VZCZCXRO3960
PP RUEHDBU RUEHIK RUEHYG
DE RUEHBUL #1537/01 0960638
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 060638Z APR 06
FM AMEMBASSY KABUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9429
INFO RUCNAFG/AFGHANISTAN COLLECTIVE
RUCNIRA/IRAN COLLECTIVE
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEKJCS/OSD WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC//JF/UNMA//
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC//J3//
RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RUMICEA/JICCENT MACDILL AFB FL
RHMFIUU/COMSOCCENT MACDILL AFB FL
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2398
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 2596
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 5796
RUEHUNV/USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA 1239

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 KABUL 001537 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
RELEASABLE TO NATO/AUST/NZ/ISAF 
 
STATE FOR SCA/FO, SCA/A, SCA/PAB, S/CT, EUR/RPM 
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR AID/ANE, AID/DCHA/DG 
NSC FOR AHARRIMAN, KAMEND 
CENTCOM FOR CG CFC-A, CG CJTF-76, POLAD 
 
E.O. 12958 N/A 
TAGS: PGOV EAID SOCI AF
SUBJECT:PRT/MAZAR-E SHARIF - PROVINCIAL COUNCIL MUCH 
IMPROVED 
 
 
KABUL 00001537  001.2 OF 004 
 
 
¶1. Summary: The Balkh Provincial Council has made 
great strides since January.  Although still lacking 
a clear mandate from the central government, it is 
developing a role for itself in provincial 
governance.  Challenges still remain as the Council 
struggles to define itself to the people by whom it 
was elected.  End Summary. 
 
Background 
---------- 
 
¶2. When PRToff met on January 31 with Farhad Azimi, 
Chairman of the Balkh Provincial Council, the 
results were frustrating. Azimi complained 
repeatedly about a lack of "financial and logistical 
support," citing a shortage of cars (the council has 
two) as the chief reason he and his council were 
unable to perform any work.  Another concern was the 
continued delay in receiving a legislated mandate 
for the council, without which the relationship 
between the council and the governor was complicated 
and unclear.  According to Mr. Azimi, until Kabul 
clearly defined the role of the council in the 
province, it was simply a group of men and women who 
sat in their office and turned away requests from 
the people of Balkh. 
 
Recent Improvements 
------------------- 
 
¶3. In a discussion with PRToff March 25, Azimi 
indicated things had changed since January, and a 
combination of training and time has resulted in the 
council's increasing activism in the province.  The 
council held an open meeting at the Governor's 
offices in Mazar-e Sharif on March 20 to which 
residents of all ten districts in the city were 
invited.  At the meeting, they explained to their 
constituents the purpose of the Provincial Council 
and asked all present to submit their grievances so 
that the council could work toward addressing them. 
Using the people's complaints as both agenda and 
benchmark, the council developed a three-month 
strategic plan with the assistance of USAID-trained 
Provincial Council mentors.  They plan to meet with 
Governor Atta in early April to present their plan 
in hopes of securing his cooperation in their 
objectives. 
 
Role of the Provincial Council 
------------------------------ 
 
¶4. At present, the Provincial Council's primary 
service is negotiating area land disputes.  The 
large number of returnees and poor or nonexistent 
recordkeeping have made land-related problems an 
ongoing concern for the region.  The council members 
began handling these disputes shortly after being 
elected when the people of Balkh began approaching 
them with such problems, seeking a solution from a 
legitimate elected body. Since then, the council has 
leveraged both its legitimacy as an electoral body 
and its ethnic diversity to bring many complaints to 
resolution.  One recent example involved a landlord 
who had let a shopkeeper operate on some of his 
property in his absence.  The landlord returned to 
 
KABUL 00001537  002.2 OF 004 
 
 
evict the shopkeeper, since he planned to redevelop 
the land in the near future. The shopkeeper brought 
his complaint to the council, which ultimately 
decided in favor of the landlord as he owned the 
property outright.  At the same time, however, they 
convinced the landlord to give the shopkeeper a 
small sum of money from which he could lease a shop 
space elsewhere in the city.   Azimi told PRToff the 
landlord complied with this request because he 
considered it to be reasonable, neutral, and 
carrying with it the authority of a body he himself 
took part in electing. 
 
