VZCZCXRO2853
RR RUEHBC RUEHDA RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHKUK RUEHMOS
DE RUEHGB #1215/01 1031901
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 131901Z APR 06
FM AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3882
INFO RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RHEHNSC/WHITE HOUSE NSC WASHDC
RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE
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 04 BAGHDAD 001215 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV ECON MOPS PREL IZ
SUBJECT: IRAQ PRTS WEEKLY ROUNDUP FOR 31 MAR - 6 APR 
2006 
 
¶1. (U) INTRODUCTION AND 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 31 March - 6 April.  Two 
Provincial Councils (PC), Babil and Baghdad, have 
boycotted cooperation with the PRTs after a 
contentious U.S.-Iraqi military operation in late 
March.  A fourth, Qadisiyah (Diwaniyah), boycotted for 
one week, but has since lifted this boycott. 
Sectarian problems in southern Iraq did not reach into 
the Kurdistan Region on any large scale.  Ninawa PRT 
and Governor discussed the pros and cons to a 
commercial airport in Mosul.  Kirkuk PC Chairman made 
the first step towards preparations for a provincial 
election by meeting with the Independent Electoral 
Commission (IECI).  The killing of power plant workers 
closed the plant and reduced power supply sources in a 
Kirkuk district.  In Baghdad, Iraq court system 
technology was compared to the U.S. in the 1920s. 
Hundreds of displaced persons are causing problems for 
Babil Province.  END INTRODUCTION AND SUMMARY. 
 
--------------- 
NINAWA PROVINCE 
--------------- 
 
¶2.  (U) GOVERNANCE AND ECONOMIC. Recent Ministry of 
Finance instructions on the spending authorization and 
execution of $20M USD in capital projects from the 
Government of Iraq (GOI) has caused confusion and a 
disjointed effort in developing a plan in Ninawa 
Province.  Currently, the PC is developing its by-laws 
for these funds and it has not included the Governor 
in discussions.  The current Chairman believes that 
the Governor is part of "his" council and therefore, 
the council is the higher supreme authority on this 
type of issue from Baghdad.  Currently, the Governor 
is also not included in the spending authorization and 
execution of the funds, but the PRT Governance Team 
expects significant changes to occur on this issue. 
 
¶3.  (U) The sectarian and ethnic strife found further 
south is still absent, for the most part, in Ninawa. 
The PRT hears complaints of issues between Kurds and 
Sunni Arabs, and occasional instances of Kurdish heavy 
handedness in treatment of minorities (Assyrian 
Christians, Shabbak, Yazdi, Turcomen, and others) in 
eastern areas of the province.  However, violent 
attacks are generally aimed at Iraqi Security Forces 
(ISF) or Coalition Forces (CF).  The Kurds expressed 
dismay at the continued sectarian conflict in the 
south and see themselves as observers, rather than 
participants in the struggle to move Iraqi politics 
forward. 
 
¶4.  (U) The Iraqi Private Sector Growth and Employment 
Generation spokesperson said it is not willing to 
assist the Ninawa Business Center (NBC) manage its 
micro-loan program, due to perceived mismanagement. 
The PRT recommended an audit of the NBC to account for 
its original $1M USD funding. 
 
¶5. (U) RULE OF LAW. Police officials continued to make 
progress in assuming full responsibility for detainee 
accountability across the province.  The various 
detainee facilities started submitting updated lists 
of detainees to the Provincial Joint Coordination 
Center (PJCC).  The Governor and Provincial Chief of 
Police are working together with the Iraqi Army (IA) 
to ensure that all detainee questions are answered by 
Iraqi officials at the PJCC. 
 
¶6. (U) SECURITY.  There has been a concentrated effort 
by the Anti-Iraqi Forces (AIF) to intensify the deadly 
impact and sophistication of its attacks.  A recent 
Vehicle Born Improvised Explosive Device (VBIED) 
 
BAGHDAD 00001215  002 OF 004 
 
 
attack on CF in Mosul involved multiple munitions with 
a secondary complex attack by AIF forces. 
 
