VZCZCXRO9570
RR RUEHLN RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHDBU #1945/01 2981139
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 251139Z OCT 06
FM AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8896
INFO RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 1880
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC
RUEHDBU/AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE 0361
RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL 1834
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 1873

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DUSHANBE 001945 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR SCA/CEN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV SNAR PINR TI AF
SUBJECT: GRADUAL PROGRESS, BUT VISIBLE PROBLEMS AT TWO TAJIK-AFGHAN 
BORDER POSTS 
 
 
DUSHANBE 00001945  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1.  (SBU)  SUMMARY:  An October 18 visit to two border posts 
revealed extremely basic living conditions and a slow but solid 
start to U.S.-funded reconstruction efforts.  Soldiers at 
Bakhorat and Bog outposts on the border with Afghanistan face 
winter with limited electricity and supplies, and almost no 
recreational options for off-duty hours.  Soviet-era land mines 
still pose a problem along the border.  Skirmishes with 
traffickers continue, but border guards have only limited 
equipment to detect and detain individuals.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2.  (SBU)  Living conditions at Bog exceed those at Bakhorat, 20 
kilometers to the west.  The dormitory at Bakhorat for enlisted 
soldiers, for example, consisted of approximately 30 beds, with 
pillows and blankets which appeared to exceed the ages of the 
soldiers.  The dormitory did not have any windows; when asked if 
the soldiers got cold at night, the base commander replied "not 
yet."  The group shower was currently under construction and 
inoperable.  When asked where the soldiers bathe, the commander 
replied: "We find places; sometimes in the river."  Bakhorat had 
a small volleyball court available for recreational use, but no 
visible electronic equipment.  By contrast, Bog had a 
functioning television. 
 
¶3.  (SBU)  International Narcotics and Law Enforcement (INL) 
-funded interior and exterior reconstruction had begun at both 
bases.  The soldiers' barracks now feature plywood ceilings, 
fiberboard wall coverings, and wooden flooring.  Bakhorat had an 
older but operable power generator; Bakhorat was also 
temporarily housing a new generator, which was being used to 
supply power to surrounding border posts.  The Bakhorat base 
commander stated the base currently received approximately four 
hours of electricity each day, but little to none is expected in 
the winter.  The situation in Bog appeared better, where they 
were planning to install heat/air conditioning units and a mini 
Hydro-Electric Station (HES).  INL-funded solar batteries also 
supply power for communications equipment. 
 
¶4.  (SBU)  Several active land mines still punctuate the 
Tajik-Afghan border, most remnants of the Soviet-Afghan war, 
laid by the Soviet army to prevent border incursions from the 
Afghan mujahideen.  The Bakhorat base commander stated the 
immediate perimeter that surrounds the base had been cleared of 
land mines and that the nearest mine field was four kilometers 
away.  The road leading to Bog had several warning signs posted 
of mines in the immediate vicinity. 
 
¶5.  (SBU)  Security:  Sporadic firefights have taken place 
between Tajik border patrols and Afghans attempting to illegally 
cross the border.  Authorities claim eleven Afghans have died 
thus far in 2006.  Some Tajik border guards have taken 
casualties while on patrol, but none have been fatally wounded. 
EmbOffs observed small Tajik foot patrols during the one-hour 
drive from Bakhorat to Bog; some soldiers maintain stationary 
positions on mountain cliffs that overlook the border area, 
while others comprise mobile foot teams that patrol the river on 
foot between border posts.  Additionally, Bakhorat and Bog each 
had a single watchtower, manned by a single soldier.  While 
these soldiers were armed, they had no night-vision goggles to 
detect or interdict nocturnal crossings.  The soldiers standing 
post during our visit appeared more interested in observing 
EMBOFFS than the Pyanj river that divides Tajikistan from 
Afghanistan.  Bog and Bakhorat currently do have radio 
communications, which will be strengthened after the Office of 
Defense Cooperation (ODC) and INL installs the Harris 
communications network by summer 2007. 
 
¶6.  (SBU)  The Bakhorat base commander requested three items. 1) 
Their refrigerator had stopped working, and he requested a new 
one since they currently lack an operable place to store meat or 
bread.  2) 15 new wooden poles, to hang electric cables around 
the perimeter of the base.  3) A new transformer to better 
generate electricity for the base. 
 
¶7.  (SBU)  COMMENT:  Things remain bleak along the border. 
Export and Border Security (EXBS) provided over 5,000 uniforms, 
boots and related clothing to the Tajik Border Guards in 
September 2006.  Rumor has it that the majority of these 
supplies are currently sitting in Dushanbe warehouses, rather 
than at the border posts where they are most needed.  INL will 
begin providing an additional 10,000 winter uniforms the week of 
October 30.  The distribution of these important items will be a 
 
DUSHANBE 00001945  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
key issue for Embassy follow-up, particularly as winter 
approaches.  END COMMENT. 
JACOBSON