VZCZCXRO9131
OO RUEHBC RUEHDA RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHKUK
DE RUEHGB #0971/01 0781417
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 191417Z MAR 07
FM AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0271
INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE PRIORITY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 000971 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SBU 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: TAGS
SUBJECT: PRT TIKRIT: SALAD AD DIN LEADERS DISCUSS WAY AHEAD 
 
¶1. (U) This is a PRT Tikrit, Salah ad Din cable. 
 
2.(SBU) SUMMARY.  On February 15, leaders from Salah ad 
Din,s (SaD) public and private sector met for a 
CF/PRT-sponsored Dialogue and Communication Conference (DACC) 
to address the opportunities and challenges facing the 
province.  The meeting provided a forum for attendees 
representing various sectors of the community to frankly 
discuss a range of difficult issues.   While the specific 
subjects discussed in each group varied, one central theme 
emerged - the lack of consistent communication between 
different levels of government.  This includes the 
relationship between the GOI and the province as well as the 
Provincial Council (PC) and municipalities.  END SUMMARY. 
 
--------------------------------------------- - 
Communication Gap between GOI and Salah ad Din 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
¶3. (SBU) During a discussion in the governance committee led 
by the Deputy Governor, General Abdullah, representatives 
from Bayji emphasized that there was very little regular 
contact between their municipal council and local Director 
Generals (who represent the Ministries locally) and the 
Provincial Council (PC), arguing that the PC often allocated 
provincial resources without soliciting input from the 
localities involved.  (NOTE: Leaders in Samarra strongly 
conveyed this sentiment to IPAO during a February 14 visit; 
communicating a lack of visibility of the provincial budget 
execution process.  Bayji and Samarra are in similar 
situations ) both boycotted the 2005 provincial elections ) 
and have very little representation in the PC, making 
visibility on provincial issues more difficult.  END NOTE.) 
As in past conferences, delegates called for an individual ) 
as opposed to a list ) election in 2007, contending that 
this would lead to more competent leaders being elected. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Local governance in Iraq is almost solely focused on 
capital projects spending, with municipal and provincial 
governments having little control over national institutions 
that implement local programs.  Attendees expressed 
frustration with this situation, arguing strongly for a more 
decentralized system with greater local influence.  When 
other delegates claimed that the GOI discriminated against 
SaD residents, the Deputy Governor responded, stating that 
&They (the GOI) treat everyone (all of the provinces) 
poorly.8  Admitting that communication with Baghdad was a 
problem, Abdullah stressed that the Provincial Government was 
focused on working productively with all of the GOI 
Ministries. 
 
------------------------- 
Business Lobbying in SaD? 
------------------------- 
 
¶5. (SBU) Although the economic committee discussed frequently 
well-known impediments to economic development in SaD, such 
as security and the lack of financial services, delegates 
focused on the lack of attention by the PC on issues critical 
to the business community.  Representatives argued that 
targeted spending from the provincial budget ) such as the 
establishment of an Iraqi-funded microfinance center or a 
secure business convention center ) could promote economic 
development.  The committee chairman, Dr. Saad Salih, 
described the Economic Subcommittee of the Provincial Council 
as &all talk and no action.8  Salih and other 
representatives said they planned to begin attending council 
meetings and lobby for spending proposals which would benefit 
the business community, potentially promoting greater 
accountability and transparency within the Council. 
 
----------------------- 
Agricultural Challenges 
----------------------- 
 
¶6. (SBU) Lamenting the fact that despite being located in 
Iraq,s breadbasket SaD province must import much of its food 
(due to extremely low agricultural production), 
representatives from the agricultural sector of the economy 
discussed current challenges for the province,s farmers. 
Citing the manager of the Bayji Fertilizer Plant refusal to 
release 5,000 metric tons of fertilizer without &additional 
payment8 as an example, attendees expressed frustration with 
both the Fertilizer Plant,s and the Ministry of 
Agriculture,s unresponsiveness to the needs of SaD farmers. 
 
----------- 
Rule of Law 
----------- 
 
¶7. (SBU) Discussion in the Rule of Law committee at the DACC 
primarily focused on the restoration of the Samarra 
 
BAGHDAD 00000971  002 OF 002 
 
 
courthouse.  Being a regional center of over 300,000 
residents, a new courthouse in Samarra is desperately needed, 
given the enormous backlog of cases awaiting trial, and has 
the support of key local players, including Salah ad Din 
Chief Judge Abdul Hamid Salman.  However, the challenge 
remains the Ministry of Justice,s dysfunctional bureaucratic 
process, which continues to frustrate final approval of the 
courthouse.  A lack of communication between the province and 
Baghdad is evident; authorities in SaD intend to convert a 
medical clinic into the courthouse, while Ministry officials 
in Baghdad assumed that the former courthouse building would 
be utilized.  (NOTE: The PRT is actively engaged and will 
continue to promote communication between all parties in 
order to resolve this issue.  END NOTE.) 
 
¶8. (SBU) Representatives also discussed important judicial 
issues in the province, such as the final preparations for 
the establishment of a Major Crimes Court (MCC) in Tikrit, 
judges, personal security, future courthouse construction 
projects, etc.  Seeing a future influx of cases from Bayji as 
likely (due largely to increased security measures recently 
taken at the Bayji oil refinery), the delegates reached 
agreement that persons detained for petroleum theft would be 
sent to the Tikrit High Crimes jail and the cases would be 
processed as any other serious crime. 
 
------------------------- 
Educational Opportunities 
------------------------- 
 
¶9. (SBU) In the education committee, a dozen education 
professionals, ranging from elementary school teachers and 
NGO workers to university professors and government 
officials, discussed access to education and adult literacy. 
Focusing on ways to access learning in spite of the security 
situation, the group suggested greater use of Salah ad Din 
satellite television station for reaching both youth and 
adult audiences.  Additionally, they agreed that more focus 
should be put on primary school students in order to 
establish a strong base in linguistic and mathematic skills 
and to cultivate a desire among students to continue 
learning. 
 
¶10. (SBU) Given the large number of Iraqi Army (IA) and 
Police (IP) officers who are illiterate, the group suggested 
making literacy programs regular and mandatory training for 
Iraq's security forces.  They surmised that this would make 
the officers more effective at their jobs, thereby generally 
increasing the security situation and reducing 
security-related school absenteeism. 
 
¶11. (SBU) The Deputy Governor, who moderated the wrap up 
session, further suggested that the province is plagued by 
two types of illiteracy: traditional and technological.  He 
agreed that focus should be put on adult literacy programs 
but also suggested that the education system should work to 
ensure the province's students are learning to use computers 
and the internet. 
 
----------------- 
Nursing Shortages 
----------------- 
 
¶12. (SBU) Due to social stigma and bureaucratic rules, Salah 
ad Din faces a dire shortage of trained nurses.  Males are 
not allowed to train to be nurses (according to the Ministry 
of Health), and many female nurses, considered to be too 
ambitious, are shunned by the local population.  The 
healthcare committee - composed of leading doctors and 
healthcare professionals in Salah ad Din - discussed methods 
of addressing the problem, such as changing the MoH,s 
prohibition on male nursing students and increasing student 
pay. 
 
¶14. (U) For additional reporting from PRT Tikrit, Salah ad 
Din, please see our SIPRNET reporting blog: 
http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Tikrit. 
 
KHALILZAD