VZCZCXRO6091
RR RUEHBC RUEHDA RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHKUK RUEHMOS
DE RUEHGB #1149/01 0971507
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 071507Z APR 06
FM AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3783
INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RHEHNSC/WHITE HOUSE NSC WASHDC
RUZCDAB/MNC-I BAGHDAD IQ
RUZCDAA/MNF-I BAGHDAD IQ
RUEPGAB/MNF-I C2X BAGHDAD IZ
RHMFISS/WARRIOR BRAVO CC BALAD IQ
RHMFISS/HQ AFOSI ANDREWS AFB MD
RUWICBE/I MEF CAMP PENDLETON CA
RHMFIUU/CDR101STABN DIV AASLT FORT CAMPBELL KY
RHMFISS/ASAS 4THINFDIV FORT HOOD TX
RUEPUAC/MITT 4THINFDIV FORT HOOD TX
RHMFISS/506AEG CP KIRKUK IQ

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 BAGHDAD 001149 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV ECON MOPS PREL IZ
SUBJECT: IRAQ PRTS WEEKLY ROUNDUP FOR 23-30 MAR 06 
 
¶1. SUMMARY.  The Provincial Reconstruction Teams 
(PRTs) report weekly their activities, meetings, and 
progress towards helping the provincial governments 
achieve self-governance capability.  For the period 
23-30 March, the Ninawa Governor looked ahead to 
utilizing the current PRT site once it relocates. 
Ninawa tackled fuel supply shortages and waste removal 
programs. The Tamim Provincial Government focused on 
planning wisely for the development and reconstruction 
funds coming from the central government, and plans 
proceeded for locating an appropriate site to build a 
provincial prison in Kirkuk.  In Babil, national 
issues in Baghdad affected the provincial scene and 
strained the PRT working relationship with the 
Governor and Provincial Council(PC).  Baghdad PRT was 
inaugurated on March 26 and one day later, the PC 
terminated communication with it and all USG entities. 
END SUMMARY. 
 
--------------- 
NINAWA PROVINCE 
--------------- 
 
¶2.  POLITICAL.  The Ninawa Governor attended the 
Southern Tigris Valley River Regional Security Council 
meeting and emphasized the importance of Iraqis taking 
responsibility for solving their own problems.  He 
asked for better coordination and planning among Iraqi 
Police (IP), Iraqi Army (IA), and Coalition Forces 
(CF).  He said the Provincial Joint Coordination 
Center (PJCC) is an information sharing site, not a 
planning site.  The Governor stated his intent to have 
FOB Courage property, the current PRT location, turned 
over to the Ministry of Finance after the PRT 
relocates to FOB Marez in late May or early June. He 
would like to see FOB Courage turned into a revenue 
generating facility, possibly a tourist center. 
 
¶3.  In another demonstration of the PC dependency upon 
the Chairman, it did not meet during this report week 
due to his absence.  The inability or unwillingness of 
the Chairman to delegate someone to act in his absence 
becomes an acute problem as reconstruction funds from 
Baghdad begins to flow to the province. 
 
¶4.  RULE OF LAW.  On March 23, the deputy warden for 
Baddush Prison was assassinated while returning from 
Baghdad with a load of supplies for the prison.  He 
played a significant role in establishing Baddush as a 
model Iraqi correctional facility and was considered a 
friend and ally to CF.  PJCC representatives discussed 
detainee transparency with the Provincial Ministry of 
Interior Inspector General, PC representatives, and 
local CF groups.  The desired goal is to provide local 
citizens one place (the PJCC) to find the status of 
friends or family members detained by the Iraqi 
Security Forces (ISF) or CF. 
 
¶5.  SECURITY.  Anti-Iraqi Forces (AIF) continued to 
target ISF in their attempt to discredit the Iraqi 
Government and gain support for the anti-coalition 
insurgency.  Intimidation tactics and kidnappings 
focused on ISF family members, students, and store 
owners are favored methods for the AIF campaign. 
 
¶6.  INFRASTRUCTURE AND RECONSTRUCTION.  Fuel supplies 
of all types are exhausted.  Commerce primarily 
subsists from Syrian imports and the black market. 
Propane storage is virtually depleted and the black 
market cannot meet that demand.  In efforts to improve 
solid waste removal, the Urban Planning Team met with 
a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) about its 
program in the Al-Kaffaat sector.  The NGO has had 
success with its plan in which local residents pay 
about 1500 Iraqi Dinar per household per month 
(approximately US $1) to hire a private trash 
contractor.  Nearly 460 households out of 600 are 
participating in the program. 
 
¶7.  Work on the new water network in Mosul City funded 
 
BAGHDAD 00001149  002 OF 003 
 
 
by $70K CERP money was completed.  The project 
included installation of a new water distribution 
system.  It will benefit 4,000 people in east Mosul. 
Another CERP funded project to extend water pipes in 
east Mosul was also completed.  This project extended 
the water network on the Mosul left bank by laying 
5,900 linear meters of new network pipes and is 
expected to benefit approximately 200,000 citizens in 
east Mosul. The power generation and distribution 
upgrades in Dahuk Province were finalized and will 
feed power to the Zakho Military Academy.  It is 
expected to fully meet projected future power 
requirements for the Academy. 
 
