NURISTANIS JOCKEYING AHEAD OF POST-ELECTION

C O N F I D E N T I A L KABUL 003396 SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR SRAP, SCA/FO, SCA/A, EUR/RPM STATE PASS USAID FOR ASIA/SCAA USFOR-A FOR POLAD E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/23/2019 TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR AF SUBJECT: NURISTANIS JOCKEYING AHEAD OF POST-ELECTION SHUFFLE OF GOVERNORS Classified By: Interagency Provincial Affairs Deputy Coordinator Hoyt Y ee for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C/NF) Summary: With the denouement of Afghanistan's prolonged election drama, Nuristani political figures are positioning themselves for the likely shuffle of governors under a new administration. To his rivals, Governor Jamaluddin Badr looks like an easy target. Although a strong, deft leader could help the province's remote communities counter insurgent activity along the border with Pakistan, we have yet to see such a contender for the post of governor emerge. End Summary. Nuristan Shuras... in Kabul -------------- ¶2. (C/NF) Prominent Nuristanis who prefer the comforts of the capital to the poverty of their own province group themselves into two Kabul-based shuras. Former provincial governor Tamim Nuristani heads the &Nuristani Tribal Shura.8 The leader of the &Nuristani General Shura8 is Ishmatullah Purmach, a wealthy businessman whose political pedigree comes from his father, an esteemed Afghan army general during the rule of Zahir Shah. ¶3. (C/NF) The two shuras agree that Jamaluddin has been ineffective in his eight months as governor, and, with an eye to their own advantage, are pressing for the Palace to replace him. In part, Jamaluddin has made enemies by his bid to place as many of his own supporters as possible in government positions (septel). The governor also appears as lazy, weak, and corrupt. Nuristanis complain that he has yet to convene a general shura, that he was unable to rally communities in Barg-e-Matal and Kamdesh when anti-Afghan forces (AAF) attacked over the summer, and that his principal activity is skimming the scarce revenues flowing through the province. Government counterparts in Parun gossip, saying Jamaluddin is so scared of enemy fighters he refuses to travel by road and really only wants to make enough money to move to India or Dubai. Potential Governors Not Inspiring -------------- ¶4. (C/NF) Given the uptick in AAF-related violence in eastern Nuristan this summer, and with continuing pressure from the Pakistani government on the mountainous border area, Nuristan certainly would benefit from the leadership of a strong governor with the ability to mobilize the province's disparate communities. For now, we know of three willing, if unprepossessing, contenders to replace Jamaluddin. -- Former Provincial Council member Ramatullah Rashidi lost his seat in the August 20 elections and needs a new job. Rashidi shares Jamaluddin,s Salafist Ummiat-e-Muslimeen political leanings, but Jamaluddin pushed Rashidi out of both his leadership post on the Provincial Council and his politically-useful position as World Food Program representative for eastern Nuristan. -- Qaridaoud lost his job as Dow Ab district governor after he facilitated an attack on Coalition Forces there in April ¶2009. Recently Qaridaoud collected up a group of western valley Nuristanis to make the case in Kabul that, since the governor fired him &without cause,8 Qaridaoud should succeed Jamaluddin. -- Afghan National Army Lieutenant Colonel Rostum is a western valley Nuristani Pashai who works in recruitment at the Ministry of Defense. Some western Nuristanis say he fought in the latest clash between the Gujer and Pashai tribes. Known as competent in his work, Rostum lacks strong political ties. EIKENBERRY