VZCZCXRO9793
PP RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHKUK
DE RUEHGB #0997 0920811
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 010811Z APR 08
FM AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6580
INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE PRIORITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 000997 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/31/2018 
TAGS: KHUM KDEM IZ
SUBJECT: MINISTER OF HUMAN RIGHTS ON NEW CLAIMS COMMITTEE, 
ELECTIONS, CORRUPTION, MINISTRY PROBLEMS, AND MEK 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Ryan C. Crocker for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
¶1. (C)  SUMMARY:  On March 25, the Ambassador met with 
Minister of Human Rights Wijdan Salim.  They discussed a 
variety of issues, including the impending establishment of a 
central claims committee; the need for minorities to be 
represented in the elections and in the provincial councils; 
allegations of corruption within the government; problems 
within the ministry; the MEK; and an upcoming treaty with 
Iran about the Iran-Iraq War.  The Ministry is creating a 
committee that would help Iraqis with cases or claims against 
Coalition Forces and private security companies.  The 
Minister wants to ensure minority participation in the 
upcoming elections and minority representation in the 
Provincial Councils, and she will meet soon with the IFES 
elections team.  END SUMMARY. 
 
PROPOSED NEW MNF-I/CONTRACTOR CLAIMS COMMITTEE 
 
¶2. (C)  Minister of Human Rights Wijdan Salim informed the 
Ambassador that the Ministry of Human Rights (MoHR) is 
establishing a committee that will collect and help Iraqis 
establish cases or claims against MNF-I and against private 
security contractors working in Iraq.  The committee will 
help gather evidence, such as police records and death 
certificates, and help Iraqis file the cases with MNF-I.  The 
process to file cases against private security contractors 
has not been defined.  She said this committee will act like 
a central complaints committee, and she wants this 
established since the MoHR receives claims and cases in a 
haphazard way from citizens around the country.  The 
Ambassador advised the Minister to work with the Minister of 
Defense on this issue, specifically on filing claims against 
security contractors because there is an existing GOI 
committee that is dealing with these cases. 
 
MINORITY REPRESENTATION IN ELECTIONS 
 
¶3. (C)  The Minister said she works closely with all minority 
groups in Iraq, and they all want representation in the 
Provincial Councils, even if it means they are only observers 
and do not have the right to vote.  She said it is crucial 
they are included in the Elections Law and participate in the 
upcoming elections.  The Ambassador agreed with her and 
recommended she meet with members of the IFES elections team 
who are in Baghdad advising Iraqi officials on the upcoming 
elections.  The Ambassador said they have a particular focus 
on women and minorities in the elections, and the Minister 
said she would meet with them soon. 
 
MINISTER CLAIMS CORRUPTION THROUGHOUT GOI 
 
¶4. (C)  The Minister complained about what she claimed was 
rampant corruption pervasive throughout the government.  She 
specifically blamed ISCI and also pointed at the 
reconstruction council in the Prime Minister's Office as 
being responsible for much corruption.  She alleged that the 
reconstruction council is wasting millions of dollars in the 
way it handles contracts.  She claimed that at each meeting 
of the Council of Ministers, the Ministry of Oil asks for 
additional millions of dollars in funding for oil projects, 
and said there is no accountability for how they spend their 
money.  She also suggested there should be an inspector 
general monitoring the Council of Representatives (CoR), to 
look specifically at how much money CoR members spend during 
foreign travel.  She compared her $180 per diem limit to the 
CoR's $600 per diem limit.  (Note:  The Board of Supreme 
Audits has investigative authority over the CoR.  End Note.) 
CROCKER