VZCZCXRO2763
OO RUEHDBU RUEHIK RUEHPW RUEHYG
DE RUEHBUL #1352/01 1111313
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 211313Z APR 07
FM AMEMBASSY KABUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7642
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 3988

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KABUL 001352 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR SCA/FO DAS GASTRIGHT, SCA/A, S/CRS, SA/PB, S/CT, 
EUR/RPM 
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR AID/ANE, AID/DCHA/DG 
NSC PASS FOR AHARRIMAN 
OSD FOR SHIVERS 
CENTCOM FOR CFC-A, CG CJTF-76, POLAD, JICCENT 
REL NATO/ISAF 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER ASEC MARR AF SNAR KCRM
SUBJECT: PRT QALAT: GOVERNOR LED ERADICATION IN ZABUL 
 
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SUMMARY 
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¶1.  (U) Governor Led Eradication (GLE) is underway in Zabul 
province and is looking to expand and cut into what could be 
an increase in poppy production in Zabul this growing season. 
 Through April 15, UNODC has verified 200 hectares of 
eradication in the province.  PRTOff observed the eradication 
of several fields in a district along Highway 1, though the 
plan for eradication in the province places priority on 
several districts to the north of the ring road.  According 
to Zabul's Director of Counter Narcotics, the necessary UNODC 
surveyors are not yet present for the desired expansion of 
the eradication effort.  END SUMMARY 
 
¶2. (U) Governor Led Eradication efforts in Zabul province are 
currently focused on the Tarnak wa Jaldak district, the 
district on the ring road closest to Kandahar.  PRTOff 
observed a morning of poppy eradication efforts on March 26 
in the district, accompanied by the district leader, the 
district chief of police, and the Zabul Director of Counter 
Narcotics.  Eradication in Zabul this year is new, as no 
eradication took place in 2005 or 2006.  Through April 15, 
UNODC has verified 200 hectares of eradication in the 
province. 
 
¶3.  (U) PRToff observed eradication in fields less than 100 
meters off Highway 1 that were at varying levels of 
maturity.  The first field was quite young and fairly 
small.  Using three brand new tractors, and flanked by ANP 
personnel watching the surrounding ridges, drivers somewhat 
erratically plowed the fields under.  The second, much larger 
field was more mature with bulbs about to flower.  The farmer 
who owned the field was present to view the eradication.  Not 
at all hesitant to talk to us (or have His picture taken), he 
complained that he grew poppy because it was easy and he 
could not obtain the seeds to grow legitimate crops.  Noting 
that winter snow and rain had filled the nearby karezes 
(wells), he told PRTOff that irrigation was not a problem 
this year.  Interspersed with the poppy was a legitimate 
caraway crop which the farmer complained was being destroyed 
along with the poppy. 
 
¶4. (U) UNODC's "Winter Assessment Survey" predicted a 
slight increase in cultivation in Zabul province.  In 2006, 
UNODC estimated that Zabul cultivated 3,210 hectares (CNC 
reported 1,400 hectares of poppy).  Embassy, responding to 
information that there was significant cultivation along the 
highway running from Kandahar to Kabul, earlier investigated 
the viability of using the Afghan Eradication Force (AEF) to 
eradicate fields in the area after departing from Helmand. 
INL conducted an aerial reconnaissance of the region on April 
1 and found that there was less cultivation than expected and 
an insufficient amount to make the AEF's deployment 
cost-effective. 
 
¶5.  (U) Zabul's Director of Counter Narcotics this spring 
prepared an eradication plan for the Governor, who endorsed 
it and directed district leaders to support eradication 
efforts.  The highest priority districts were Mizan, Deh 
Chopan and Arghandab.  However, these Districts were less 
secure than Jaldak, which is why the eradication ultimately 
began there.  The Governor and the CN Director want to see 
eradication move forward in the other districts but told 
PRTOff that they did not have the promised UNODC surveyors 
required to verify the eradication.  In a subsequent meeting 
with several of the high priority district leaders, they told 
PRTOff that they were ready and willing to support 
eradication as soon as the UNODC verification teams could 
arrive. (NOTE:  Embassy later contacted UNODC and confirmed 
that three more verifiers had joined the one assigned to the 
province.  According to UNODC, however, the verifiers have 
not been able to coordinate any activity with the provincial 
 
KABUL 00001352  002 OF 002 
 
 
officials and have not observed any recent eradication.  At 
this point in the season, eradication appears to be 
proceeding at a hesitant pace.  Note, also, that governors 
often blame the absence of UNODC verifiers for insufficient 
eradication totals.  END NOTE) 
 
¶6.  (U) The district leader from Jaldak told PRTOff that 
people are showing up at his office every day complaining 
that eradication is taking away their only livelihood and 
their means of feeding their families when they plow the 
poppy fields under.  He asked for PRT assistance in helping 
these families.  The PRT is assessing the needs of the local 
population.  If valid needs exist, the PRT will explore ways 
to help the community without a quid pro quo for poppy 
eradication. 
 
 
WOOD