KAPISA GOVERNOR REPLACES ALASAI DISTRICT ADMINISTRATOR,

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KABUL 000722 DEPARTMENT FOR SRAP, SCA/FO, SCA/A, EUR/RPM STATE PASS TO AID FOR ASIA/SCAA USFOR-A FOR POLAD SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PHUM PGOV AF SUBJECT: KAPISA GOVERNOR REPLACES ALASAI DISTRICT ADMINISTRATOR, VILLAGE ELDERS APPROVE IN A DRAMATIC SHURA REF: KABUL 636 ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: Kapisa Governor Abu Baker is moving aggressively to establish political control in concert with a major military operation reestablishing Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (GIRoA) presence in Alasai Valley after more than a year of Taliban control. On March 11, the governor replaced the Alasai district administrator with a reportedly competent administrator, despite lacking the formal authority to do so. Abu Baker's deputy governor and the sacked administrator traveled to Kabul to protest the action to Independent Directorate of Local Governance (IDLG) head Jelani Popal, but received little more than a promise to review the action. Reportedly, Abu Baker may move to replace the deputy governor and the Tagab administrator soon as well. END SUMMARY. Governor "Removes" Alasai District Administrator -------------- --- ¶2. (SBU) On March 11, Kapisa Deputy Governor Haji Safi called the PRT to report that Governor Abu Baker had "removed" Alasai District Administrator Momonhan Muslim and replaced him with Engineer Mullah Mohammed. Although there was an incident involving Muslim at the March 10 shura in Tagab (reftel),the removal was reportedly unrelated. Safi, who fears that he too will be removed in the coming days, claimed that Muslim was removed for interfering in and protesting against what he considered the illegal transfer of government land in Alasai to Hezb-i-Islami (HiG) elements who are reportedly tied to the governor. Safi also said that Tagab District Administrator Akhunzada was being targeted for removal in the coming days. Sali and Muslim traveled to Kabul to meet with IDLG head Jelani Popal to protest the govenor's actions since he has no authority to remove district administrators. Popal pledged to send a team to Alasai to investigate the issue and "see what IDLG can do," but did not give a time frame for the action. Alasai Elders Respond -------------- ¶3. (SBU) Governor Abu Baker organized a meeting on March 17 with Alasai elders to discuss security and governance issues. What had been scheduled as a small meeting became a full-fledged outdoor shura, including 120 Alasai elders. Through the governor's orchestration, supporters of Mohammed packed the crowd as the governor explained his firing of Muslim after fielding complaints from hundreds of Alasai residents about Muslim's conduct and ties to the Taliban. The governor claimed to have discussed the issue with President Karzai, who approved of his decision. He pressed Alasai's citizens to work with the new district administrator to improve security so development would quickly follow. Several elders rose to agree with the governor and his choice of Mohammed, squarely placing the blame for deteriorating security on Muslim, and accusing him of allowing the Taliban to flourish in the district, including by selling humanitarian assistance on the black market rather than distributing it, thereby pushing people towards the enemy. Mohammed then prompted a dramatic response of endorsement from the elders by stressing that he had not sought the job, but that he would do his best to improve their quality of life. Comment -------------- ¶4. (SBU) Governor Abu Baker's choice for the new Alasai district administrator and the timing of the announcement were politically shrewd moves intended to increase his strength in Southern Kapisa. Mullah Mohammed checks all the necessary boxes: Pashtun, educated, experienced, and from the opposition party (the Governor is Hezb-i-Islami, Mohammed is Jemiat) - to avoid the semblance of political favoritism and to establish credibility in Alasai. Mohammed's reputation coupled with a passive demeanor makes him the perfect conduit for the governor to continue to exert control in Alasai, so much so that when Mohammed initially declined the offer, the governor reportedly threatened him saying, "you don't want your kids to be sorry." If Mohammed can maintain security while showing tangible improvements, he will likely escape the allegations of corruption that dogged his predecessor. As someone who really does not want the job, he may be just the man for it. ¶5. (SBU) Mohammed will face considerable pressure from the governor and his HiG friends, to which he will occasionally have to acquiesce, and he will likely be forced to tolerate some amount of criminal activity. He may also find himself in the middle of tensions between the governor and deputy governor, who is from his party (Jemiat) and was once his professor in school. The crowd's widespread acceptance of Mohammed bodes well for his ability to govern the troubled district, although his actual level of support is questionable. Once the current Afghan National Army (ANA) operation has cleared the district and ANP presence is increased, Mohammed will be able to deliver development projects to a populace desperately in need of them. KABUL 00000722 002 OF 002 ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: Kapisa Governor Abu Baker is moving aggressively to establish political control in concert with a major military operation reestablishing Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (GIRoA) presence in Alasai Valley after more than a year of Taliban control. On March 11, the governor replaced the Alasai district administrator with a reportedly competent administrator, despite lacking the formal authority to do so. Abu Baker's deputy governor and the sacked administrator traveled to Kabul to protest the action to Independent Directorate of Local Governance (IDLG) head Jelani Popal, but received little more than a promise to review the action. Reportedly, Abu Baker may move to replace the deputy governor and the Tagab administrator soon as well. END SUMMARY. WOOD