VZCZCXRO1549
RR RUEHPW
DE RUEHBUL #0250 0341002
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 031002Z FEB 09
FM AMEMBASSY KABUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7120
INFO RUCNAFG/AFGHANISTAN COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS KABUL 000250 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/FO, SCA/A, EUR/RPM 
STATE PASS TO AID FOR ASIA/SCAA 
NSC FOR WOOD 
OSD FOR WILKES 
CG CJTF-101 POLAD 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
 
TAGS: PGOV AF
 
SUBJECT: Balkh Politicians Mix Politics into Memorial Service 
 
Summary 
-------- 
 
¶1. (U) At a memorial service in a remote district of Samangan 
province for a slain member of parliament, Balkh Governor Mohammed 
Atta Noor and Balkh Deputy Governor Abdo Wahdat engaged in some 
pre-campaign rhetoric.  Atta encouraged the crowd of 500 who had 
gathered to listen to memorial speeches to vote for the "right" 
candidate in the upcoming presidential election, although he did not 
offer any hints.  Wahdat, perhaps expecting Atta to slip in a 
political message, had one of his own, which he used to criticize 
the Karzai government.  Both Atta and Wahdat, who are from different 
political parties, provided glimpses into their own thinking about 
the presidential race. 
 
Memorial Ceremony with Political Overtones 
----------------------------------------- 
 
2.(U) Balkh Governor Atta (Tajik, Jamiat party) and Balkh Deputy 
Governor Abdo Wahdat (Hazara, Wahdat party) traveled to Rui do Ab 
district, Samangan province on January 31, to participate in a 
memorial service marking the one-year anniversary of the death of 
Mallawi Mohammed Islam Mohameddi, an ethnic Sunni Hazara and Jamiat 
Party-backed Member of Parliament from Rui do Ab district, who was 
assassinated in Kabul last year.  Both men used the occasion - 
portions of which were broadcast on Balkh TV - to do some 
politicking among Rui do Ab residents, who are a mix of Sunni and 
Shia Hazaras. 
 
Atta to Crowd: Choose the Right Candidate 
----------------------------------------- 
 
¶3. (U) After praising Mohameddi's accomplishments fighting the 
Soviets and later, the Taliban, Atta told his audience that they 
"have the opportunity to shape their destiny by selecting the right 
candidate at the time of elections, someone who has served better 
than others." He didn't elaborate further on this point, nor did he 
mention anyone by name. 
 
Deputy Governor Criticizes Karzai on Television 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
¶4. (U) Deputy Governor Wahdat was less obtuse in his remarks.  "We, 
the people of Samangan, are not happy that the central government 
has ignored us," the deputy governor said.  "Samangan people are 
underrepresented within the central government structure, even 
within the Samangan provincial government," he added, provocatively. 
(Note: Deputy Governor Wahdat is from Balkh province - not from 
Samangan.) Balkh TV broadcast the deputy governor's remarks. 
 
Balkh PC Member: Atta's Visit to Samangan Political 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
 
¶5. (U) Balkh provincial council member Sardar Saidi, who represents 
the Hazara-based Wahdat Party (led by MP Mohaqqeq) in the north, was 
unaware of the deputy governor's trip to Rui do Ab.  Upon hearing of 
the latter's comments, he said he was glad that Deputy Governor 
Wahdat used the occasion to criticize Karzai.  Saidi also noted that 
Wahdat Party has yet to endorse a candidate.  He believes that 
Atta's motives for going to Rui do Ab were clearly political, and 
pointed out that Atta did not bother to attend mourning ceremonies 
for Mohameddi in Rui do Ab a year ago.  Rui do Ab is one of the most 
remote districts in Samangan - easily a 7 hour-long drive from the 
provincial capital, Aybak. 
 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶6. (SBU) Governor Atta is laying the groundwork to sway Sunni 
Hazaras to vote for the candidate the Jamiat Party - with his 
blessing - eventually endorses.  Atta told PRTOff only a few days 
before making the Rui do Ab trip that the candidate he supports must 
be (a) highly respected and (b) have the backing of the 
international community.  Deputy Governor Wahdat seemingly 
anticipated that Atta would use the occasion in Rui do Ab to slip a 
political message into his remarks, which would explain why Wahdat 
was quick to seize the opportunity to criticize Karzai's government. 
 At the very least, the deputy governor's comments and those of 
Wahdat party representative Saidi make it clear where they stand 
with respect to any talk of Wahdat party support for Karzai's 
reelection bid. 
 
WOOD