VZCZCXRO1885
RR RUEHBC RUEHDA RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHKUK
DE RUEHGB #0859 0701300
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 111300Z MAR 07
FM AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0111
INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS BAGHDAD 000859 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
UNCLASSIFIED 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KMDR KPAO PGOV ECON PINS IZ US
 
SUBJECT:  IRAQ KURDISTAN REGION MEDIA SUMMARY -- 
      MARCH 4, 2007 
 
¶1.  (U) This is a Regional Reconstruction Team (RRT) cable. 
 
 
300mW Electricity Generation Station to be Build for Sulaimaniyah 
------------------------------------------- 
 
¶2.  (U) Major Newspapers reported that a memorandum of understanding 
has been signed between the KRG and a German company called BandB 
Operations to build a 300mW electricity generating station for the 
city of Sulaimaniyah.  The memorandum was signed yesterday by both 
Reconstruction Minister and the German company's representative. 
The project will abide by the Kurdistan Investment Law and has an 
estimated cost of $90 million and an anticipated duration of 20 
months.  In return, the KRG will allocate a piece of land for the 
project and provide part of the stations' fuel. 
 
75 Percent of Environment Protection Law Completed 
----------------------------------------- 
 
¶3.  (U) Major newspapers reported that the Kurdistan Environmental 
Protection Law project is now 75 percent complete.  "The environment 
protection law project is one of the projects our ministry has been 
working on with the intention of submitting it to the Kurdistan 
National Assembly.  This law is to set a limit to all factories and 
cars that do not meet the criteria of keeping a clean environment," 
said Minister of Environment Dara Muhammed. 
 
Protest Prior to Kurdish Uprising Celebration in Raniya 
------------------------------------------- 
 
¶4.  (U) Major Kurdish-language news websites reported on a protest 
in Raniyah, about 70 miles from Erbil, prior to the celebration of 
the 16th anniversary of the Kurdish uprising in 1991.  The protest 
responded to a show on Kurdsat TV denying that the 1991 uprising 
started in Raniya. 
 
University of Sulaimaniyah Students Announce "Orange Revolution" 
Against Corruption 
------------------------------------------- 
 
¶5.  (U) Newspapers reported on the so-called "Orange Revolution" 
campaign against corruption conducted by University of Sulaimaniyah 
students today.  Two-thousand students gathered on campus with 
orange signs on their chests.  The organizers of this event said 
that through this event they wanted to stand against corruption and 
send a message to the KRG.  A similar event was to be held at the 
Technical Institute of Sulaimaniyah, but was not allowed by the Dean 
of the Institute. 
 
Petition to Stop the Circumcision of Women in Kurdistan 
------------------------------------------- 
 
¶6.  (U) Newspapers wrote about the ongoing process of collecting 
signatures to stop the circumcision of women in Kurdistan.  The 
signature collecting process started a week ago and has been going 
on in Erbil, Sulaimaniyah, Halabja, and Garmian.  This process has 
been arranged by WADI organization.  In a statement WADI said that 
about 60 percent of women in the Kurdistan Region have been 
circumcised.  The petition and a report by WADI will be delivered to 
both the KRG and the KNA. 
 
¶7.  (U) This media summary is completed by Public Diplomacy 
Assistant Hama Othman.