BAGHDAD BOMBINGS: USG ASSISTANCE COORDINATION

UNCLAS BAGHDAD 002900 SIPDIS SENSITIVE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID ASEC PGOV PTER IZ SUBJECT: BAGHDAD BOMBINGS: USG ASSISTANCE COORDINATION WORKING GROUP - OCTOBER 29 UPDATE REF: A) BAGHDAD 2877 B)BAGHDAD 2883 C) BAGHDAD 2884 D) BAGHDAD 2889 E) KUWAIT 1030 ¶1. (SBU) Summary: Baghdad's Assistance Coordination Working Group continues to meet daily to assess the damage and respond to needs following the October 25 bombings. INL has delivered 12 vehicles and several work stations to the Higher Judicial Council (HJC) and is expediting delivery of additional computer equipment. Baghdad PRT and MND-Baghdad have sent cadaver dogs in the recovery effort. USAID has identified five generators for the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) and Ministry of Municipalities and Public Works (MMPW). The Council of Ministers has responded with damage assessment allocations totaling $13.7 million with the possiblity to consider reallocation of funds from its 2010 budget for reconstructing the affected ministerial offices. The Ministry of Health (MOH) has requested anesthetic from the World Health Organization, but reported it otherwise has sufficient medical supplies and blood banks. Potable water and raw sewage services near the bombing site have been restored. End Summary. USG Support Continues -------------- ¶2. (U) Baghdad's Assistance Coordination Working Group continues to meet daily to assess the damage and respond to needs following the October 25 bombings. On October 28, INL delivered its emergency loan of 12 vehicles to the HJC, permitting HJC staff to marshal resources and deliver them to their continuity operations cell at the Old Karkh courthouse. On October 29, INL also delivered and helped HJC staff build work stations at Al Karkh, with plans for delivery of laptops in the next few days. This will ensure that judicial throughput continues uninterrupted at courthouses nationwide. INL has agreed to expedite development of its software/hardware package to help the MOJ manage internal data and link the MOJ to the HJC and MOI. The previously agreed package includes $60,000 of servers, computers, scanners, and printers that we expect to deliver in early December. INL has also instructed its subcontractor to expedite approximately $40,000 worth of training for the MOJ IT sections. ¶3. (SBU) MOJ's Deputy Minister has told us his staff is assessing the use of the National Security Council building as temporary office space in the next few days. The DGs for Juvenile Welfare, Notary, and Implementation will work from their satellite offices for the time being. The DG for Administration and Finance has requested assistance in furnishing its offices with equipment and computers. MOJ has asked for vehicles, most of which were destroyed in the bombing. We are working to determine if any additional vehicles can be provided. ¶4. (SBU) USAID has identified five generators for delivery, including three to the MMPW and two to the MOJ. It also delivered previously-committed furniture, computers, IT equipment and two vehicles to the Ministry of Finance, which suffered substantive losses after the August 19 bombing. ¶5. (SBU) On October 29, Baghdad PRT and MND-Baghdad provided two cadaver dogs and two bomb dogs to the Iraqi Civil Defense Directorate (ICDD) (per ICDD's request) for the MOJ bomb site. Gulf Region Division engineers conducted safety checks prior to the dogs entering the site. We will provide updates on the results of these activities. GOI Provides Funds, Restores Water -------------- ¶6. (U) On October 27, the Council of Ministers (COM) authorized a transfer of $6 million to the MMPW and $7.7 Qauthorized a transfer of $6 million to the MMPW and $7.7 million to the MOJ to assess damages to the buildings. If the structural assessments require rebuilding, the COM would have to consider reallocation of funds within the 2010 budget, which is currently with the Council of Representatives (COR) for approval. (Note: Reallocations could also be made after the COR approves the budget, up to a certain percentage of the respective capital budget. End Note). Per reftel D, engineers hired by the local government are evaluating the Baghdad Governorate and Provincial Council Building. The Provincial Council Administrative Committee Chairman told us it would take a minimum of two weeks before they could return to their office. ¶7. (SBU) The World Health Organization (WHO) representative has reported that the Ministry of Health (MOH)'s Emergency Plan was effectively implemented on October 25 and subsequent days. MOH senior officials supervised the medical evacuation, triage, transfer and recovery operations throughout Baghdad's hospitals, with 97 ambulances mobilized for evacuation operations. Physicians from outside Baghdad have also been called upon to assist. MOH reported that its supply of medical supplies and central blood bank stocks were sufficient. An emergency buffer stock of 180 bottles of blood was supplied to various hospitals on the day of the bombing. In response to MOH's request, WHO is shipping 75,000 vials of anesthetic early next week. WHO also reported it has eight sets of surgical kits for 200 cases stored in Baghdad ready for deployment if needed. Per reftel E, the Government of Kuwait has also offered to provide treatment at Kuwaiti hospitals for 20 Iraqis. ¶8. (SBU) After requesting MND-B's contractor to switch off the Jadriya pump station on October 25 due to damage to the raw water trunk main near the blast area, Baghdad Water Authority reported on October 29 that it has now restored both potable and raw water services near the explosion site. HILL