VZCZCXRO4390
OO RUEHPW
DE RUEHBUL #0060/01 0120745
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 120745Z JAN 09
FM AMEMBASSY KABUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6665
INFO RUCNAFG/AFGHANISTAN COLLECTIVE PRIORITY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KABUL 000060 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
KABUL FOR USFOR-A COS, 
DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/FO, SCA/A, EUR/RPM 
STATE PASS USAID FOR ASIA/SCAA 
NSC FOR WOOD 
OSD FOR WILKES 
CG CJTF-101 POLAD 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER AF
SUBJECT: KHOST MOURNS MANDOZAI DISTRICT BOMBING VICTIMS 
 
Summary 
------- 
¶1. (U)  Tribal leaders and government officials joined in a 
show of unity against terrorism as Khost province mourned the 
victims of the December 27 Mandozai District Center suicide 
bombing at two separate events inspired by TF Currahee - a 
January 1 funeral ceremony and a January 4 provincial shura. 
Both events were well-attended and featured strong 
condemnations of the attack, which killed as many as 14 
children and five adults.  ANSF and Coalition Forces (CF) 
coordinated to provide extensive security.  At the 
GIRoA-hosted funeral, Minister of Education Farooq Wardak 
railed against suicide bombers and the trainers who convince 
them to carry out such "un-Islamic" acts.  Media coverage was 
good, though weather interfered with TF Currahee and Embassy 
plans to transport reporters from Kabul. 
 
Funeral For Children Brings Community Together 
--------------------------------------------- - 
¶2. (U) Following the December 27 suicide bombing at Mandozai 
District Center (DC) that killed as many as 14 children and 2 
adults and wounded scores more, Khost officials organized a 
traditional funeral ceremony (khattum)January 1 at the DC. 
Deputy (Acting) Governor Tahir Khan Sabari, Khost ANP Chief 
and the Mandozai sub-governor joined victims, families, 
along with the head of the Ulema shura and several tribal 
elders, in a show of unity against terrorism.  Readings from 
the Koran and a prayer for the victims and their families 
emphasized the un-Islamic nature of the attack. 
 
¶3. (U) Minister of Education Farooq Wardak mourned the loss 
of the third graders, who were on their way to school to 
receive their Certificates of Completion when the truck 
exploded.  Wardak strongly condemned suicide bombers and 
those who convince them to carry out such heinous acts.  He 
reportedly paid the victims' families condolence money on 
behalf of the Afghan government (no further information). 
Participants later shared a meal provided by the provincial 
government and funded by TF Currahee. 
 
ANA Hosts Provincial Shura 
-------------------------- 
¶4. (U) At the January 4 condolence shura hosted by the ANA at 
Camp Clark, provincial officials and tribal elders denounced 
the bombing and called for a unified approach to improving 
security.  Speaking to a crowd of about 175 people, the 
provincial education minister railed against insurgents who 
want to shut the door on education.  Nothing in Islam or 
Sharia permits killing or suicide, he said, adding, "We must 
pray to God to remove those who don't want Afghanistan to 
move forward." 
 
Shura Speakers Call on Citizens to Act 
-------------------------------------- 
¶5. (U) Many speakers, especially government officials, 
bemoaned Khostis' failure to take action to improve security 
and pleaded for citizens to help GIRoA, ISAF and Coalition 
Forces (CF).  "If tribal elders want to stop these attacks, 
they can.  It's our fault if these continue; if we take 
action, things will improve," the Tani sub-governor said, 
noting the enemy would not come to Khost if the people 
stopped feeding and sheltering them.  He added that most of 
those supporting the enemy are Pashtuns, but Pashtun elders 
are not speaking out.  He also blamed the government for 
sending dual-citizen officials to the province, a complaint 
the audience roundly applauded.  (Former Governor Jamal, a 
Canadian-Afghan, resigned in early December and returned to 
Canada).  A Tani elder echoed the sub-governor's call for 
unity and action.  "If tribal elders have good relationships 
with each other and the ANP, we can make the province more 
secure." 
 
¶6. (U) Some tribal elders responded by accusing the 
government of being disconnected from the people and not 
understanding Pashtun culture, despite its predominance in 
Afghanistan.  A Matun elder, also calling for citizens not to 
support insurgents in their villages, added that government 
officials must then do their jobs properly and not kill 
civilians, comments the crowd loudly applauded.  Noting that 
the upcoming presidential election is the time to make 
changes, a Zani Khel elder said, &We need to elect a good 
person who understands Afghan pain.8 
 
¶7. (U) Several speakers urged greater support for the ANA, 
ANP and the Afghan Border Police (ABP).  Khost University's 
 
KABUL 00000060  002 OF 002 
 
 
Director asked UNAMA, ISAF and CF to invest more in building 
a stronger army and encouraged elders first to educate their 
sons and then send them to the ANA and ANP.  "If not, we'll 
never see better security."  He advocated talking with 
government opponents and inviting them to join in the effort 
to build a better country.  ABP General Kochi also called for 
more ANSF recruits, describing the bombing as "an earthquake" 
that must never happen again.  Noting Hazara, Tajik, Turkmen 
and Uzbek ANA worked tirelessly to save the wounded at the 
site, without regard to ethnicity, Kochi said, &Let's come 
together and decide not to let anyone do these things again; 
this shura should be for making decisions about the 
development of Khost, not just for talk."  A Zadran elder 
heading the Mujahideen shura asked audience members to 
support cross-border shuras or jirgas with Pakistani tribal 
leaders to jointly resolve security conflicts. 
 
Condolence Payments to Victims' Families 
---------------------------------------- 
¶8. (SBU) At the shura's conclusion, the ANA announced 
victims' families would receive condolence payments from the 
ANA.  In front of the audience, the Deputy Governor, Mandozai 
sub-governor and other speakers each handed an envelope of 
cash, provided to the ANA by TF Currahee, to a family 
representative.  The crowd then moved to lunch, hosted by the 
ANA and funded by TF Currahee. 
 
Peaceful Protests 
----------------- 
¶9. (U) A crowd of about 500 protested the bombing January 3 
in Khost City.  Waving banners and chanting slogans such as, 
"Death to Terrorists," "We Strongly Condemn these Attacks" 
and "Death to those who killed our children," the crowd 
demonstrated peacefully without interference from the ANP or 
others.  Some participants also reportedly protested against 
Israeli actions in Gaza.  It was not clear who organized the 
rally. 
 
¶10. (U) Local media covered both events and the protest. 
Khost TV ran video of the attack showing the children walking 
next to the truck, followed by the blast, and reported that 
the seriously wounded were treated at FOB Salerno.  Despite 
TF Currahee and Embassy arrangements, Kabul-based journalists 
were unable to cover the funeral or the shura due to weather 
conditions. 
 
Comment 
------- 
¶11. (SBU) Khostis' anger over the slaughter of 14 children 
may be the catalyst needed to unite fractious tribes against 
insurgents in the province.  TF Currahee worked behind the 
scenes with local officials to encourage and support public 
displays of outrage and opposition to the enemy's continued 
presence in Khost.  Many at the funeral and shura praised the 
ANSF and CF, a welcome counterbalance to heavy media coverage 
of a controversial December 16 night raid by CF that killed 
three Afghans with reported al-Qaida ties.  The tragedy 
offers the newly-named governor, expected to arrive in Khost 
this week, an opportunity to spur tribal elders to do more 
than talk in the province's fight against terrorism. 
 
¶12.  (U) TF Currahee Commander, Col. Johnson, has reviewed 
this cable. 
WOOD