VZCZCXYZ0011
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHGB #0663/01 0621605
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 031605Z MAR 06
FM AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3032
INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RHEHNSC/WHITE HOUSE NSC WASHDC

UNCLAS BAGHDAD 000663 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV ECON MOPS PREL IZ
SUBJECT: IRAQ PRTs WEEKLY ROUNDUP FOR 17-23 FEBRUARY 
2006 
 
¶1.  SUMMARY: The Provincial Reconstruction Teams 
(PRTs) report weekly their activities and progress 
towards helping the provincial governments achieve 
self-governance capability.  The following paragraphs 
summarize their activities in several areas for the 
period 17-23 February 2006.  The Ninawa Governor 
worked with the PRT and media to improve 
communications to the citizens and his staff.  Kirkuk 
Provincial Council Chairman said Kirkuk is neglected 
by the central government. A recent invitation for the 
Kirkuk Provincial Council to visit Erbil prompted 
rumors that a deal is being made to form a Shia-Kurd 
Government in Baghdad which includes the return of 
Kirkuk to Kurdistan.  Babil Province is gearing up to 
manage anticipated receipt from Baghdad of development 
and reconstruction funds.  The Ninawa Chief Justice 
agreed to support attempts to hold insurgent trials in 
the province versus transferring them to Baghdad. 
Activity of Anti-Iraq Forces was down in Ninawa but 
continued in north Babil. END SUMMARY. 
 
--------------- 
NINAWA PROVINCE 
--------------- 
 
¶2.  GOVERNANCE.  The Ninawa PRT worked with the 
Governor to improve his communication among his Iraqi 
staff.  On several occasions, the Governor was 
informed about Iraqi meetings through Coalition 
channels rather than Iraqi channels.  The PRT offered 
to assist in establishing weekly senior provincial 
cabinet staff meetings.  The Governor has also been 
reaching out more to the citizens of Ninawa via the 
media.  During this report period, he used television 
and radio appearances to address fuel shortage issues 
and denounce insurgent activity. 
 
¶3.  ECONOMIC.  A cost estimate was submitted to the 
U.S. Army Rapid Fielding Initiative Office to develop 
the job program described in reporting for 10-16 
February.  The planned jobs will be for trash 
collection from main city streets that have high 
incidents of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs).  PRT 
engineers worked with the Mosul Director General of 
Municipality to prepare the technical requirements for 
the program. 
 
¶4. RULE OF LAW.  The Ninawa Chief Justice promised his 
assistance in increasing public access to the Tal Afar 
courthouse and examining recent appellate decisions 
that dramatically reduced lengthy prison terms for 
convicted insurgents.  In addition, he stated his 
support for the PRT efforts to facilitate the trials 
of insurgent suspects in Ninawa rather than the 
current practice of transferring such trials to 
Baghdad. 
 
¶5. SECURITY.  Activities of Anti-Iraqi Forces were low 
during this report period. Poor weather conditions 
were believed to be the primary reason in the drop in 
activity. 
 
¶6.  INFRASTRUCTURE AND RECONSTRUCTION.   The Mosul 
Sewage Operation Manager identified key management 
issues facing his department: a lack of detailed job 
descriptions; recovery of operation and maintenance 
costs; a shortage of skilled technicians; and lack of 
transparency. Construction on several projects were 
halted, one for payment issues between the contractor 
and subcontractor and others due to funding issues and 
proposed re-scoping of projects. 
 
-------------- 
TAMIM PROVINCE 
-------------- 
 
¶7. POLITICAL. Provincial Council Chairman Rizgar Ali 
told the PRT Team Leader that he feels Kirkuk is 
neglected by Baghdad and that national officials 
continue to interfere and attempt to fill local 
positions.  Also, the KDP chief for Tamim Province, 
Najaf Hasan, complained that some ministers in Baghdad 
are favoring projects in certain neighborhoods of 
Kirkuk at the expense of other areas, due to 
ethnic/sectarian reasons.  Other significant issues 
that arose during the week include: 
 
--The Kurdistan Islamic Group leader issued a fatwa to 
kill Mariwan Halabjayee for writing the recently 
published book Sex, Islamic Law, and Women. 
 
