VZCZCXRO8991
RR RUEHDBU RUEHPW
DE RUEHBUL #0722/01 0840700
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 250700Z MAR 09
FM AMEMBASSY KABUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7912
INFO RUCNAFG/AFGHANISTAN COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KABUL 000722 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR SRAP, SCA/FO, SCA/A, EUR/RPM 
STATE PASS TO AID FOR ASIA/SCAA 
USFOR-A FOR POLAD 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM PGOV AF
 
SUBJECT: KAPISA GOVERNOR REPLACES ALASAI DISTRICT ADMINISTRATOR, 
VILLAGE ELDERS APPROVE IN A DRAMATIC SHURA 
 
REF: KABUL 636 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY:  Kapisa Governor Abu Baker is moving aggressively 
to establish political control in concert with a major military 
operation reestablishing Government of the Islamic Republic of 
Afghanistan (GIRoA) presence in Alasai Valley after more than a year 
of Taliban control.  On March 11, the governor replaced the Alasai 
district administrator with a reportedly competent administrator, 
despite lacking the formal authority to do so.  Abu Baker's deputy 
governor and the sacked administrator traveled to Kabul to protest 
the action to Independent Directorate of Local Governance (IDLG) 
head Jelani Popal, but received little more than a promise to review 
the action.  Reportedly, Abu Baker may move to replace the deputy 
governor and the Tagab administrator soon as well.  END SUMMARY. 
 
Governor "Removes" Alasai District Administrator 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
 
¶2. (SBU) On March 11, Kapisa Deputy Governor Haji Safi called the 
PRT to report that Governor Abu Baker had "removed" Alasai District 
Administrator Momonhan Muslim and replaced him with Engineer Mullah 
Mohammed.  Although there was an incident involving Muslim at the 
March 10 shura in Tagab (reftel), the removal was reportedly 
unrelated.  Safi, who fears that he too will be removed in the 
coming days, claimed that Muslim was removed for interfering in and 
protesting against what he considered the illegal transfer of 
government land in Alasai to Hezb-i-Islami (HiG) elements who are 
reportedly tied to the governor.  Safi also said that Tagab District 
Administrator Akhunzada was being targeted for removal in the coming 
days.  Sali and Muslim traveled to Kabul to meet with IDLG head 
Jelani Popal to protest the govenor's actions since he has no 
authority to remove district administrators.  Popal pledged to send 
a team to Alasai to investigate the issue and "see what IDLG can 
do," but did not give a time frame for the action. 
 
Alasai Elders Respond 
---------------------- 
 
¶3. (SBU) Governor Abu Baker organized a meeting on March 17 with 
Alasai elders to discuss security and governance issues.  What had 
been scheduled as a small meeting became a full-fledged outdoor 
shura, including 120 Alasai elders.  Through the governor's 
orchestration, supporters of Mohammed packed the crowd as the 
governor explained his firing of Muslim after fielding complaints 
from hundreds of Alasai residents about Muslim's conduct and ties to 
the Taliban.  The governor claimed to have discussed the issue with 
President Karzai, who approved of his decision.  He pressed Alasai's 
citizens to work with the new district administrator to improve 
security so development would quickly follow.  Several elders rose 
to agree with the governor and his choice of Mohammed, squarely 
placing the blame for deteriorating security on Muslim, and accusing 
him of allowing the Taliban to flourish in the district, including 
by selling humanitarian assistance on the black market rather than 
distributing it, thereby pushing people towards the enemy.  Mohammed 
then prompted a dramatic response of endorsement from the elders by 
stressing that he had not sought the job, but that he would do his 
best to improve their quality of life. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶4. (SBU) Governor Abu Baker's choice for the new Alasai district 
administrator and the timing of the announcement were politically 
shrewd moves intended to increase his strength in Southern Kapisa. 
Mullah Mohammed checks all the necessary boxes: Pashtun, educated, 
experienced, and from the opposition party (the Governor is 
Hezb-i-Islami, Mohammed is Jemiat) - to avoid the semblance of 
political favoritism and to establish credibility in Alasai. 
Mohammed's reputation coupled with a passive demeanor makes him the 
perfect conduit for the governor to continue to exert control in 
Alasai, so much so that when Mohammed initially declined the offer, 
the governor reportedly threatened him saying, "you don't want your 
kids to be sorry."  If Mohammed can maintain security while showing 
tangible improvements, he will likely escape the allegations of 
corruption that dogged his predecessor.  As someone who really does 
not want the job, he may be just the man for it. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Mohammed will face considerable pressure from the governor 
and his HiG friends, to which he will occasionally have to 
acquiesce, and he will likely be forced to tolerate some amount of 
criminal activity.  He may also find himself in the middle of 
tensions between the governor and deputy governor, who is from his 
party (Jemiat) and was once his professor in school.  The crowd's 
widespread acceptance of Mohammed bodes well for his ability to 
govern the troubled district, although his actual level of support 
is questionable.  Once the current Afghan National Army (ANA) 
operation has cleared the district and ANP presence is increased, 
Mohammed will be able to deliver development projects to a populace 
desperately in need of them. 
 
KABUL 00000722  002 OF 002 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY:  Kapisa Governor Abu Baker is moving aggressively 
to establish political control in concert with a major military 
operation reestablishing Government of the Islamic Republic of 
Afghanistan (GIRoA) presence in Alasai Valley after more than a year 
of Taliban control.  On March 11, the governor replaced the Alasai 
district administrator with a reportedly competent administrator, 
despite lacking the formal authority to do so.  Abu Baker's deputy 
governor and the sacked administrator traveled to Kabul to protest 
the action to Independent Directorate of Local Governance (IDLG) 
head Jelani Popal, but received little more than a promise to review 
the action.  Reportedly, Abu Baker may move to replace the deputy 
governor and the Tagab administrator soon as well.  END SUMMARY. 
 
 
 
WOOD