VZCZCXRO5319
OO RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHIK RUEHKUK RUEHYG
DE RUEHBUL #3100/01 1921112
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 111112Z JUL 06
FM AMEMBASSY KABUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1300
INFO RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE
RUCNIRA/IRAN COLLECTIVE
RUEHDBU/AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE 0270
RUEKJCS/OSD WASHDC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2682
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 6141
RUEHUNV/USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA 1511
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 2826
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KABUL 003100 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/FO, SCA/A, SCA/CR, EUR/RPM, EAP/ANP 
NSC FOR HARRIMAN 
STATE PASS USAID FOR AID/ANE, AID/DCHA/DG 
OSD FOR BREZEZINSKI 
REL NATO/AUST/NZ/ISAF 
CENTCOM FOR CG CFC-A, CG CJTF-76 
 
SENSITIVE AND SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958 N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL EAID AF
SUBJECT: PRT/BAMYAN: PROVINCIAL COUNCIL PUSHES 
DEVELOPMENT, KHALILI AS PRIORITIES FOR BAMYAN 
 
KABUL 00003100  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1. (SBU) The Provincial Council (PC) is finding its 
voice for Bamyans people, but also for VP Khalili. 
The PC is pressuring the international community to 
provide more assistance in Bamyan, through an 
aggressive project monitoring effort and through 
increasingly inflammatory rhetoric.  The PC is 
slanting its efforts towards Khalili supporters, 
freezing others out of the process.  The PCs push to 
support Khalili could shift the balance of power in 
the province as their efforts gain traction.  End 
Summary. 
 
Full Court Press 
----------------- 
 
¶2.  (SBU).  The PC is exerting itself to bring more 
assistance to Bamyan.  First, the Council traveled 
throughout the province assessing needs and monitoring 
project progress.  In March, the PC braved snowbound 
passes to evaluate projects in the southern Panjab and 
Waras districts.  (Note:  Most international staff 
depart Bamyan at the onset of winter, and often do not 
return until April or May.)  The PC visited over 20 
projects in four days in their two Russian jeeps 
(provided by Governor Sarabi), according to PC 
Director Nawroz Etemadi.  PC members have made three 
additional assessment trips, again to Panjab and 
Waras, as well as Yakawlang districts. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Armed with information from their visits, 
the PC is harshly criticizing the slow pace of 
development in Bamyan, rife with waste and greed and 
fraud, according to PC member Ishaq Poya.  PC Member 
Haji Mussini has leveled strong criticism at the 
international community during Friday afternoon 
prayer, accusing it of lining its own pockets with 
limited Bamyan funds.  PC Director Etemadi, on June 30 
at a public meeting of over 400 local shura chiefs, 
provincial directors and international 
representatives, called NGOs dens of vice and 
prostitution,with international staff allegedly 
making salaries of USD 18-25 thousand a month.  PC 
Member Mohd. Hussain Wafayee was just as blunt on June 
26, accusing the PRT of bringing nothing to benefit 
Bamyans people.  (Note: Bamyan Wolesi Jirga members 
criticism of PRT and USG efforts in Bamyan, reported 
septel, has been equally pointed. End Note.) 
 
¶4.  (SBU) The PCs squeaky wheel approach has forced a 
response (of sorts) from the international community. 
mmunity. 
Since that first visit, UNAMA, the PRT and NGOs are 
giving the PC comprehensive information on ongoing 
projects  in Bamyan.  Several NGOs have begun new, 
quick-impact projects to quell criticism.  The Aga 
Khan Foundation, hoping to blunt future complaints, is 
providing training to the PC on conducting project 
evaluation.  The PC has since formed a Provincial 
Assessment Team composed of provincial department 
directors and PC members. 
 
PCs Uneven Focus Slanted Towards VP Khalili 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
¶5.  (SBU) The PC is not giving equal focus to all of 
Bamyan, however.  The PCs visits are limited to a 
select group of villages and towns, predominately in 
the southern districts and in western Yakawlang. 
Governors aide Amir Fooladi explained to PRToff these 
villages are populated by members and supporters of 
Second Vice President Abdul Karim Khalili and his 
faction of Hezb-e-Wahadat.  Fooladi explained that PC 
 
KABUL 00003100  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
Director Etemadi, along with Wafayee and Mohammad 
ad 
Ehsani, are strong supporters of Khalili.  Northern 
Saighan and Khamard districts, with their 
predominately Tajik populations, have been completely 
shut out, Fooladi noted. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) The increasingly partisan PC even appears to 
be ignoring its own  members who fall outside 
Khalilis camp.  UNAMA officers shared rumors with 
PRToff that female Council member Aarifa Aabid, whose 
family is affiliated with Haji Mohaqiqs faction of 
Hezb-eWahadat, had quit her PC position. (Mohaqiq is 
Khalilis chief political rival among the Hazara.) 
National Director of Security Deputy Director Col. 
Adell confirmed the NDS had not seen Aabid at any PC 
event in over three months;  Khalilis people have 
frozen her out, he explained. 
 
Comment 
-------- 
 
¶7.  (SBU) The PC believes that Bamyan province, and by 
extension all of the Hazarajat, is getting short 
shrift from the international community.  While its 
approach lacks sophistication, it is heartening to see 
the PC begin to develop its own voice.  Its proactive 
ctive 
approach to what it perceives as its functions stands 
in marked contrast to provincial department directors, 
who lack the capacity or will to take independent 
action. 
 
¶8.  (SBU) The PCs apparent favoritism of Khalili 
supporters is understandable, if unfortunate, given 
their allegiances.  Its calculated indifference 
towards non-supporters is more disturbing, however, 
transforming the PC into another cog in Khalilis 
political machine.  Such blatantly partisan activity 
could back-fire, and risks diminishing the institution 
in all voters eyes.  Any gains in the PCs legitimacy 
in its current pro-Khalili form will likely be at the 
expense of an already-isolated Governor Sarabi. 
 
NORLAND 
 
ND