VZCZCXRO9577
PP RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHKUK
DE RUEHMOS #0032/01 0821736
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 231736Z MAR 06
FM REO MOSUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0442
INFO RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RUEHLU/AMEMBASSY LUANDA 0036
RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 0029
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 0025
RUEHMOS/REO MOSUL 0461

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MOSUL 000032 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL:  3/23/2016 
TAGS: PREL PINS PINT PGOV PHUM IZ MARR
SUBJECT: NINEWA: SHABEK SHIA ON ASHURA ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION AND 
SECURITY 
 
REF: MOSUL 21 
 
MOSUL 00000032  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: Cameron  Munter, PRT Leader, Provincial 
Reconstruction Team Ninewa, State. 
REASON: 1.4 (a), (b), (d) 
 
 
 
------- 
SUMMARY 
------- 
 
¶1.  (C) Minority Shabek Shia in Ninewa reported no major 
security incidents during the 40-day Anniversary of Ashura. 
Representatives of the Shabek Democratic Assembly (SDA) and 
Supreme Council for Islamic Revolution of Iraq (SCIRI) said the 
only regret they had was when Al Sadr supporters were heckling 
Coalition Forces during the celebration.  To help with security 
and ward off any potential attacks targeting Shias, SDA rep 
Yousef Muharam claimed the party had established "intelligence 
cells" throughout the province.  The "cells" were to report on 
kidnappings, killings, and threats, but not to engage in 
fighting.  Muharam also said SDA had created a questionnaire to 
measure Ninewa resident's views on Kurdish encroachment.  End 
Summary. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) PRT PolOff met with Yousef Muharam of the Shabek 
Democratic Assembly (SDA) in Mosul on March 20 and 23, and with 
Aref Yousef of the Supreme Council for Islamic Revolution of 
Iraq (SCIRI) on March 23. 
 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
ASHURA ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION -- NO REPORTED PROBLEMS 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
 
¶3.  (C) The 40-day Anniversary of Ashura appeared to have gone 
off without any major problems in Ninewa province.  Muharam 
requested and got Coalition Force (CF) presence, and reported 
having good cooperation with provincial Iraqi Police (IP) for 
the celebration.  Muharam said events planned for March 20 
through 22 were scaled down for fear of attacks from Sunni 
Arabs.  However, marches would still commence in and around the 
Bartalla area in eastern Ninewa (reftel).  Badges were issued 
for temporary security guards involved with the party and Al 
Badr and Supreme Council of Islamic Revolution of Iraq (SCIRI) 
party members.  Muharam said the purpose of the badges was to 
minimize "chaos and avoid disturbances."  He claimed the 
security personnel were only to carry AK-47 assault rifles and 
"nothing heavier."  He believed the party security, plus Iraqi 
Security Forces (ISF) and CF would be sufficient for protection. 
 Muharam said the celebrations went well and were peaceful.  He 
and Aref Yousef of SCIRI reported only one regret: they wanted 
to apologize to CF Stryker brigades helping provide security 
that were heckled by Muqtada Al Sadr supporters chanting, "Down 
with America."  Muharam and Yousef called the protestors 
"immature" and accused them of bringing down the day's 
festivities.  Dr. Haneen Al Qaddo expressed "frustration" and 
"sadness" that the incident occurred. 
 
------------------------- 
SHABEK INTELLIGENCE CELLS 
------------------------- 
 
¶4.  (C) Many contacts have told the PRT in recent weeks they 
fear an upswing in violent activity in the area.  Several of 
them point to ethnic tensions in Baghdad and southern Iraq as 
the impetus for possible attacks in the north.  Ninewa's Shabek 
community -- predominantly Shia -- are concerned about what they 
believe is imminent violence against Shias in the province.  SDA 
representative Muharam told PolOff the party was working on 
efforts, independently and through local governments, to shore 
up security to protect the Shia.  Muharam said SDA has 
established "intelligence cells" throughout the province to 
monitor suspicious activity, as well as to report on killings, 
kidnappings, and threats.  The cells were instructed not to 
engage in any fighting, claimed Muharam.  Rather, they would 
only function as "eyes and ears" on the ground.  He claimed SDA 
intelligence cells were reporting a high number of threat 
letters given to Shia, particularly in Mosul, but that no actual 
copies of the letters had yet been obtained.  He hoped the cells 
would assist Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) and Coalition Forces 
(CF) with security. 
 
--------------------------------- 
QUESTIONNAIRE ON KURDISH PRESENCE 
--------------------------------- 
 
 
MOSUL 00000032  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶5.  (C) In an effort to quantify Kurdish aggression in Ninewa, 
SDA has finalized the creation of a survey titled, 
"Questionnaire Concerning the Presence of Kurds in Nineveh 
Valley," according to Muharam.  He said the survey was created 
under the guidance of four statisticians at Mosul University. 
The results would be compiled for submission to the provincial 
government, which was predominantly Kurdish, when issues of Kurd 
encroachment occurred.  SDA representatives were in every part 
of the province to conduct the survey, and that the 
questionnaire was not just limited to Shabek or Shia, claimed 
Muharam.  Rather, SDA was hoping to get input from all 
minorities and Arabs.  Checks would also be done to verify data 
by following up with those interviewed for the survey.  Muharam 
said he realized the venture was risky, but worthwhile.  He said 
the results, which he assumed would be against Kurdish presence 
by an 80 percent margin, would help non-Kurds push back on the 
Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP).  He accused KDP of acting as 
the defacto government in Ninewa and of abusing the rights of 
minorities. 
 
------- 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
¶6.  (C) The creation of Shabek Shia "intelligence cells" is a 
troubling proposition.  Muharam did not tell us how many were 
currently functioning, but that they were operating throughout 
the province.  While he promised the "cells" were not fighting 
and just reporting, it seemed SDA might have taken a lead from 
their Shia colleagues in southern Iraq to create some semblance 
of a militia.  Also, the arming of security personnel not 
affiliated with government security forces for the Ashura 
Anniversary celebration was disturbing as well.  This, and the 
idea of the "Kurd encroachment" survey, displays deeper trouble 
in Shabek Shia-land: their seeming lack of trust in the current 
Ninewa government to protect minorities, and the decision that 
they should take up arms to defend themselves. 
MUNTER