VZCZCXRO2661
PP RUEHBC RUEHDA RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHKUK
DE RUEHGB #3931/01 3380204
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 040204Z DEC 07
FM AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4642
INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 003931 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID PREL IZ
SUBJECT:  THE EVER-EVOLVING CHALABI SERVICE COMMITTEE 
REF: BAGHDAD #3833 
 
¶1. SUMMARY: Chalabi's service committee yet again changed format at 
it's November 27th meeting. Representatives from Baghdad's rural 
areas attended last week's meeting and detailed their service needs 
in what looked and felt like a town hall meeting. At the committee's 
previous meetings only official committee members were in 
attendance. END SUMMARY. 
 
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Sabi' Al Bor Read Out 
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¶2. The meeting commenced with a trip report from Sabi' Al Bor. The 
Minister of Displacement and Migration, Senior Deputy Minister of 
Electricity, Deputy Minister of Trade, IG of Health, Commander of 
the Iraqi Forces, Dr. Chalabi and ITAO Director visited Sabi' Al Bor 
on November 27. They met with the municipal government and residents 
of Sabi' Al Bor; approximately 200 people were in attendance. The 
municipal council identified its most serious problems: electricity 
and water shortages (drinking and irrigation), shortage of medical 
equipment and personnel, school supply shortages and inadequate 
numbers of police. In response, the DM of Electricity promised to 
repair a particular water line; the IG of Health promised needed 
medical equipment and personnel; the Minister of Displacement 
promised 150,00ID per month for returning families and assistance in 
finding jobs for returnees; and the DM of Trade announced they would 
establish a ration center in the area and coordinate distribution 
with the municipal council. Other decision reached included; forming 
an emergency committee under the leadership of the municipal council 
that includes prominent, local sheikhs and national ministry 
representatives to protect and provide services to returnees; 
rehabilitating four schools; increasing checkpoints; and ensuring 
adequate numbers of police. 
 
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Abu Ghraib Representatives Attend 
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¶3. Approximately 30 representatives from Abu Ghraib presented their 
list of services needs to Dr. Chalabi's committee, particularly in 
light of improved security conditions. They requested additional 
police, but Chalabi noted that his committee cannot address that 
issue, instead it should be referred to the Security Council. 
Chalabi also informed the Abu Ghraib representatives that his 
committee could not fund any projects because they do not have a 
budget to do so nor is it in the committee's mandate. The 
representatives detailed the qada's problems such as a dysfunctional 
irrigation system; limited sewage infrastructure; shortages of 
medical facilities, medical supplies and equipment, and medical 
staff; specific goods shortages in the PDS - the nation's food 
welfare program; non-functioning electrical transformers; fertilizer 
shortage and delayed agricultural loans. 
 
¶4. The Committee made the following recommendations to address some 
of Abu Ghraib's services needs: 
--Establish an emergency service center in Abu-Ghraib to provide 
urgent services. Committee membership will include the municipal 
council, the district director and services department's heads as 
well as a representative from Chalabi's committee. 
--The Ministry of Commerce will send a truck load of urgent food 
supplies. 
--The Ministry of Electricity was ordered to complete unfinished 
projects (repair transformers, send new transformers and tools and 
parts necessary for future repair and maintenance). 
--Baghdad Operation Command, along with the relevant local service 
departments, will study the possibility of opening the bridge 
connecting the center of Abu-Ghraib (on third river.) 
 
¶5. Several requests were made of ministries not represented or 
formally included in Chalabi's services committee. This is the first 
set of such requests, but the recently signed executive order does 
require those ministries to cooperate with the committee to achieve 
its tasks. 
--The Ministry of Water Resources is tasked to send 2 generators 
(750 KV) to Abu-Ghraib's irrigation project. They are also tasked 
with sending necessary equipment and tools. 
--The Ministry of Agriculture is requested to reopen the agriculture 
parts center in Abu-Ghraib and provide the allocated portion of 
fertilizers and chemicals to the local farmers. 
--The Agriculture Corporative Bank is requested to expedite loan 
applications for Abu Ghraib's farmers. 
 
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The Board of Sahwa of north Souwaira Attends 
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¶6. Following Abu Ghraib, the Board of Sahwa presented their service 
needs to Chalabi's committee. School degradation and supplies topped 
the list as did medical supplies, equipment and personnel; PDS 
supply shortages; and a poor and inadequate national grid electrical 
supply, noting that of 1,000 houses in the area, 750 are powered by 
generators. 
 
 
BAGHDAD 00003931  002 OF 002 
 
 
¶7. The committee responded with several recommendations: 
* The Ministry of Electricity was ordered to complete unfinished 
projects (repair transformers, send new transformers and tools and 
parts necessary for future repair and maintenance). 
* The Ministry of Education was asked to conduct a study to 
determine the needs of the region. 
* The Ministry of Commerce will provide a food portion from Baghdad 
storage. 
* An emergency service center will be established in Al-Souwaira 
district similar to the above Abu-Ghraib center. 
 
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Comment 
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¶8. According to Chalabi's staff, Abu Ghraib and Souwaira reached out 
to the committee. These regions are seeking a legitimate and 
effective body to address their service grievances particularly 
since Deputy Prime Minister Zoubai, formerly responsible for 
nation-wide service delivery, resigned from government approximately 
5 months ago - creating a void in the services area. 
 
¶9. Baghdad proper, or the ten service districts as defined by Fard 
Al Qanoon and the Baghdad Security Plan, has continued to address 
service delivery, particularly through the Joint Planning Commission 
(JPC). Up until recently, the qadas, or outlying, rural regions, 
have received less attention by the Iraqis as well as Coalition 
Forces. Currently underway though, is a joint Coalition-Iraqi 
endeavor to replicate the JPC at the qada level. The first meeting 
is scheduled in the coming weeks. 
 
¶10. The visit to Sabi' Al Bor and the recent participation by local 
representatives at the services committee meeting will create an 
early test for Chalabi's committee. Those events have clearly added 
a "public face" to Dr. Chalabi and his committee. Previously, 
high-level ministry representatives were addressing service delivery 
issues that they themselves prioritized in cooperation with other 
bureaucrats only. Now, the committee is apparently linked to 
ordinary Iraqi citizens, having made promises to them directly. 
 
Butenis