DETERIORATING CONDITIONS AT THE ANBAR DETENTION

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 000083 C O R R E C T E D C O P Y (CAPTION ADDED) SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PTER PHUM PGOV ASEC PREL EAID KJUS KCRM KDEM IZ SUBJECT: DETERIORATING CONDITIONS AT THE ANBAR DETENTION FACILITY RAISE CONCERNS BAGHDAD 00000083 001.3 OF 002 ¶1. (U) This is a PRT Anbar (Ramadi) cable. ¶2. (U) SUMMARY AND COMMENT: During a series of December visits to the Hurricane Point Judicial Complex in Ramadi, PRTOffs discovered unsafe and unsanitary conditions at the recently occupied detention facility. The principal cause of these conditions is the inability of the Iraqi government to provide adequate operating and maintenance funding. The result is no fuel for the facility's emergency generator and a critical loss of water pressure. The combination of inadequate staffing, unlit corridors, lack of water, and unsanitary conditions at the Anbar detention facility constitutes a potentially serious security concern that must be addressed. END SUMMARY. RAMADI'S HURRICANE POINT JUDICIAL COMPLEX ========================================= ¶3. (U) On 23 December, PRTOffs conducted a site survey of the newly occupied detention facility at the Hurricane Point Judicial Complex. The complex is part of a 21.5 million dollar project by U.S. forces, the Embassy, and the government of Iraq (GOI) to establish a secure compound for the judiciary, courts and detainees awaiting trial in the provincial capital of Al Anbar Province. Grave concerns over judicial security prompted the building of the complex to provide a facility that allowed for the easier coordination of judicial resources and detainee access. Since the facility opened in June, cases have started to move more quickly and judges are working aggressively to alleviate a significant backlog of cases. LACK OF LIGHTING ================ ¶4. (U) Approximately six to eight weeks ago, 243 detainees, including sixteen Iraqi Police, a female detainee and a juvenile were transferred to the new detention facility from the former transfer jail at the Provincial Government Center (PGC). The much-heralded transfer immediately resulted in difficulties at the new facility. The transfer forced to the forefront the failure of the GOI to provide funds for fuel to run the facility's generator. The lack of funding for fuel oil to run the generator has left the facility with no electricity to run the water pumps and lights when the electrical grid is down. The local grid provides only about two hours of electricity per day. When grid power is lost, the lighting switches over to emergency lighting. The emergency lighting runs off a back-up power supply that charges during the two hours of grid power and provides approximately forty-five minutes to one hour of power to the emergency lighting. Once this is exhausted the facility is plummeted into darkness, creating a serious security concern. LACK OF WATER ============= ¶5. (U) The lack of electricity for water pumps has created sanitation and humanitarian concerns. When the PRT visited the facility, detainees had gone without water for three days. During a walk-through of the cell block, the inmates accosted PRTOffs with complaints about the lack of water. They had been provided with bottled water that they alleged had to be purchased from the facility's staff. When the PRT inquired with the staff, they stated that a water pump had broken and they had no water supply to the facility. Without water, detainees were also unable to flush the sewerage system. Staff explained that, in an attempt to solve the problem, two water tanks were placed on the roof of the detention facility. These tanks operate a gravity-fed system that has been cut into the existing water lines to augment Qthat has been cut into the existing water lines to augment the system. The gravity-fed system lacks adequate static pressure to maintain sufficient water flow. Once the warm weather returns, conditions in the facility are expected to significantly worsen. INADEQUATE SUPERVISION ====================== ¶6. (U) During the PRT's visit, there was limited leadership present at the detention facility. PRTOffs were informed that the commanding officer had just departed. This lack of oversight is troubling. When PRTOffs toured the facility, they noticed a young male, possibly less than 12 years of age amongst the adult male population. The staff insisted the juvenile had his own cell. The Provincial Chief Judge, who lives on the complex in judicial staff housing, opined that the security situation at night is a source of concern and reflects insufficient staffing. ¶7. (U) There is disagreement as to who is actually BAGHDAD 00000083 002.3 OF 002 responsible for running the facility, and therefore who is responsible for the current conditions. The Provincial Court Judge insisted to PRTOffs that the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) was legally in charge of the detention facility. However, the Ministry of Justice told EmbOffs it had nothing to do with the facility, and it was the responsibility of the MOI to operate on behalf of the Higher Judicial Court (HJC). (NOTE: Generally, detention facilities such as this fall under the purview of the HJC and are run by the Ministry of Interior. END NOTE) ¶8. (SBU) COMMENT: The detention facility has a population of approximately 260 detainees in both pre-trial and post-trial detention. Some of these post-trial detainees have received death sentences and are awaiting transfer for execution. The combination of inadequate staffing, unlit corridors, lack of water, and unsanitary conditions creates a potential powder keg. In addition to the need for additional staffing, the facility needs to be supplied with adequate fuel for their generators or be connected to the city's 24-hour emergency power grid, which would maintain the water supply and lighting all hours of the day. The most immediate problem, perhaps, is to clarify which government entity (apparently the Interior Ministry) has responsibility for maintaining the facility, and get them to run it properly. END COMMENT. HILL