VZCZCXRO8520
RR RUEHIK RUEHPOD RUEHPW RUEHYG
DE RUEHBUL #1459 1650937
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 130937Z JUN 08
FM AMEMBASSY KABUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4365
INFO RUCNAFG/AFGHANISTAN COLLECTIVE
RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE
RUEKJCS/OSD WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC
RHMFIUU/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS KABUL 001459 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/FO, SCA/A, S/CRS, EUR/RPM 
NSC FOR WOOD 
OSD FOR WILKES 
CENTCOM FOR CG CSTC-A, CG CJTF-101 POLAD 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER ECON AF
SUBJECT: BADGHIS PROVINCE: DIFFICULT WEATHER CONDITIONS AFFECT 
ECONOMY AS GOVERNMENT TRIES TO MAINTAIN SECURITY 
 
¶1. Summary:  The combination of the past winter's record-cold 
temperatures and the current drought has dominated governance 
activities and will have profound implications for Badghis's 
agriculture-based economy.  Badghis's economic infrastructure 
remains primitive.  The provincial security situation is in flux, 
but the insurgency shows signs of splitting. 
 
Security: Weakening Insurgency 
------------------------------ 
¶2. Insurgents were expected to launch an aggressive spring offensive 
this year, but the worst predictions did not come to pass.  While 
insurgents can still gather in large numbers and have freedom of 
movement in Bala Murghab and Ghormach districts, fault lines within 
the insurgency appear to have developed following the February 
arrest of Mullah Destagir, the number two and rumored ideological 
leader of the Badghis insurgency.  His arrest has shaken the 
insurgents' leadership structure and has created an environment of 
distrust and suspicion within it.  The leader of the Badghis 
insurgency, Mullah Haqqani, was wounded in a shootout with another 
Badghis insurgent group. 
 
¶3. The performance of the Afghan National Police (ANP) remains 
mixed.  While there has been a noticeable improvement in provincial 
leadership with the arrival of Deputy ANP Commander Waheed, much 
work remains in the fields of discipline and training. 
 
Development: Increased Donor Support 
------------------------------------ 
¶4. Basic economic infrastructure in Badghis remains primitive. 
There are no paved roads in the entire province, and Ring Road 
construction stops at the Badghis border.  Electricity is limited to 
the towns of Qal-e-Now and Jawand.  The largest international donor 
to the province remains the Spanish PRT, which annually contributes 
USD 20 million in funds for infrastructure projects such as road 
construction and water projects.  The Government of Norway, through 
PRT Maymana, has funded the French NGO ACTED with USD 4.5 million 
specifically for projects in the insecure district of Ghormach. 
USAID is strengthening its presence in Badghis with their Local 
Governance Community Development Program. 
 
Governance: Improvements in Disaster Relief 
------------------------------------------- 
¶5. Much of Badghis's governance activities have been limited to 
responding to this winter's severe weather and the current drought. 
Snow and freezing temperatures combined to kill more than 220 people 
and left tens of thousands of livestock dead.  After a slow start, 
the performance of the province's Combined Disaster Management Team 
improved.  While still heavily dependent on international community 
assistance, the response to the winter crisis was better organized 
with less corruption than efforts in previous years (provincial 
officials sold food aid rather than distribute it in previous 
years).  As the effects of the drought become more evident - meat 
prices have already dropped by a third as farmers slaughter their 
livestock and sell the meat before the herds die in the fields - the 
generally weak line ministries will be hard-pressed to deal with the 
long-term problems such as large-scale unemployment, internally 
displaced persons, and disputes over scarce resources. 
 
¶6. Governor Naseri is spending increasing amounts of time in Kabul. 
Although he actively seeks funds and development projects from both 
the GIRoA and the international community, his lack of presence in 
Qal-e Now is noticeable.  The Provincial Council (PC) remains 
plagued by high absenteeism and a generally low activity level. 
 
 
¶7. In Ghormach, UNAMA and RC North-PRT Maymana meet regularly with 
the 69-member tribal shura that was formed following a November 2007 
RC North operation.  In June 2008, members of the shura signed a 
document committing to creating the security environment necessary 
for development.  Whether this document will affect insurgent 
activities in Ghormach is still unclear. 
 
DELL