VZCZCXRO3559
OO RUEHDBU RUEHIK RUEHYG
DE RUEHBUL #3078/01 1910637
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 100637Z JUL 06
FM AMEMBASSY KABUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1269
INFO RUCNAFG/AFGHANISTAN COLLECTIVE
RUCNIRA/IRAN COLLECTIVE
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEKJCS/OSD WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
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
RULSDMK/DEPT OF TRANSPORTATION WASHDC 0087
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2679
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 2823
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 6138
RUEHUNV/USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA 1508

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 KABUL 003078 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR SCA/FO, SCA/A, S/CR, SCA/PAB, S/CT, EUR/RPM 
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR AID/ANE, AID/DCHA/DG 
NSC FOR AHARRIMAN 
OSD FOR BREZINSKI 
CENTCOM FOR CG CFC-A, CG CJTF-76, POLAD 
TRANSPORTATION FOR DMODESITT 
REL NATO/AUST/NZ/ISAF 
 
E.O. 12958 N/A 
TAGS: ELTN PGOV ECON EAID AF
SUBJECT: PRT/PANJSHIR: Road Paves Way For Change 
 
KABUL 00003078  001.2 OF 003 
 
 
Summary 
------- 
 
¶1.  (SBU) The new road in Panjshir, funded by USAID at 
16 million USD, is making daily progress along its 47- 
km stretch.  The road is transforming the province - 
economically, politically and socially.  The change is 
overwhelmingly positive; Panjshiri support of the 
project is wide-spread.  There is, however, popular 
opinion resistance to the Double Bituminous Surface 
Treatment (DBST) road surface, which the PRT is 
working to address.  There is, however, a perceived 
downside to the change, which the PRT is working to 
address.  End Summary. 
 
Economic Impact 
--------------- 
 
¶2.  (SBU) Positive:  Panjshiris view the road as their 
"lifeline" for commerce and transportation.  As one 
contact put it, "the road is the main artery of the 
province, supplying it with blood."  Panjshiris expect 
the paved road to ease their transport of products to 
market, especially produce to Kabul.  Further, it will 
facilitate the movement of labor.  In the case of 
Panjshir, that means the exodus of young men to Kabul 
for work - a trend already in full swing - but also 
their return on the weekends.  Shopkeepers lining the 
road tell us they expect more business, one reason 
they have agreed without compensation to move their 
storefronts back several meters. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Positive:  We have already seen signs of 
economic development sparked by the road work.  A 
property dispute in one of the larger settlements on 
the road, after years of stalemate, suddenly found 
resolution as townspeople sought to capitalize on the 
new possibilities.  New residential construction is 
evident.  There are also several instances of private 
investment - for example, a new restaurant near the 
mouth of the valley.  We hear talk as well of big 
investments in the fields of gemstone extraction and 
water bottling. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Positive:  Panjshir has already witnessed an 
increased flow of tourists, mostly Kabulites coming 
for the weekend, drawn by the fresh air and valley 
scenery only two hours away from the capital.  Indeed, 
the road is choked on Thursday afternoons.  We even 
see a sprinkling of international visitors.  Massoud's 
tomb, now under construction, is the biggest single 
magnet, even attracting visitors by the bus-load. 
Tourism is one of the Governor's top priorities for 
provincial development.  Panjshiris tell us they will 
welcome the tourist trade and are beginning to plan 
for it with hotels and restaurants. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) Negative:  The road work, even before the 
DBST starts, has one immediate negative effect:  It 
severs agricultural fields from traditional water 
sources.  Engineers sought to address the problem by 
installing over 200 culverts.  Many farmers, though, 
have taken matters into their own hands by digging 
dozens of troughs across the road to channel water. 
 
KABUL 00003078  002.2 OF 003 
 
 
The result is a sort of inverted speed bump, which 
damages the road base.  Farmers are likely to continue 
to do so even after the Double Bituminous Surface 
Treatment (DBST).  With PRT assistance, 
project managers have raised the issue with the 
Governor and explored options for working the issue 
with community leaders. (COMMENT: Much work went into 
the design and construction of a by-pass irrigation 
canal to put the same water on the down side slope of 
the road from which the farmers could draw their water 
in the same method.  However, the farmers seem to have 
ignored the effort and still are damaging the road. 
They need to be aware that there is only so much money 
for the road without these unwarranted complications. 
We should not reinforce bad behavior on their part. 
END COMMENT.) 
 
Political Impact 
---------------- 
 
¶6.  (SBU) Positive:  The road epitomizes the American 
commitment to Panjshiri development.  Years from now, 
according to one contact, it will still stand as the 
"American road."  After the defeat of the Taliban, 
Panjshiris put forth two main demands:  establishment 
of a separate Panjshir province and rehabilitation of 
the main Panjshir road.  The one happened in 2004; the 
other will come to fruition this year. 
 
¶7.  (SBU) Positive:  Once paved, the road will promote 
better governance by enabling provincial officials to 
travel around the province and conduct their business. 
It will also facilitate travel by central government 
officials to the valley, a rare occurrence at the 
moment.  A road will also improve disaster response, 
especially in those remote areas in the north more at 
risk of being cut off by snow. 
 
¶8.  (SBU) Negative:  Panjshiris tell us they have 
never seen DBST before and had expected "asphalt." 
Some see DBST as an inferior surface and thus a 
disparaging political statement about the province. 
(COMMENT: This is a common complaint in certain 
regions; however, USAID contractors have undertaken an 
assessment of the needs of the valley and determined 
that the additional cost would not provide any 
additional benefit. The DBST road should be adequate 
provided that overloaded trucks are prevented from 
damaging the road. END COMMENT.) We view the challenge 
as educating Panjshiri opinion leaders on the 
qualities of DBST and its suitability for the 
province.  To this end, PRT'ers will continue to meet 
with the Governor and community leaders. 
 
Social Impact 
------------- 
 
¶9.  (SBU) Positive:  The rehabilitated road will break 
down the social isolation of the Panjshiris and may 
erode their instinctive distrust of outsiders.  For 
the first time, it will establish a reliable road 
connection between the province and the wider world, 
especially Kabul.  The road will promote commercial 
interaction and tourist travel, two potent agents of 
 
KABUL 00003078  003.2 OF 003 
 
 
social change. 
 
¶10.  (SBU) Positive:  Vehicular traffic on the current 
road generates clouds of dust, a continuous nuisance 
for all shops and a health hazard for the butcher 
markets.  DBST, through its dust abatement, will have 
a salutary effect. 
 
¶11.  (SBU) Negative:  Given current Panjshiri road 
behavior, we expect a spike in accidents, including 
child fatalities.  The possibility of greater 
vehicular speed will no doubt lead to more accidents. 
Currently, children use the road as a playground; 
animals, as a track.  Further, veterans of road work 
in Afghanistan are certain that the road will bring in 
more alcohol and drunk driving.  We are planning a 
traffic-safety initiative to educate drivers and 
pedestrians.  PRT'ers have already helped hand out 
brochures to drivers on safety issues. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶12.  (SBU) In Panjshir, the road is the biggest single 
agent of change.  The result is a transformation of 
the valley - not so much globalization as, 
"Kabulization."  For the first time, the province will 
be connected to the capital.  We see many signs of the 
presence of Kabul in the valley - economically, 
politically and socially.  Meanwhile, the PRT is 
working to address the negative change introduced by 
the road.  Thus, we are coordinating with interested 
parties to find a solution to the irrigation 
controversy; defuse the confusion over DBST; and 
improve traffic safety. 
 
 
NEUMANN