VZCZCXRO7077
RR RUEHDBU RUEHIK RUEHYG
DE RUEHBUL #5876/01 3510744
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 170744Z DEC 06
FM AMEMBASSY KABUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4932
INFO RUCNAFG/AFGHANISTAN COLLECTIVE
RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE
RUEKJCS/OSD WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC
RHMFIUU/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 3417
RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KABUL 005876 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/FO DAS GASTRIGHT, SCA/A, 
NATO/ISAF/AUS/NZ 
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR AID/ANE, AID/DCHA/DG 
NSC FOR HARRIMAN 
OSD FOR KIMMITT 
CENTCOM FOR CG CFC-A, CG CJTF-76 POLAD 
 
SENSITIVE, SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958 N/A 
TAGS: MCAP MOPS PREL PGOV PTER PHUM AF
SUBJECT: PRT JALALABAD - CAMPAIGN AGAINST POPPIES 
 
¶1.  (U) SUMMARY:  During a December 2 meeting with PRT 
Commander, PRT Officer, and Maj. Richard Schwaiger, 
Nangahar Governor Gul Agha Serzai pledged his 
continued commitment to make Nangarhar free of poppies 
and terrorism, but he lamented that some Nangahar 
officials still encourage poppy cultivation.  He 
mentioned his replacement of the subgovernor of Spin 
Ghar - an area known to be a regional hub for 
trafficking and drug labs - and asked that Coalition 
Forces continue their operations against drug labs and 
drug bazaars.  Later that day, PRT officials 
accompanied Governor Sherzai to a shura with 200 
tribal elders from the Nangahr districts bordering 
Pakistan, during which Sherzai publicly reiterated 
that any drug labs in the province would be destroyed. 
END SUMMARY. 
 
------------------------ 
Campaign Against Poppies 
------------------------ 
 
¶2.  (SBU) The Governor began with a report on the 
progress of his campaign against growing poppy since 
he returned from a trip to Germany in late October. 
He pledged his continued commitment to make Nangarhar 
free of poppies and terrorism, and expressed his 
disappointment that some members of the Parliament 
from Nangahar continue to encourage people to grow 
poppy.  He commented that he recently appointed 
Mohammed Palawan, a popular former Mujahadeen 
Commander, as subgovernor of Spin Ghar.  (Comment: 
Like Sherzai himself, all subgovernors in the province 
are former Mujahadeen.  The southern half of the Achin 
district - the mountainous region on the border with 
Pakistan - is known as Spin Ghar.  Locally it is 
considered to be a separate district with officials 
appointed by the province.  It is, however, not 
recognized by the national government as separate. 
The northern area of Achin is known to be peaceful 
with limited poppy cultivation, while the Spin Ghar 
area is known as a regional hub for trafficking, drug 
labs, and bazaars. End Comment.) 
 
¶3.  (SBU) The Governor repeated the old refrain that 
the USAID's Alternative Livelihood Program and other 
provincial development initiatives supported by 
international organizations are giving money and 
projects to the provinces that grow poppies and 
support insurgents, rather than to the provinces that 
support the government's efforts.  He said that lots 
of promises were made last year to farmers if they 
didn't grow poppies, but they have not been fulfilled. 
He said that he plans to write a letter to General 
Eikenberry and the Ambassador complaining that they 
have not followed through on providing funding. 
(Comment: This oft repeated complaint that "others" 
are getting more support seems to be almost universal, 
as it comes from every official, district, and 
province.  USAID has programmed over $80 million in 
development assistance in Nangarhar since 2002 - with 
Nangarhar being one of the largest provincial 
recipients of USAID support in the country.  Nangarhar 
and Helmand Provinces receive the highest proportion 
of USAID's Alternative Livelihoods Program support in 
the country.  It is ironic that Governor Sherzai made 
such a comment, as Provincial Council Chairman 
Fazlhadi Muslimyar and others have accused the 
governor of making similar unfulfilled promises in the 
last year.  The Director of Counter Narcotics for the 
ANP has said that officials from Kabul (whom he would 
not name) came to Nangarhar and made those promises 
last year.  While there may be misunderstanding and 
exaggeration about what was or was not promised by 
both the GOA and international organizations, the GOA 
nonetheless shares some responsibility for creating 
unrealistic expectations. End Comment.) 
 
KABUL 00005876  002 OF 002 
 
 
 
¶4.  (U) The PRT Commander pointed out that Nangarhar 
Province has received more support than other 
provinces in the country in many forms, and that 
people who complain about not getting any support 
should remember that they are driving on roads 
recently built by the PRT and USAID.  (Comment - To 
the Governor's credit, in the shura with Shinwari 
elders following this meeting, he repeated the 
Commander's comments, telling the elders that 
Nangarhar has received more projects than other 
provinces because of their good efforts in eliminating 
poppies last year. End Comment.) 
 
¶5.  (U) The Governor also discussed recent security 
related incidents, and said that he believes that 
certain Afghan government officials are involved.  He 
criticized the recent crackdown on corruption in 
Jalalabad by the new Afghan Attorney General, saying 
that he cannot make this area free of corruption if 
"big guys" are still corrupt.  He then insisted that 
the PRT officials accompany him to the Shura with 
Shinwari tribal elders. 
 
-------------------------- 
Shura with Shinwari Elders 
-------------------------- 
 
¶6.  (U) At a separate event held the same day, 
approximately 200 Shinwari tribal elders (from the 
southeastern districts bordering Pakistan) were at the 
Shura where the Governor gave his customary and 
enthusiastic speech about supporting the government 
and not growing poppies.  He said that Pakistan is 
interfering in Afghan affairs by suggesting that NATO 
is failing and that Karzai should leave.  He noted 
that this is actually a time of "golden opportunity" 
with the coalition forces here, along with the 
improving ANA and ANP.  He said that he has reported 
to the coalition forces that the problems are all from 
outsiders, and not from the Afghan tribes. 
 
¶7.  (U) The governor emphasized that neither he nor 
the government will tolerate drug labs, and said he 
was warning people to destroy them.  Provincial 
Council Chairman Muslimyar spoke next, and repeated 
the warning about the labs, saying that the central 
government will destroy the labs if the people in the 
province do not.