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

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 KUWAIT 001948 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE ALSO PASS USAID/W 
STATE PLEASE REPEAT TO IO COLLECTIVE 
STATE FOR PRM/ANE, EUR/SE, NEA/NGA, IO AND SA/PAB 
NSC FOR EABRAMS, SMCCORMICK, STAHIR-KHELI, JDWORKEN 
USAID FOR USAID/A, DCHA/AA, DCHA/RMT, DCHA/FFP 
USAID FOR DCHA/OTI, DCHA/DG, ANE/AA 
USAID FOR DCHA/OFDA:WGARVELINK, BMCCONNELL, KFARNSWORTH 
USAID FOR ANE/AA:WCHAMBERLIN 
ROME FOR FODAG 
GENEVA FOR RMA AND NKYLOH 
DOHA FOR MSHIRLEY 
ANKARA FOR AMB WRPEARSON, ECON AJSIROTIC AND DART 
AMMAN FOR USAID AND DART 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: EAID PREF IZ WFP
SUBJECT:  TFIZ01: DART ASSESSMENT OF AL HILLAH 
 
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SUMMARY 
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¶1.  The DART conducted a security assessment of Al Hillah, 
capital of the Babil governorate, on 2 May.  The town has 
approximately 400,000, mostly Shia, residents.  Coalition 
forces ranked the threat assessment as "low to none," but 
acknowledged that there was a problem with organized crime. 
There have not been any security incidents in the last ten 
days, and DART security team declared Al Hillah permissive 
for DART operations.  Coalition forces reported finding 
several caches of UXOs, ammunition dumps, mine fields, and 
weapons in the city.  There are no acute shortages of any 
basic necessities or utilities in the town, although the 
communities in the surrounding area were reported to be in 
greater need of assistance and services.  End Summary. 
 
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FOOD SECURITY 
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¶2.  The DART observed no shortage of food and produce 
available in the local markets in Al Hillah.  Coalition 
forces reported that the normal distribution network under 
the Oil for Food (OFF) program has remained in place.  There 
are 1,730 food agents for the approximately 1.8 million 
residents of Babil governorate, with 10 local United Nations 
(U.N.) OFF workers to monitor the program in the region. 
Food deliveries were suspended for about two months during 
the hostilities, but deliveries resumed on 30 April.  Most 
of the grain under the OFF program for Al Hillah is 
processed in the immediate area at 14 privately owned mills. 
Although there are currently no shortages of food, problems 
have been reported with distributions due to a lack of bags. 
Coalition forces reported that the local residents have 
raised concerns about shortages of soy protein for chickens. 
Also, the price of propane gas, which the majority of the 
population uses for cooking purposes, has increased 
dramatically. 
 
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WATER AND SANITATION 
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¶3.  The DART saw no evidence of significant water or 
sanitation-related needs during its visit to Al Hillah.  No 
residents were seen collecting water from surface water 
sources.  Information on the status of the Al Hillah water 
facilities was gained from Coalition forces. 
 
¶4.  The water facilities in Al Hillah were operating at 75 
percent of capacity at the time of the DART assessment.  The 
availability and quantity of water to Al Hillah and outlying 
communities is good.  The Al Hillah province is served by 
fifteen water treatment plants, three of which produce the 
majority of the water for the province.  Coalition forces 
were providing technical assistance and supplies for 
maintenance in both Al Hillah and outlying communities.  All 
repair activities were conducted in conjunction with, and 
approval of, the local water and sewer utility managers. 
The primary problem faced by the utility is the lack of 
power.  Efforts are being made to support water and sewer 
facilities with backup generators and fuel. 
 
¶5.  The DART recommends that every effort be made to restore 
the main power grid for Al Hillah.  Non-governmental 
organizations (NGOs) should be encouraged to visit outlying 
communities to further assess and address water and 
sanitation needs. 
 
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ABUSE PREVENTION 
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¶6.  There are no confirmed reports of reprisal killings, but 
revenge attacks are taking place.  In one instance, 
Coalition forces reported that one of the lawyers in town 
was attacked for helping the military locate a former Ba'ath 
Party member.  His home was attacked by small arms fire, but 
no one was hurt.  The local police responded and arrested 
the individual.  According to the local police chief, 
approximately ten prisoners are being held by the police, 
but Coalition forces have yet to confirm this information. 
There are approximately 250 police operating in Al Hillah. 
Coalition forces provided the police force with AK-47s on 2 
May.  The Coalition has already provided a three-day police 
training program and plans to offer another course soon. 
 
¶7.  A group of lawyers educated at the Babylon University 
Law School have started a human rights organization to 
educate Iraqis on the human rights abuses conducted by the 
former regime as well as teaching human rights principles. 
The group has occupied the former secret police building and 
has issued a document in both Arabic and English proclaiming 
democratic ideals and human rights principles. 
 
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LAW AND ORDER 
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¶8.  Coalition forces are in the process of replacing Ba'ath 
party judges with new judges and employing 250 Iraqi police. 
The replacement of the judges was predicated on the 
understanding that Ba'ath party judges functioned as both 
prosecutor and judge, a practice which led to a high 
conviction rate.  According to Coalition forces, local 
residents have reported that people would be accused of 
crimes and then sent to jail for a year without a trial 
regardless of their crime.  Approximately 70 judges have 
been relieved of their duties, and five new judges will 
assume their positions 9 May. 
 
¶9.  As for the police, apparently there are as many as 250 
police candidates who have been identified as potential 
officers.  In order to create a "U.S.-type" of police force, 
Coalition forces have begun a three-day police training 
course.  One of the anticipated roles of the police is to 
man the six police sub-stations located throughout the city. 
There are no operable phone lines or radio communications 
between the substations and the central headquarters.  It is 
hoped that by posting Coalition forces at the headquarters 
and local police at the substations, the security presence 
will be increased throughout the city. 
 
¶10.  There have been no reports of insurgency or armed 
resistance around Al Hillah.  However, significant weapons 
caches have been found, presenting a disposal problem.  In 
one site, there are reportedly two full warehouses stacked 
from floor to ceiling with munitions.  Another problem is 
that in areas where munitions have been found, some locals 
have been emptying out the contents to collect the boxes, 
and in other situations locals have collected the munitions 
themselves. 
 
URBANCIC