This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 002464 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NOFORN 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/10/2025 
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM IZ
SUBJECT: STATE MINISTER KHADIM PROMOTES SUNNI SHI'A UNITY, 
CHALLENGES NGO COMMUNITY DESPITE MEAGER MONTHLY BUDGET 
 
REF: BAGHDAD 2346 
 
Classified By: Acting Political Counselor Henry S. Ensher. 
Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
¶1.  (C) SUMMARY.  State Minister Khadim for Civil 
Society  told PolOff on June 7 that despite his 
ministry's meager budget, he intends to maintain a 
robust travel schedule and meet with NGO leaders both 
in Baghdad and the provinces.  Khadim, a follower of 
Muqtada al Sadr, has met with Sunni and Shi'a tribal 
leaders in order to promote Sunni inclusion in the 
political process.  Rounding out his ambitious work 
plan, Khadim intends to actively participate in the 
constitution development process from both within 
government and through polling from the NGO community. 
END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2.  (C) On June 7, State Minister for Civil Society 
Affairs Ala'a Habib Khadim briefed PolOff on the 
status of his ministry and its latest initiates to 
promote Iraqi unity and social contributions of the 
NGO community.  Khadim reviewed the following key 
areas: 
 
-- NGO CONTRIBUTIONS IN THE NEW IRAQ: Khadim said that 
Iraqi NGOs needs to focus their energies on positive 
contributions to the Iraqi people, suggesting that 
many NGOs are formed simply to win grants. 
 
-- SUNNI AND SHI'A UNITY: Khadim said that on two 
occasions during the past two weeks, he met with Sunni 
and Shi'a tribal leaders to promote unity, Sunni 
inclusion in the political process, and to hear tribal 
grievances and concerns on behalf of the government. 
Principal grievances include high unemployment, 
unreasonable arrests, and the prevalence of water 
pollution.  The tribes also wish to relieve the ISF 
and MNF-I from their duties, and have asked Khadim to 
allow them to assume responsibility to enforce 
violations of law that occur in their respective 
areas, such as Al Anbar, Ninewa, Diwaniyah, Kut, An 
Najaf, and Samarra, among others.  Khadim stressed 
that the tribal leaders are in a better position to 
exert local control, and seek a larger role in 
reclaiming their communities from the insurgents. 
Khadim said he already presented a detailed plan to 
Prime Minister Ja'afari, and plans to see the PM as 
soon as possible to discuss possible courses of 
action.  Khadim said the role, as tribal interlocutor 
is a natural for his state ministry. 
 
-- SPECIFIC CUES FROM MUQTADA AL-SADR: Khadim provided 
details regarding his recent meeting with Muqtada al- 
Sadr, pointing out that Muqtada specifically said he 
would not interfere with the business of his state 
ministry.  Khadim said that Muqtada provided him 
specific guidance on the conduct of his duties, 
telling him, "You are Iraq.  The Iraqi people elected 
(sic) you."  He said Muqtada advised him to "work hard 
and lift the burden of the Iraqi people", telling him 
work towards the "unification of the Iraqi people" 
through reconciliation between the Sunni and Shi'a. 
Muqtada also directed him to "ask the occupying 
forces" to leave Iraq.  Khadim considers Muqtada's 
instructions as entirely consistent to the purpose of 
his ministry. 
 
-- CONSTITUTION PARTICIPATION AT SEVERAL LEVELS: 
Khadim explained that his ministry has a very specific 
role in the constitution development process.  First, 
he serves as a member of a "support committee" 
organized by the PM to assist the Constitution 
Committee.  Second, he serves as a member of an inter- 
ministerial constitution committee under the Council 
of Ministers.  Third, he intends to conduct "surveys" 
with the NGO community to coordinate civil society 
input directly to the Constitution Committee. 
 
-- TALL ORDERS FOR MINIMALLY FUNDED MINISTRY: Khadim 
complained that he is still waiting for a response 
from the Secretary General of the Council of Ministers 
on his budget increase request, claiming that the 
Secretary General's bloated 1,100 member staff (only 
 
SIPDIS 
200 are needed, he claimed) has created an impossible 
bureaucracy.  Khadim said he submitted a budget plan 
that calls for the following: an NGO training center, 
several national unity conferences for Iraqi tribal 
leaders, conferences for NGOs, and publishing a 
monthly magazine.  Khadim stated his staff has finally 
cleared an initial backlog of 1,000 NGO registration 
application packages, and he plans to sign the 
individual certificates by the end of the week. 
Khadim also claims that international donors 
contributed USD 145 million for three specific 
ministries: Women, Human Rights, and his ministry. 
However, he stated, he cannot find any records that 
indicate his ministry has received any of this 
funding.  (Note: Post is researching the source and 
intent of these funds; there is nothing to indicate 
that any of these ministries received such funding. 
End note.) 
-- REVISIONS TO CPA ORDER 45: Khadim said he has 
talked with NGOs regarding revisions to CPA Order 45 
("NGO Order") in order to address "ambiguous parts" of 
the order.  While he does not believe a wholesale re- 
write is necessary, he does not discount that 
possibility.  However, he stated he intends to keep 
the changes focused on the subject of NGOs without 
venturing into general discussions of non-profit 
organizations. 
 
¶3.  (C/NF) COMMENT. Khadim appears to be more 
proactive than his predecessor with respect to 
developing a strategy for active engagement with civil 
society and the NGO community (his predecessor could 
hardly explain a coherent strategy until the final 
days of his 8-month tenure).  Current staff levels and 
the budget shortfall will prevent Khadim from carrying 
out his stated objectives.  His focus on "shaping" the 
NGO community could mean attempts to assert government 
control over an NGO community whose mission includes 
democracy development and oversight of that same 
government.  On a positive note, his civil society 
outreach may prove to be the best mission his ministry 
could perform.  End comment. 
 
¶4.  (U) REO HILLAH, REO BASRAH, REO MOSUL, and REO 
KIRKUK, minimize considered. 
 
 
Jeffrey