VZCZCXRO1115
PP RUEHBC RUEHDA RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHKUK
DE RUEHGB #4501/01 3441234
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 101234Z DEC 06
FM AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8402
INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 004501 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON EAGER IR IZ
SUBJECT: PRT TIKRIT: COMMUNITY LEADERS HIGHLIGHT CHALLENGES 
FACING SAD AT PROVINCE-WIDE CONFERENCE 
 
¶1. (U) This is a PRT Tikrit, Salah ad Din cable. 
 
¶2. (SBU) SUMMARY. On November 30, representatives from 
Salah ad Din's private sector, academia, citizens? groups 
and municipal governments met in Tikrit for a Dialogue 
and Communication Conference sponsored by the 3BCT and 
the PRT.  The Governor and Deputy Governor were also in 
attendance.  Designed to promote Iraqi responsibility for 
improved governance and to elicit ideas for economic 
development, the conference also provided an essential 
forum for important public and private sector actors to 
discuss the difficult challenges facing Salah ad Din 
(SaD).  . END SUMMARY. 
 
---------------- 
A Resurgent DACC 
---------------- 
 
¶3. (SBU) CF created the Dialogue and Communication 
Conference (DACC) in 2004 to be a forum for community 
leaders to discuss important concerns with provincial 
government representatives and CF.  Dormant for several 
years, CF and the PRT revived the DACC by inviting a 
diverse group of 21 prominent local judges, businessmen, 
teachers, reporters, and doctors to the event on November 
¶30.  The participants were assigned to one of five small 
discussion groups - governance, rule of law, education, 
economics, and healthcare - based on their area of 
expertise. 
 
--------- 
Economics 
--------- 
 
¶4. (SBU) Aside from the abysmal security situation, 
participants highlighted the lack of small-business 
lending and banking services as a major impediment to 
sustained economic growth.  While lamenting the failure 
of private banks (such as Dar Es Salaam) to establish 
local branches, the delegates did express hope that the 
pending Iraqi Investment Law would provide greater 
opportunities to attract foreign and domestic capital. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Group members also discussed the dire shortage 
of agricultural inputs in SaD such as fuel, fertilizer, 
and seed.  Charging the GOI with neglect of the province, 
several representatives from Tikrit stated that their 
municipalities may support area farmers through fuel 
cards and other subsidies.  Executing such a program 
would be a challenge for a municipal government without 
revenue-raising ability. The suggestion reflects the high 
level of frustration with the Ministry of Agriculture as 
well as a willingness by local leaders to explore a more 
autonomous approach to address community issues. 
 
----------- 
Rule of Law 
----------- 
 
¶6. (SBU) The rule of law group meeting was attended by 
Provincial Chief Judge, the Chief of the Provincial Joint 
Coordination Committee (PJCC), the Deputy Governor, and 
PRT/CF representatives.  The participants agreed that a 
Central Criminal Court of Iraq (CCCI) and supporting 
detention facilities ? which would try and detain 
suspected insurgents rather than alleged regular 
criminals ? should be created in SaD.  To enhance Iraqi 
judicial protection capabilities, group members proposed 
the creation of a provincial branch of the Iraqi Marshal 
Service, expressing the hope that the upcoming U.S. 
Marshals visit would be of significant assistance in this 
process. 
 
¶7. (SBU) CF representatives agreed to coordinate the 
discharge of detainees with Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) 
through the PJCC before the actual release takes place. 
While CF generally maintain a higher evidentiary 
requirement in order to detain a suspect, the accord is 
consistent with both parties' common goal to confine and 
try suspected AIF members. 
 
---------- 
Governance 
---------- 
 
¶8. (SBU) During the governance group SaD civic leaders 
spoke out on key provincial issues ? such as better 
enforcement of anti-corruption laws and more transparent 
budget execution - as well as national topics such as de- 
Baathification and pensions for former Iraqi National 
 
BAGHDAD 00004501  002 OF 002 
 
 
Army members.  The delegates identified a low level of 
public awareness of USG-funded projects; one 
representative even suggested that support for AIF 
primarily stemmed from a common belief that the U.S. was 
not improving the life of the Iraqi people.  Various 
group members also stated that the media was controlled 
by CF, without any freedom of the press. 
 
¶9. (SBU) The representatives unanimously agreed that 
provincial elections should be held as soon as possible 
to empower areas such as Bayji and Ad Dawr that did not 
participate in the previous election.  Additionally, many 
of the delegates opined that the process of electing 
party lists rather than individual candidates should be 
changed, arguing that it enables the election of corrupt 
and inefficient officials. 
 
--------- 
Education 
--------- 
 
¶10. (SBU) The dominant theme in the education group 
discussion was the lack of personnel, physical, and 
financial resources facing teachers in SaD.  Many 
participants noted that the reintegration of former 
Baathists would help, but not alleviate the current 
shortage of instructors (NOTE:  Due to de-Baathification, 
459 teachers in the SaD school system were suspended in 
2003-2004, and have yet to be reinstated despite their 
records and waiver petitions having been with the 
National De-Baathification Commission for over two 
years).  The concern that the current educational budget 
was insufficient to obtain adequate staffing or resources 
was also emphasized.  Some participants also suggested 
that SaD schools partner with foreign universities to 
improve the level of education. 
 
¶11. (SBU) Many delegates stated that there is a direct 
relationship between improving security and successful 
educational initiatives.  For example, adult education is 
a priority in SaD but underutilized because many students 
are unable to travel away from home for fear of attack. 
 
---------- 
Healthcare 
---------- 
 
¶12. (SBU) Four local hospital/clinic directors met with 
the 3BCT surgeon to discuss proposals to improve the 
healthcare system in SaD.  Key points included 
reorganizing local hospitals to improve emergency medical 
services, recruiting and train more nurses (including 
males, which they also saw as an employment opportunity 
for a target group), and improving supply of medical 
products and fuel.  The committee members - recognizing 
that CF medical services will not be available 
indefinitely - were in agreement that the Ministry of 
Defense (MOD) will need to create and sustain a military 
medical system as it did under the previous regime.  The 
present Iraqi civilian healthcare system is incapable of 
treating large numbers of ISF casualties. 
 
 
¶13. (U) For additional reporting from PRT Tikrit, Salah 
ad Din, please see our SIPRNET Reporting Blog: 
http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Tikrit. 
KHALILZAD