¶7. (U) INFRASTRUCTURE AND RECONSTRUCTION.  The DG of 
Water provided the PRT the first 18 projects nominated 
for funding with monies set aside for small water 
projects.  The projects totaling over $2.2M USD will 
focus largely on pump stations in Mosul and well 
system refurbishment in several surrounding villages. 
These approved projects have been forwarded to the 
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for funding approval and 
execution. 
 
¶8.  (U) A PRT member met with the Governor and Mosul 
Airport Manager to discuss the probability of opening 
the airport to commercial airline traffic.  Both 
understood the vulnerability of aircraft operating 
into and out of the Mosul Airport given the heavily 
residential encroachment and the present terrorist 
threat against aviation. 
 
------------------ 
(U) TAMIM PROVINCE 
------------------ 
 
¶9. (U) POLITICAL.   The PC Chairman held meetings with 
the Kirkuk IECI Director in anticipation of planning 
for the provincial elections.  The largest issue is 
expected to be voter registration.  In other events 
during the report week, the Governor presented a plan 
for the Jubori tribe to play a more active security 
role in Kirkuk.  The Governor said that the powerful 
Sheik Muhairi is interested in resolving security 
issues in Iraq.  Other Jubori tribes are subordinate 
to the sheik so his stance on security could have a 
significant positive impact on the security situation. 
Reportedly, the Kirkuk Governor wants an Arab Chief of 
Police for the city. 
 
¶10.  (U) The Understanding and National Solution 
Committee, a local Arab delegation, formed to 
represent the Arabs brought into Kirkuk during 
Arabization programs.  The group met with the 
Transitional Administrative Law (TAL) Article 58 
Committee to discuss membership and compensation.  The 
special committee would like membership on the TAL 
Article 58 Committee. Although they were told 
membership is not possible, they were encouraged to 
attend meetings.  Approximately 70,000 relocating Arab 
families should receive compensation.  The TAL Article 
58 Committee agreed to visit the abolished villages 
and meet with local officials to better understand 
their needs. 
 
¶11.  (U) The PC discussed hiring employees from Tuz, 
Kifry, Jam Jamal and Kalar districts.  The PC would 
like to re-hire people (all ethnicities) fired during 
the Saddam regime. The Chairman said it is not a 
political issue, it is a matter for all ethnicities. 
The Arab and Turcoman members (not on the Brotherhood 
List) left the meeting because they did want to take 
part in the discussion. 
 
¶12.  (U) The PC established a bank account with three 
signatures, two PC members and the Ministry of 
Municipalities Finance Manager.  The account has 
$12.2B Iraqi Dinars transferred to Kirkuk Province 
from the Iraqi Minister of Finance.  The PC Chairman 
and Governor resolved their differences over the 
management of these funds.  They pledged to work 
together to ensure fair and equitable distribution. 
 
¶13.  (U) RULE OF LAW.  The Chief Judge of Kirkuk 
Province told PRT Rule of Law Coordinator that the 
courthouse capacity is inadequate to meet current 
requirements.  In a separate meeting, investigative 
judges told PRT member that they need Iraqi Police 
investigator training on criminal law and 
 
BAGHDAD 00001215  003 OF 004 
 
 
investigative procedures.  The judges feel the police 
cannot effectively handle citizen criminal complaints, 
conduct timely and complete criminal investigations, 
and do not follow court orders.  They also requested 
PRT assistance to obtain firearm, drug, and explosive 
testing equipment. 
 
¶14.  (SBU) SECURITY.  Leaflets targeting the Kirkuk 
Regional Embassy Office (REO) were discovered pasted 
on compound walls, along with threats that the REO is 
under surveillance and targeted.  Advanced Improvised 
Explosive Device (IED) tactics, techniques, and 
procedures indicate new insurgents have moved into the 
Kirkuk area.  To date, CF, Iraq Security Forces (ISF) 
and Iraq Police continue to be the primary target for 
insurgent acts. 
 
