VZCZCXRO8164
OO RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHKUK RUEHMOS
DE RUEHBC #0034/01 0731411
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 141411Z MAR 06
FM REO BASRAH
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0270
INFO RHEHNSC/WHITE HOUSE NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE
RUEHBC/REO BASRAH 0288

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BASRAH 000034 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL:  3/14/2016 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR PHUM ECON EAID ELAB KDEM KISL
SOCI, IZ 
SUBJECT: SNAPSHOT OF MUTHANNA:  POOR, PEACEFUL, AND TRADITIONAL 
 
BASRAH 00000034  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: Ken Gross, Deputy REGIONAL COORDINATOR, REO 
BASRAH, DEPARTMENT OF STATE. 
REASON: 1.4 (b), (d) 
 
 
 
¶1.  (U)  Summary:  Located in the far southeast of Iraq, the 
province of Muthanna is the second largest in Iraq in terms of 
size, but the poorest and least populated of all of Iraq's 
provinces.  A fairly quiet region with few security concerns, 
Muthanna's residents call it the "peaceful province."  Typified 
by a traditional society, tribal structure trumps political 
bodies in Muthanna.  Nearly homogenous, over 95 percent of 
Muthanna's population is Shia Arab and holds conservative 
Islamic values, looking to Najaf and the Ayatollah Sistani for 
guidance on all matters.  For the foreseeable future, Muthanna's 
concerns will, in all probability, be ones of economic 
development.  End Summary. 
 
Overview 
------------- 
 
¶2.  (U)  Muthanna province, located in far southwest Iraq, with 
a population of 622,351 and an annual median household income of 
1,661,129 Iraqi dinars (approximately $1107), is the poorest and 
least populated province in Iraq (Note:  These are 2003 figures 
from UNDP and the Ministry of Planning Survey of 2004; published 
May 2005.  End Note).  Much of the population is concentrated in 
the provincial capital of Samawah (population 125,000), 
Rumaytha, and Kidhr (second and third largest towns).  Both 
cities are located in the far north of the province on the banks 
of the Euphrates River.  The rest of the population is scattered 
throughout the arid desert that borders Saudi Arabia.  The 
ancient Sumerian city of Uruk, is located in Muthanna outside of 
Kidhr, and the Japanese government provides site protection 
assistance through UNESCO. 
 
Security Situation: Uneventful 
-------------------------------------- 
 
¶3.  (SBU)  Muthanna province has seen very few security 
incidents in the past three years, and is considered by its 
residents to be "the peaceful province" of Iraq.  British and 
Australian forces, stationed at Camp Smitty, and Japanese 
forces, stationed at Camp Samawah, in Muthanna are there for 
reconstruction efforts.  In November 2005, the British concluded 
a police-training program.  Though there have been occurrences 
of rock throwing at Coalition vehicles, expressions of 
anti-Western sentiment, and the occasional mortar attack on the 
Coalition camps in Muthanna, these are isolated incidents 
believed to be undertaken by a small group of extremists and not 
representative of the larger population.  Following a trend seen 
in surrounding provinces, increased Jaysh al-Mahdi (JAM) 
activity and JAM-Badr skirmishes have resulted in a slightly 
less secure environment in Muthanna since February 2006. 
 
Society and Culture: Homogenous 
------------------------------------------ 
 
¶4.  (U)  Over 95 percent of the population of Muthanna is Shia 
Arab; there are estimated to be less than 5,000 Sunnis in the 
entire province.  The Shia of Muthanna are conservative and 
traditional in their approach to religion and society.  Women 
rarely venture outside, and when they do, they are always 
completely covered in black robes.  No other major ethnic or 
religious groups are represented.  A traditional tribal society 
is firmly ensconced in the province, with much of the population 
taking direction from their tribal leaders, who in turn look to 
Najaf for direction from Ayatollah Sistani.  Indeed, the 
province of Muthanna is described as "looking to Najaf," and is 
more appropriately grouped with the provinces of Hillah and 
Najaf than with the other three southern provinces of Basrah, 
Dhi Qar, and Maysan. 
 
