VZCZCXRO6909
OO RUEHBC RUEHDBU RUEHDE RUEHDIR RUEHKUK RUEHPW
DE RUEHBUL #2467/01 2121315
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 311315Z JUL 07
FM AMEMBASSY KABUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9396
INFO RUCNAFG/AFGHANISTAN COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUCNIRA/IRAN COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/OSD WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 04 KABUL 002467 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/FO DAS GASTRIGHT, SCA/A 
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR AID/ANE, AID/DCHA/DG 
NSC FOR HARRIMAN 
OSD FOR SHIVERS 
CENTCOM FOR CG CJTF-82 POLAD 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/28/2017 
TAGS: PTER EAID ECON KSEC SOCI IR AF
SUBJECT: PRT FARAH: DETERIORATION IN SECURITY, RISE IN 
POPPY MARK PAST SIX MONTHS 
 
Classified By: PolCouns Sara Rosenberry for reasons 1.4 (b) and 9d) 
 
¶1.  (C) SUMMARY:  Security in Farah Province deteriorated 
over the past six months.  The Province now has its third 
ineffective governor since September 2006.  The province 
continues to be plagued by high rates of kidnappings, 
robberies, 
and insurgent activity; weak and corrupt provincial and 
district 
governments; lack of development and employment; dependence on 
poppy; and an exodus of Afghans to Iran for work.  Family and 
tribal feuds add to the general despair felt by the 
population. 
While USAID is expanding its program in the province, Farah 
still does not receive adequate attention from Kabul and 
international donors.  END SUMMARY 
 
-------- 
SECURITY 
-------- 
 
¶2.  (C) The security situation in Farah continues to 
deteriorate.  UNAMA has again postponed plans to open 
an office there due to security concerns, including 
an increase in IED attacks and suicide bombers. 
The area near the intersection of the Ring Road and 
the Highway 517 spur road leading to Farah City is 
particularly vulnerable.  Insurgent activity and crime 
-- including hijackings, killings, theft, and 
unauthorized toll collections -- have interfered with 
commercial and public traffic in that heavily traveled 
area.  Although targeted, PRT convoys have been 
fortunate so far to escape serious harm.  Five district 
chiefs of police and approximately 40 ANP and ANA 
soldiers have been killed in the past six months.  The 
most insecure districts have experienced death and 
desertion at every level of the ANP and Afghan 
Auxiliary Police (ANAP).  ISAF is increasing kinetic 
operations in Farah to counter rising numbers of 
insurgents reportedly traveling from Helmand, 
Kandahar, and other countries. 
 
¶3.  (C) With a weak and insufficiently supplied 
ANSF, insurgents and criminals continue to 
operate with impunity despite joint ANA-ANP- 
ISAF/Coalition security operations.  The ANP complains 
of equipment and manpower shortages.  The ANA is only 
at partial kandak strength and depends on additional, 
not always forthcoming and always temporary, support 
from Herat.  Formal Regional Training Center (RTC) 
training opportunities have decreased as RTC resources 
are focused on training Afghan National Civil Order 
Police (ANCOP); the PMT has trained some ANP and ANAP. 
The Provincial Communications Center (PCC), set up to 
bring all ANSF elements together to coordinate 
security operations, moved to the ANP 
headquarters.  Its information has become less timely 
and useful, but DynCorp mentors are now 
supporting the PCC.  There continues to be a 
difference of opinion about which security forces are 
ANP or ANAP.  Police at highway checkpoints 
have been deserting their posts (along with weapons 
and uniforms) to be replaced by a force, now 
reportedly ANP, led by a Bakwa mullah.  Militias 
play a key role in Farah Province.  A new Police Chief, 
Gen. Abdul Sarjang (former Paktia CoP), arrived in 
Farah June 28. 
 
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GOVERNANCE 
---------- 
 
¶4.  (C) Governance is weak and there is little 
interaction between provincial and district 
governments.  Provincial officials infrequently travel 
to the districts, citing security as a problem, 
although with PRT assistance, some trips are now 
happening.  Governor Mawlawi Mohideen Baluch, a mullah 
 
KABUL 00002467  002 OF 004 
 
 
and Karzai religious advisor who arrived in Farah 
January 31, has not been particularly impressive or 
effective.  For the most part, he follows the PRT's 
lead rather than offering his own ideas and seems to 
have difficulty understanding issues, especially 
the Provincial Development Plan process.  He meets 
regularly with PRT civilian elements.  It is only 
due to PRT urging that he has begun to involve 
government officials in all levels of decision-making 
and governing.  He now holds weekly meetings with the 
Provincial Council to improve its coordination with 
line directors and municipal and district officials. 
Despite all the problems, Governor Baluch told PRT 
that his number one priority is a guest house, which 
he places above the need for any district 
improvements, even water.  While he also mentioned 
electricity, water, and roads for Farah City, he 
appears to ignore basic human needs in the districts. 
Baluch often travels to Kabul, staying two or three 
weeks each trip.  He was one of the mullahs who recently 
traveled to Saudi Arabia at President Karzai's direction 
and has been selected to participate in the Afghan- 
Pakistan peace Jirga.  There has been no Deputy Governor 
since July 2006.  Farah City's mayor has no official 
status. 
 
¶5.  (C) There are few official district 
functionaries, leaving the districts largely 
ungoverned or led by self-appointed elders.  Four of 
the district administrators are not legally in office 
(i.e., they were not appointed by the MOI, but rather 
by elders who do not have formal authority 
themselves), and police are transitory in the most 
insecure areas.  Judges do not work in the districts 
and ministry representatives are rare.  Delarom 
District, located on the Ring Road crossing between 
Helmand, Nimroz, and Farah at a point where numerous 
hijackings and authorized and unauthorized customs 
collections take place, was ceded from Nimroz to Farah 
by President Karzai, but the change awaits 
parliamentary approval.  Until the change is official, 
Delarom is not part of Farah's budget considerations. 
 
