranian backed organizations are spreading freely and
establishing control over local properties and businesses. But
they insist that public support for the religious parties is
declining because of their failure to deliver stability and
services and the perception that the parties are beholden to
Iranian rather than Iraqi interests. While we have heard
independents express similar fears concerning Iranian influence,
our ability to verify such claims is limited.
SIMMONS