-------------- 
TAMIM PROVINCE 
-------------- 
 
¶8. POLITICAL.  The Kirkuk Provincial Government is 
making significant progress in prioritizing plans for 
the development and reconstruction funds disbursed by 
the central government.  The Kirkuk Governor and 
Provincial Council Chairman are personally involved in 
the process and are determined to demonstrate that 
they have the ability to prioritize, obligate, and 
disburse these funds.  This is viewed as an 
opportunity to deliver needed projects to the citizens 
of the province, and thereby demonstrate the 
effectiveness of the provincial government. 
 
¶9.  There is little evidence of preparations for 
provincial elections in Kirkuk.  KDP and PUK leaders 
seem to be either focused on party unification efforts 
taking place in Erbil or vying for position within the 
Provincial Council.  In other activities this week, 
PRT members met with several local Kurdish sheiks and 
student leaders.  They discussed local dissatisfaction 
with the two main political parties.  The sheiks 
stated that many Kurds view the PUK and KDP as 
"corrupt and out for themselves".  The sheiks claim to 
be apolitical, but may have a personal agenda against 
members of both parties. 
 
¶10.  The Deputy Team Leader met with Kirkuk Provincial 
Council Member Babakir Sadiq Ahmad, the chairman of 
the Provincial Council TAL 58 Committee.  They 
discussed compensation of Internally Displaced Persons 
(IDPs) returning to Kirkuk and Arabs brought to Kirkuk 
under the various "Arabization" programs.  According 
to Sadiq, many of these Arabs wish to return to their 
ancestral homes in Southern Iraq but are awaiting 
compensation from the central government.  This issue 
is a high priority with the Kurds who would like to 
remove a part of the Arab population and receive 
compensation for returning Kurds. 
 
¶11.  RULE OF LAW AND SECURITY.  The PRT Rule of Law 
Coordinator and a project engineer viewed two 
potential construction sites for a provincial prison 
in Kirkuk.  Both sites are located within 10 miles of 
the city and the land for either site will be donated 
to Kirkuk Province by their current owners. 
Assessment of the sites, construction plans, and 
inquiries into possible funding sources continue. 
 
-------------- 
BABIL PROVINCE 
-------------- 
 
¶12.  POLITICAL.  The Babil Provincial Government 
claimed that they are "boycotting" the PRT and CF due 
to unspecified infractions.  National issues in 
Baghdad continued to dominate the Babil political 
scene which has resulted in an increased trend of 
criticism directed at the CF and USG.  The PRT 
reported it is creating difficulties in their working 
relationship with the Provincial Government as 
evidenced by its cancellation of a meeting this week. 
 
¶13.  RULE OF LAW.  Two judges, several university law 
 
BAGHDAD 00001149  003 OF 003 
 
 
professors, the Federal Protective Deputy Director and 
his assistant, in separate meetings, told the PRT of 
their concern that the Babil Police Academy is not 
teaching police recruits the basic skills needed to be 
effective street officers and definitely not command 
officers as their careers mature.  Rather, the present 
police and security forces appear to be rife with 
corruption or incompetence. 
 
¶14.  SECURITY.  Northern areas of Babil Province 
continued to see a greater frequency of attacks. 
Improvised explosive devices (IEDs) were the most 
common form of insurgent activity.  The IA and IP 
continued to improve their operational capabilities 
through constant operations and joint training 
exercises with CF.  Mahdi militia members actively 
engaged in an information campaign against CF and 
included both mass media and word of mouth to carry 
their message. 
 
¶15.  RECONSTRUCTION.  The last four of 21 contracted 
ambulances were delivered to the Hillah Regional 
Embassy Office.  These ambulances will be turned over 
to the Babil Province Health Director General. 
 
---------------- 
BAGHDAD PROVINCE 
---------------- 
 
¶16.  POLITICAL.  On March 27, the Baghdad Provincial 
Council issued a statement ceasing all communication 
and coordination with the U.S. military, the U.S. 
Embassy, and the PRT one day after the PRT 
inauguration.  The PC said its decision to end 
engagement with the USG also applies to all 
subordinate councils in the province.  This 
announcement followed a March 26 Iraqi-U.S. military 
operation in the Al-Adhamiyah District of Baghdad and 
ensuing allegations of unwarranted attacks on 
civilians. 
Several subordinate councils expressed the desire to 
maintain contact with the PRT and, in fact, 
communication with members of almost every sub- 
governorate continued. 
 
¶17.  RULE OF LAW.  Amanat (City Hall) Inspector 
General (IG) told PRT members that he has the right to 
exercise oversight of all monies spent within the city 
of Baghdad under Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) 
Order 57, yet he offered no evidence of having worked 
with the PC to that effect. He noted that until CPA 
Order 57 is strengthened, his actual powers will 
remain problematic.  The PC Economic Committee 
Chairman confirmed to the PRT that the province should 
strengthen its provincial oversight but that there is 
no provincial IG.  He said there should be one, not 
only for Baghdad but for each province.  CPA Order 57 
is being revised and will provide independent 
oversight authority to the IG at provincial level. 
 
KHALILZAD