--------------- 
ECONOMIC ISSUES 
--------------- 
 
¶6.  (SBU) There has been little economic development 
or job creation aside from a significant increase in 
poppy production and processing.  When UNODC in August 
releases its poppy cultivation figures for 2007, we 
expect to see a record crop in Fara, and the province 
will likely become the fourth or fifth largest poppy- 
producing province in the country.  Eradication 
efforts were sporadic and mostly unconfirmed. 
Although Farah is eligible for the alternative 
livelihood (AL) program, there have never been alternative 
livelihood funds available for Farah since AL funding has 
gone to the three priority areas.  Heroin processing plants 
are reportedly located in Bakwa District, so finished product 
as well as raw poppy are now exported. 
 
¶7.  (SBU) Putting together a viable Provincial 
Development Plan (PDP) remains a challenge for the 
provincial leadership.  The PRT civilian component 
is working with the Governor, PC, PDC, UN Habitat, 
UNICEF, and the only two NGOs in the province (ADA and 
CHA) to have them craft a comprehensive plan for 
presentation to the ANDS sub-national consultants when 
they visit Farah in August.  Few in Farah understand the 
importance of such a plan, and several line directors 
have produced lists of their projects and called them 
plans.  The concept of working together 
to determine goals and set priorities is new for many 
and not well understood.  Among government 
officials, education levels are, for the most part, 
not high.  The RRD line Director says he has "district 
plans" and the Economy Director has what he calls 
 
KABUL 00002467  003 OF 004 
 
 
"sector plans".  To meet the August deadline for a 
PDP, UN Habitat may simply merge these plans for Farah 
City.  Farah is traditionally at the bottom of the 
list for receiving either donor or GOA resources or 
programs.  Not having a viable plan will further 
hinder efforts to bring more resources to Farah. 
 
------------------------------ 
RECONSTRUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT 
------------------------------ 
 
¶8.  (SBU) There are few reconstruction and development 
projects in Farah.  The PRT and Civil Affairs team 
and USAID contribute most infrastructure projects. 
Over the last six months, CA projects included a 
bridge and connecting road, a road from Farah City to 
the airport, DCN buildings (awaiting completion to put 
in USAID-provided equipment), two basic health 
clinics, generators for the governor's compound and 
district centers, a women's sewing center, and various 
construction repairs.  USAID is nominating several 
projects that target provincial-level capacity 
building and support services to targeted 
districts.  Concentrating in insecure areas, USAID's 
focus is on access (road construction) and economic 
growth activities to reverse conflict-induced economic 
marginalization.  Projects such as micro-finance 
opportunities to support nascent businesses and 
marketplace development grants are also under 
consideration. 
 
¶9.  (SBU) UNICEF works with health and education 
projects (i.e., vaccination programs, pre-natal and 
obstetric care and supplies, training health care 
workers, basic disaster relief, school kits for 
teachers and students, teacher and literacy training) 
and has plans to construct six schools, some wells and 
latrines.  UNICEF has also established groups for 
child protection, child abuse, and use of 
children as soldiers or for cheap labor. 
 
------------------ 
FOREIGN ASSISTANCE 
------------------ 
 
¶10.  (C) The World Bank is funding a USD 35 million 
survey and design project for a potential Bakhshabad 
Dam in Farah's Bala Baluk district.  Although Indian 
engineers left in March after several Taliban attacks, 
Afghan and Turkish contract engineers continue to work 
on-site even though security concerns continue.  Both 
Iran and Pakistan are reportedly against the project and 
unconfirmed reports suggest they may have aided in the 
attacks against the Indians -- Pakistan because it does 
not want the Indians to be involved in projects in 
Afghanistan and Iran because a dam would cut off the 
current flow of water from the Farah Rud (river) into 
Iran and give Farah its own power source.  No major 
donor has been identified to fund the dam. 
 
¶11.  (SBU) The deportee flow from Iran and the 
difficulties Afghans encounter trying to work 
in Iran add to already high unemployment numbers.  It 
is estimated that up to 90 percent of Farah's men go 
to Iran, usually illegally, for work.  While 
continuing to deport undocumented Afghan workers, 
Iran is reportedly moving forward with an 
assistance package, opening a new customs station 
at Mile 78, and planning a road from there to 
Farah City.  Iranians are building a vocational 
training school that will be completed soon. 
There is an ongoing discussion about possible 
electricity grid connections and other infrastructure 
projects. 
 
--------------- 
CULTURAL ISSUES 
--------------- 
 
KABUL 00002467  004 OF 004 
 
 
 
¶12.  (SBU) Social and cultural issues are static. 
Most district villages are primitive and lack basic 
infrastructure.  Houses are mud hut adobe structures; 
temperatures in this bleak desert setting 
sometimes reach over 150 degrees Fahrenheit.  Schools 
operate sporadically or not at all in several 
districts; few teachers are considered "trained and 
competent."  The education line director is using a 
PRT-funded building meant for teacher training classes 
as offices for him and his staff.  Women suffer from 
few economic opportunities and gender discrimination. 
Many women go out in Farah City with just head 
coverings as opposed to full burkas, but in villages, 
one rarely sees a woman outside.  Taliban, criminals, 
and tribal rivals engage in kidnappings and beheadings 
which serve as messages to their adversaries. 
WOOD