 
--A newly established Provincial Council Committee to 
deal with Article 58 issues will start its work by 
concentrating on three suburbs of Kirkuk where there 
are significant property claims from returning 
displaced persons.  (NOTE: Lack of clarity on 
valuation and payment procedures has hampered the 
payment of compensation on a significant number of 
cases already adjudicated by the Iraqi Property Claims 
Commission (IPCC).  END NOTE.) 
 
--The Kirkuk Provincial Council received an invitation 
from the Kurdistan Regional Parliament to visit Erbil. 
No details as to the purpose of the visit were given, 
but it is suspected to be in regards to 
unsubstantiated rumors of a political deal being made 
to form a Shia-Kurd Government in Baghdad which would 
include Kirkuk being returned to Kurdistan. 
 
¶8.  SECURITY.  The bombing of the al-Askariyah Mosque 
in Samarra limited movement and restricted normal PRT 
activities.  There were two peaceful demonstrations 
and the Kirkuk Government Center was closed one day to 
observe a day of mourning. 
 
¶9.  RECONSTRUCTION.  The Project Coordination Center 
(PCC) reviewed 23 new projects nominations submitted 
during the past two weeks. Fifteen of the nominations 
will go forward to the Provincial Reconstruction 
Development Committee (PRDC).  Kirkuk provincial 
leaders approved an alternate site for the GST-5 Water 
Storage Tank Project.  It will require the removal of 
20 homes and the provincial council leaders committed 
to have the families relocated by 26 March. 
 
-------------- 
BABIL PROVINCE 
-------------- 
 
¶10.  ECONOMIC.  Babil Province is slated to receive 
$55 million in Regional Development Funds and $60 
million in Accelerated Governance Reconstruction Funds 
from the Central Government. The Provincial Treasurer 
indicated the rules for management of these accounts 
are being formulated by the Minister of Finance (MoF) 
and should be available within the week. However, 
Babil can expect to receive 20 percent of these 
allocations by next week.  The Provincial Council 
began discussions on how they will manage the 400 plus 
projects likely to be supported under the allocation. 
Decisions made thus far include: the establishment of 
a project management unit that will be directly 
involved in the identification of projects; management 
of the project contracting process (public 
announcements, opening of bids, review of bidders, 
selection of the winning contractor, and contract 
signing) and oversight of contract implementation; the 
contracting of engineering services vs. using internal 
engineers from the directorates; and consideration of 
using public opinion to identify needed projects.  The 
Treasurer requested PRT assistance with these efforts 
and offered to provide a list of areas where the PRT 
could be helpful. 
 
¶11.  SECURITY.  Anti-Iraqi Forces (AIF) activity in 
the northern part of Babil Province continued over the 
past week with attacks on the local populace and Multi 
National Forces-Iraq (MNF-I) convoys.  The northern 
area of the province continues to have higher levels 
of violence against both civilians and Coalition 
forces than the rest of the province, including 
several recent murders, particularly near the city of 
Jabella.  This escalation included crimes committed by 
persons dressed in Iraqi Security Forces uniforms, 
which has degraded the populace trust in the ability 
of the GoI to protect them from terrorists.  In 
response to the bombing of the al-Askariyah Mosque in 
Samarra, both violent and peaceful demonstrations took 
place on 22-23 February. 
 
¶12.  INFRASTRUCTURE AND RECONSTRUCTION.  PRT members 
visited the village of Seddah.  The mayor told the 
team that seven of their electric line transformers 
were damaged and only one had been repaired.  The 
Babil Director of Electricity told PRT engineers that 
41 transformers had been purchased with Commanders 
Emergency Response Program (CERP) funding and they 
were released for installation on 22 February. 
 
¶13.  A contract discrepancy was noted during a pre- 
 
construction meeting for the #80 Street Project, a $3 
million project which includes construction of a four 
lane road on the west side of Hillah.  If unresolved, 
the discrepancy could result in the termination of the 
contract. 
 
¶14.  TRAINING.  On 20 February, the PRT held a 
workshop on "Strategic Planning and Proposed Planning 
System".  Topics included: Modern Administration, The 
Role of Managers, and The Importance of Information in 
short, medium, and long term plans. The workshop 
resulted in the development of an action plan to 
initiate directorate assessments with clear 
responsibilities and organizational structure for each 
directorate. 
 
SATTERFIELD