VZCZCXRO4951
OO RUEHDBU RUEHIK RUEHYG
DE RUEHBUL #0975 0850459
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 260459Z MAR 07
FM AMEMBASSY KABUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7037
INFO RUCNAFG/AFGHANISTAN COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/OSD WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHMFIUU/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY
RHMFIUU/COMSOCCENT MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 3821

UNCLAS KABUL 000975 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DOD FOR USDP EDELMAN 
STATE FOR SCA/FO A/S BOUCHER AND SAS GASTRIGHT, SCA/A, 
S/CRS, SCA/PB, S/CT, EUR/RPM 
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR AID/ANE, AID/DCHA/DG 
NSC PASS TO AHARRIMAN 
OSD FOR KIMMITT 
CENTCOM FOR CFC-A, CG CJTF-76, POLAD, JICCENT 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER ASEC MARR AF
SUBJECT: PRT BAMYAN: GOVERNOR'S POLITICAL FOES INITIATE NEW 
INVESTIGATION 
 
REF: 06 KABUL 5654 
 
¶1.  (SBU) SUMMARY. Bamyan provincial governor Harabi Sarabi 
publicly disclosed that she is being investigated by the 
Attorney General,s office.  Sarabi does not appear concerned 
about this investigation, which may have been initiated by 
her political opponents.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2. (SBU) At a March 12 meeting of the Bamyan Provincial 
Development Council, Governor Harabai Sarabi told the council 
that a group of 12 opponents has been spreading "negative 
propaganda" about her in Kabul with members of Parliament and 
at the Ministry of Interior.  According to Sarabi, this group 
has alleged that she permitted the unlawful occupancy of 
privately owned land in Bamyan province, that she is allowing 
the promotion of Christianity, and that she improperly gave a 
sermon on the eve of the last Eid.  Sarabi did not respond to 
these allegations in detail, except to say that she only 
offered her congratulations to the people of Bamyan on the 
occasion of Eid. 
 
¶3. (SBU) When PRT commander and PRT officer went to the 
governor,s office later on March 12, Sarabi was meeting with 
two representatives of the Attorney General,s office from 
Kabul.  Sarabi told us they had been interviewing her in 
connection with the allegations she had mentioned at the PDC 
meeting.  Sarabi referred to the investigation in a light 
manner as "my persecution." 
 
¶4. (SBU) Provincial Council director Haji Etemadi said during 
the March 12 meeting that he did not understand why people 
were making a big deal about Sarabi,s Eid remarks.  (NOTE: 
While PC director Etemadi has a cordial relationship with 
Sarabi, he is not considered a political ally. END NOTE.) 
Sarabi responded that the people making accusations against 
her had decided to pursue their political agenda "on a 
religious front."  At a March 14 meeting, PC member Mohammad 
Poya called the allegation "baseless," and said that those 
making such allegations should be investigated themselves. 
Poya said that while there may be differences of opinion with 
Sarabi over development plans, it is not right for those who 
disagree with the governor to attack her personally. 
 
¶5. (SBU) COMMENT.  Last fall, two presidential advisors and a 
delegation from the Ministry of Interior investigated a 
series of complaints about Sarabi's performance raised by the 
governor's political opponents (reftel).  As noted at that 
time, these complaints seemed to represent the opinion of a 
small group of the political "old guard" in Bamyan.  Sarabi's 
reference to the initiators of the current investigation 
suggests that the same political opponents continue their 
efforts to undermine the governor, now using religion as a 
tool.  Sarabi did not appear concerned about the 
investigation and members of the Provincial Council publicly 
downplayed the accusations against her.  END COMMENT. 
NEUMANN