VZCZCXRO1697
PP RUEHBC RUEHDA RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHKUK
DE RUEHGB #1338/01 1210902
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 300902Z APR 08
FM AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7104
INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE PRIORITY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 001338 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SBU 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV EAGR ECON ETRD EAID EFIN IZ
SUBJECT: PRT DIYALA: UNITY PARTY REQUESTS ENGAGEMENT WITH 
COALITION IN ORDER TO PARTICIPATE IN ELECTION 
 
¶1. (U) This is a PRT Diyala reporting cable. 
 
¶2. (SBU) Summary:  PRT Diyala met with Hazber al-Azawi, a 
representative of the Sahwa (awakening) Party in Diyala, on 
April 17.  Hazber identified himself as the lead candidate 
for the Sahwa Party in Diyala and expressed concerns over 
Sahwa's ability to participate in the upcoming elections.  He 
detailed what he viewed as missteps by the Coalition in 
Diyala and requested closer engagement, support, and 
protection for his party.  Hazber claimed the Sahwa is 
supported by citizens disappointed by the current government 
and said this support base far outnumbers those of other 
political parties.  He further requested a American support 
for the tribal awakening, similar to Anbar province, to bring 
stability to the region.  He warned that his supporters, if 
excluded from the election, have nothing to lose and would 
oppose the elected government.  End Summary. 
 
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THE AWAKENING LEADER INTRODUCES HIS BASE 
---------------------------------------- 
 
¶3. (SBU) Hazber al-Azawi is currently the Chief of the Diyala 
Bureau of the Independent Political Prisoners Institution, an 
organization for persons formerly imprisoned for political 
crimes under the Saddam regime.  Hazber is also the lead 
candidate for the Sahwa Party in Diyala.  He explained in 
great detail the tremendous frustration expressed by 
intellectuals, military, sheikhs, technocrats, and members of 
the media about the level of corruption and general 
lawlessness in Diyala.  He claimed that the Sahwa party 
represents all of these disaffected citizens in Diyala. 
 
------------------------------------- 
DIFFICULTIES IN GETTING ON THE BALLOT 
------------------------------------- 
 
¶4. (SBU) Hazber explained that Sahwa is dedicated to ridding 
the province of Iranian and AQI influence, but warned that if 
his party becomes disenfranchised they will have nothing to 
lose and will resist the elected government and those that 
support it.  According to Hazber, the Sahwa party is 
committed to participating in the upcoming elections on a 
national level and feel that they can prevail, but are 
concerned for the safety of the party leadership as they are 
targeted by other political groups supported by the 
government.  He said that his party faces harassment and 
arrest when attempting to meet or organize on spurious 
charges they are terrorists.  Given these threats, he 
requested CF support in 4 areas. 
 
¶A.    Hazber claimed that the representatives on the Sahwa 
election slate face the threat of possible arrest at any time 
by members of the IA or IP on manufactured charges designed 
to ensure that they cannot participate in the election 
process.  Sahwa is requesting protection/recognition from the 
CF to ensure that they will not be harassed, arrested 
arbitrarily, and held indefinitely. 
 
¶B.    The Sahwa Party wants the CF to "know their party and 
know their headquarters" and visit at will to observe that 
they are a peaceful political group.  Hazber indicated that 
CF attention would provide de facto protection for their 
party. 
 
¶C.    The Sahwa Party claims broad support but acknowledges 
that it cannot compete financially with either the IIP or 
Iranian supported parties, both of which are cash heavy with 
the proceeds from corruption.  Hazber requested financial 
support akin to that which he stated was given to Sheikh Abu 
Risha in Anbar Province.  According to Hazber, the 
organizational charter and mission statement of the Diyala 
Sahwa party was developed in consultation with Abu Risha 
after a Sahwa delegation was rebuffed by the Prime Minister, 
who Sahwa sees as corrupt and an agent of Iranian influence. 
He suggested that U.S. support to the Sahwa was the solution 
to stabilizing Diyala and ridding it of foreign influence. 
 
¶D.    Finally, the Sahwa wants to be friends with the 
Coalition.  Hazber detailed a long list of errors and poor 
judgment in choosing friends on the part of the CF.  The 
Sahwa seems to view the US as a stabilizing force in the 
region at the present time and expressed no opinions about 
U.S. withdrawal from the province. 
 
¶8. (SBU) Comment:  It impossible to accurately gauge popular 
support for any political party.  Anecdotally, ongoing 
meetings among local villagers, sheikhs, and other citizens 
indicate widespread dissatisfaction with the government's 
provision of essential services.  Prevalent corruption 
clearly affects the attitudes of local citizens and might 
 
BAGHDAD 00001338  002 OF 002 
 
 
motivate them to get behind this previously unknown party. 
The success of Anbar seems to be a strong motivating factor. 
Hazber claims support from Sunni, Shia, Turkomen, and Kurd 
communities, but he stated that the only officials that 
support his group are low level provincial officials, none of 
whom can effectively protect party members.  A broad base of 
the disaffected forming a voting coalition to take back their 
province, could be just what Diyala needs.  End Comment. 
BUTENIS