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 KABUL 000532 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPT FOR SA/FO AMBASSADOR QUINN, S/CT, SA/A 
NSC FOR AHARRIMAN, KAMEND 
CENTCOM FOR POLAD, CG CFC-A, CG CJTF-76 
STATE PLEASE PASS USAID 
USAID FOR AID/ANE, AID/DCHA/DG 
 
E.O. 12958 N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER ASEC AF DA
SUBJECT:  ANTI-CARTOON DEMONSTRATIONS WIDESPREAD, BUT 
SMALL 
 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY.  The publication of cartoons in 
Denmark and across Europe depicting the Prophet 
Mohammad has spawned protests across Afghanistan. 
Demonstrations thus far have remained relatively 
small, but have grown increasingly violent over the 
past three days.  Rock-throwing protestors caused 
minor property damage to international vehicles and 
GOA buildings on February 6.  Six protestors were 
reportedly injured and one or two killed as police 
broke up the protests the same day.  END SUMMARY. 
 
February 4: Protestors Chant Anti-American Slogans 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
¶2. (U) The first reports of protests came from Kunduz 
province in northern Afghanistan.  On Saturday, 
February 4, prompted by mullahs from local Kunduz 
mosques, approximately 600 people converged on 
downtown Kunduz and protested the publication of 
cartoons negatively depicting the Prophet Mohammed for 
several hours.  The protestors stated their purpose 
was to demonstrate against the publication of the 
anti-Muslim caricatures in Canadian, French and German 
newspapers; however, the crowd shouted slogans that 
were clearly anti-American: "Death to Americans," 
"Death to Jews," and "Death to the Danes."  The 
demonstration dispersed peaceably and there was 
neither violence nor damage to any property in Kunduz. 
German-led PRT Kunduz also received reports that 
mullahs in the province's eastern city of Khanabad 
were encouraging demonstrations in that city. 
 
February 5: Peaceful Demonstrations Broken Up 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
¶3. (U) On Sunday, February 5, local mullahs incited a 
demonstration in Faizabad, capital of Badakhshan 
province in the northeast. Religious and community 
leaders drafted a message to UNAMA which protested 
against the Danish cartoons, called for the arrest of 
the person who drew the cartoon, and called upon 
President Karzai to sever relations with Denmark. 
This targeting of Denmark is significant as 42 Danish 
troops and a development advisor from the Danish 
development organization DANIDA are located at the 
Faizabad PRT. 
 
¶4. (U) While this letter was being drafted, a peaceful 
protest with several hundred men occurred in the Old 
City of Faizabad.  After approximately one hour, 
around 150 mostly young men splintered off from the 
main group and tried to cross into Faizabad's New 
City, where almost all international organizations are 
located.  The local police fired many shots into the 
air and the crowd eventually dispersed.  Nearly all of 
the international organizations based in 
Faizabad, including USAID contractors and implementing 
partners PADCO, IOM and Merlin, decided to temporarily 
move their expatriate staff to the PRT. 
 
¶6. (U) In southeastern Afghanistan, one thousand 
people reportedly held a peaceful demonstration in 
Orgun, in Paktika Province, on February 5 to protest 
the Danish cartoons.  The group burned a Danish flag 
but there were no other reports of violence.  The 
protest lasted approximately an hour before local 
security forces dispersed the crowd without incident. 
The police and border patrol have increased patrols in 
the city to ensure continued calm. 
 
¶7. (U) In eastern Afghanistan, there were two small 
demonstrations in Mehtarlam in Laghman Province on 
February 5.  The two demonstrations -- each involving 
approximately fifty people -- were largely peaceful 
although the demonstrators reportedly set tires on 
fire, which the ANP quickly extinguished.  Similarly, 
press reports indicate around 1000 people protested in 
Jalalabad, demanding the withdrawal of Danish troops 
from the country, and that several hundred protesters 
gathered in Kandahar. 
 
February 6: Protestors Injured in Takhar and Laghman 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
 
¶8. (U) Protests amplified on Monday, February 6.  In 
Laghman province, press and local NGO reports indicate 
two people were injured and one was killed when police 
broke up continued protests there.  Also on February 
6, two small protests took place in Taloqan in Takhar 
province.  Protestors threw rocks during the 
demonstration, breaking windows at the Governor's 
office.  The police took firm control over the 
demonstration, firing shots to control the crowd. 
Several protesters were arrested, and four were sent 
to the hospital with injuries. 
 
¶9. (U) In Kabul, a group of around 200 demonstrators 
threw rocks in the area of the British Embassy.  The 
protest was dispersed by the police before it arrived 
at the Danish Embassy, but several cars driven by 
internationals were damaged. 
 
GOA Response 
------------ 
 
¶10. (U) The Afghan government has addressed the issue 
of the offensive cartoons at the highest levels. 
President Karzai has already reacted to the cartoons, 
issuing a statement while visiting Denmark on January 
29 that "any insult to the Holy Prophet (PBUH) is an 
insult to more than one billion Muslims and an act 
like this must never be allowed to be repeated."  FM 
Abdullah issued a similar statement on February 5, and 
the members of the Afghan National Assembly discussed 
the issue briefly during debate on February 4. 
 
International Response 
---------------------- 
 
¶11. (U) In response to the burning of their Embassy in 
Syria and further rumored protests in Kabul, the 
Norwegian Embassy in Kabul closed temporarily and 
moved its operations to the Norwegian ISAF compound. 
RC-East has contacted DACAAR, a Danish NGO with 
projects in the border area and around the country, to 
assist with their security planning.  The DACAAR 
representative indicated that they withdrew their 
expatriate from Herat where they stated demonstrations 
were also taking place. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶12. (SBU) Similar to the anti-American protests about 
the desecration of the Koran in May 2005, local 
mullahs have been the primary instigators of the 
protests.  A notable difference, though, is that these 
protests have not led to the same degree of violence, 
in part because of the active intervention of the 
Afghan National Police.  While ISAF (European-led) 
PRTs have expressed particular concern about these 
protests, demonstrations have taken place across the 
country, regardless of the presence of European forces 
in a province.  Protests are expected to continue 
through the next few days.  Post will continue to 
monitor the situation, including monitoring the Friday 
sermons in the mosques in Kabul and elsewhere.  END 
COMMENT. 
NEUMANN