¶5. Another niche the council has found for itself is 
in the review of provincial regulations, procedures 
and activities.  As Azimi said, "We have no 
authority, but as representatives of the citizens of 
this country we have the right to review procedures 
and question them.  We have no power of appointment, 
but we can ask the police why they are not taking 
more action in certain areas."  According to Azimi, 
Gov. Atta is optimistic about this process and views 
it as a means to improve communication between the 
governor and the people.  Unfortunately, as Azimi 
also pointed out, the council is housed in a rented 
space at the pleasure of the governor, and until the 
members are able to find an office independent of 
the governor they must be careful not to anger him 
and risk eviction. 
 
¶6. Another component of the council's growth has 
been the exchange of ideas and experiences with 
neighboring councils.  On a semi-regular basis, the 
councils meet in a central location to discuss 
progress and areas in need of improvement. This 
system, which has developed naturally with some 
urging from the PRT, has ensured a continuous 
organic growth shared by all regional councils, 
rather than uneven development driven by individual 
experience. 
 
¶7. In an effort to better define itself, the council 
has developed a Power Point presentation for both 
internal and external consumption.  The presentation 
includes procedures and rules for meetings ("No 
mobile phones," "No insults," "No bringing of 
private problems to the table," etc.) as well as a 
structural breakdown of the committee's 
organization, subcommittee membership, areas of 
responsibility, and mandate.  The presentation, 
while erring on the side of thoroughness, shows the 
effort the council has made to determine its 
direction and its goals and how best to achieve 
them. 
 
Some Problems Remain 
-------------------- 
 
¶8. Despite all the improvements, the Provincial 
Council still faces some difficulties. Azimi is 
growing irritated at the lack of coordination 
between the council and the NGO community in Balkh 
Province.  He claims they do not consult with the 
council at all, choosing rather to execute their 
activities with the local ministerial 
representatives or, worse, on their own.  PRToff has 
 
KABUL 00001537  003.2 OF 004 
 
 
arranged some meetings between Azimi, UNAMA and 
ACBAR in hopes of moving this issue towards a 
solution. 
 
¶9. A second problem involves perceived international 
and UN interference in council affairs.  During the 
meeting between Azimi and PRToff on January 31, a 
Finnish Development Advisor was present.  Wanting to 
build on an idea developed by a previous State 
PRToff, the advisor approached Azimi about 
distributing leaflets to Balkh residents explaining 
what the Provincial Council does, who the members 
are, and how to reach them.  Azimi warmed to this 
idea, requesting that it be developed in 
consultation with the council.  Unfortunately, the 
advisor released the leaflet, which contained the 
line, "Although the Provincial Council can advise 
the governor, he does not need to listen to what 
they say," on her own.  Although the statement was 
technically true, Azimi rightfully pointed out it 
made the council look weak and passive, and 
suggested the idea could have been conveyed 
differently.  He believes as things stand now, an 
image of an ultimately ineffectual council is being 
propagated. The leaflet has been cancelled and a new 
version is being developed. 
 
¶10. Azimi also referenced a recent poll issued by 
the UN.  A questionnaire developed by UNAMA was 
distributed across the province asking fairly 
pointed questions about the council's track record 
and efficacy.  Azimi said he believed this move to 
be premature, especially as regards the more remote 
districts which are still inaccessible.  The council 
has been elected for six months and been an active 
body for, at best, two -- the UNAMA assessment seems 
to be getting ahead of itself, presumably to meet 
internationally-imposed reporting guidelines. 
 
¶11.  In the meeting with PRToff, Azimi again 
requested "logistical and financial support". 
According to Azimi the Council has only two 
vehicles, making trips out to the districts quite 
difficult.  If one group goes out, all the other 
members are unable to leave their headquarters in 
Mazar-e Sharif, he said. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶12. The Council has made great headway in the last 
three months. The USAID mentors seem to be serving 
an active role in the Council's development while it 
makes inroads establishing a relationship with the 
provincial government.  The Council still lacks 
sufficient resources and housing, but these problems 
are peripheral to the critical need for further 
development of council capacity and mandate.  Azimi, 
who initially came across as a weak chairman with no 
plans, vision or initiative, now seems to have 
rolled up his sleeves and become very involved in 
the nuts and bolts of developing a new 
representative body for the province.  If the 
current momentum continues to develop, this council 
ultimately will serve as an effective bridge between 
the provincial population and its appointed 
 
KABUL 00001537  004.2 OF 004 
 
 
government. 
 
NEUMANN