¶15.  (U) INFRASTRUCTURE.  During the past ten days, 11 
Bayji Thermal Power Plant engineers and technicians 
were killed in Bayji, a mostly Shia area.  The plant 
stopped producing electricity as a result of these 
deaths and, hence, reduced the refinery power source 
to only one source, the Bayji Gas Power Plant.  Unlike 
other provinces, Kirkuk does not have an oil product 
shortage.  Existing depot stocks are adequately 
supplying Kirkuk and Sulaymaniyah.  Kirkuk receives 
between 700,000 to 875,000 liters of benzene daily. 
Kirkuk Governor took aim at the black market by 
issuing an order to arrest anyone selling benzene on 
the street. 
 
----------------- 
BAGHDAD PROVINCE 
----------------- 
 
¶16.  (U) POLITICAL.  For the second week in a row, the 
PC enforced a policy of no communication or 
cooperation with USG personnel in Baghdad.  The 
boycott, which includes subordinate councils, started 
after a March 26 U.S.-Iraqi military operation in a 
Baghdad City neighborhood.  Several PC members oppose 
the boycott and reportedly are attempting to have it 
lifted.  PRT members held informal talks with a PC 
representative to clarify issues and work towards a 
resolution. 
 
¶17.  (U) The PC appealed a ruling from one month ago 
in which the Baghdad City Council won an 
Administrative Court decision against the PC for its 
April 2005 dissolution of the City Council.  The court 
ruled that the PC had no legal authority to dissolve 
the City Council and that the council members should 
return to their offices immediately. Currently, the 
City Council is holding its meetings in another 
district. 
 
¶18. (U) RULE OF LAW.  PRT members met with a group of 
prominent Baghdad community women. The Sunni, Shia, 
and Kurdish women included members of the Council of 
Representatives, chief executive officers of private 
companies, and association presidents.  They discussed 
ways to empower women on rule of law issues.  In a 
separate meeting, Judge Fa'iq Zaida Khalef said the 
technology sophistication of the Iraq court system 
resembles that of the U.S. in the 1920s.  He claimed 
it is not yet the right time to bring TV cameras into 
the courtroom, mostly due to security concerns.  He 
also suggested the Iraqi Bar association was not 
dissolved, as some reported, but only put on hold for 
administrative or political reasons and will resume 
operations in a few days. 
 
-------------- 
BABIL PROVINCE 
-------------- 
 
¶19.  (U) POLITICAL.  The Babil Provincial Government, 
along with others previously noted, is boycotting the 
 
BAGHDAD 00001215  004 OF 004 
 
 
PRT and CF. It does, however, remain willing to work 
with the civil affairs unit.  PRT members are trying 
to re-invigorate communications. 
 
¶20.  (U) The situation with hundreds of 
persons/families displaced from Baghdad and other 
municipalities to Babil Province is developing into a 
serious problem.  Housing and aid is not available to 
meet the need.  Funding is generally from local non- 
governmental organizations (NGOs) and religious 
organizations. 
 
¶21.  (U) SECURITY.  The security situation remained 
stable in Babil with the frequency of attacks against 
CF below the 90-day average.  The Babil Iraqi Police 
and an Iraqi Infantry Division continued to progress 
in their development.  The Infantry Division conducted 
several raids during this report week resulting in the 
capture of numerous weapons caches and insurgents. 
 
¶22.  (U) RECONSTRUCTION.  The PRT Deputy Engineer 
visited the Ministry of Planning in Baghdad to procure 
construction standards and codes.  Only about half of 
the codes were procured.  The visit provided PRT 
insight into the difficulties faced by the average 
contractor in acquiring important quality control 
documents.  The PRT plans to distribute the obtained 
construction codes within the province. 
 
KHALILZAD