¶5.  (U)  The results of the homogeneity and tribal structure of 
Muthanna are reflected in its voting patterns: over 98 percent 
of the population voted in favor of the constitutional 
referendum on October 15, 2005, and all five of Muthanna's seats 
on the National Assembly went to the Unified Iraqi Coalition 
(List 555) in the December 15, 2005 parliamentarian election. 
 
¶6.  (SBU)  Although there are a dozen or so distinct tribes in 
Muthanna province, the two most powerful and influential tribes 
in the region are the Al Hassani tribe and the Al Zayadi tribe. 
These two tribes control the provincial government and spar with 
each other for power.  The Al Hassani tribe, of which the 
current governor is a member, is allied with the SCIRI/Badr 
party.  Al Zayadi, on the other hand, is linked with the Office 
of the Martyr Sadr (OMS) political party and JAM. 
 
 
BASRAH 00000034  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
Economic Overview:  Few Resources 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
¶7.  (U)  Muthanna province has the highest percentage of 
unemployment of all the Iraqi provinces at 32.7 percent and is 
among the provinces with the highest level of adult illiteracy 
at 41 percent.  (Note:  From UNDP and Ministry of Planning 
Survey of 2004; published May 2005.  End Note.)  Much of the 
population relies on government employment or agriculture for 
income.  A large cement factory is located outside of Samawah, 
and a railroad connects Rumaytha and Samawah to the Dhi Qar 
provincial capital of Nassiriyah.  Although much of the province 
is barely habitable, the banks of the Euphrates River are arable 
and produce wheat and rice.  Tribes herd sheep and goats. 
Unlike the other southern provinces, Muthanna has no substantial 
oil deposits and few other natural resources to boost its 
economy. 
 
¶8.  (U)  The poorest of the provinces, Muthanna nevertheless 
benefits from substantial donor investment.  The Japanese 
government has invested $220 million in water treatment units, 
health infrastructure, road rehabilitation, and electric power 
in Muthanna province.  In December 2005, the National Embassy 
Team approved $10 million in funds for projects in water, roads, 
and power.  In March, the Iraqi government allocated 31 billion 
Iraqi dinars (about $21 million) to the provincial government of 
Muthanna for projects in the education, sewer, and rural road 
sectors. 
 
Shia Islamic Parties Dominate Politics 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
¶9.  (C)  The Islamic Shia parties of OMS, SCIRI and Badr 
Organization, and Da'awa are the most prevalent political 
parties in Muthanna.  Currently, the Governorship and Provincial 
Council are dominated by the Al Hassani-backed SCIRI and Badr 
Organization.  The Chief of Police, Mohammed Najem Abd Swaidi, 
is non-political, although the Australian policy advisor at Camp 
Smitty estimates that JAM infiltration into the Iraqi police in 
Muthanna is as high as 80 percent. 
 
¶10.  (U)  Tribal influence and power sharing among Muthanna's 
tribes takes precedence over regular elections and democratic 
processes.  Regardless of election dates, the Chair of the 
Provincial Council rotates about every four months.  In August 
2005, Mohammed Zayadi (Independent; American citizen) was 
removed from the position of Provincial Council Chair and Kareem 
Ali Sajet (Fadillah; previously of Da'awa) was appointed Chair. 
In March 2006, Kareem was replaced by Sheikh Assad Abdul Amin al 
Duainee, an Independent Islamic Association member, former chair 
of the Religious and Society Committee, and a Shia imam.  Sheikh 
Assad is also the brother of the Deputy Governor of Muthanna. 
 
¶11.  (C)  BIO NOTE: The Governor of Muthanna, Mohammed Ali 
Hassan Abbas Al Hassani, (SCIRI), was a former Badr commander 
who fled to Iran during the Saddam regime but returned to 
Muthanna in 2003 as head of SCIRI.  His heavy-handed and 
autocratic management style do not make him a popular public 
figure, but his ability to keep OMS and JAM militias at bay has 
earned him respect. 
 
Comment 
------------ 
 
¶12.  (SBU)  The province of Muthanna, with its small population 
and lack of natural resources, will most likely always face the 
challenges of economic development and will probably always be 
in the position of requesting financial assistance, either from 
international donors or the Baghdad government.  Although JAM 
shows signs of growing activity in Muthanna and may even topple 
the current SCIRI-led government, tribal structures will most 
likely continue to have the final word in provincial politics 
for the foreseeable future. 
GROSS