VZCZCXRO3519
RR RUEHDBU RUEHPW
DE RUEHBUL #0973/01 1090654
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 190654Z APR 09
FM AMEMBASSY KABUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8450
INFO RUCNAFG/AFGHANISTAN COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KABUL 000973 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR SRAP, SCA/FO, SCA/A, EUR/RPM 
STATE PASS TO AID FOR ASIA/SCAA 
USFOR-A FOR POLAD 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM PGOV PREL AF
SUBJECT: Tensions Growing between Helmand Governor Mangal and 
His Deputy 
 
Ref: Kabul 910 
 
¶1. (SBU) Begin Summary.  Tensions are reportedly rising 
between Helmand's Governor Gulabuddin Mangal and his Deputy 
Governor Satar Marzakwal.  Mangal reportedly told Independent 
Directorate of Local Governance (IDLG) Director Jelani Popal 
that Satar was responsible for the corrupt land deals in 
Helmand, and that Satar should be removed from his office. 
Satar disputes this, and instead is pointing the finger at 
Mangal.  At the root of their growing dispute is SatarQs 
support for President Karzai, and Mangal's concerns that he 
will have a minder in his office watching to see whether he 
works against Karzai.  The tensions between the two men and 
the land corruption allegations may be having an impact on 
public perceptions, as 70-80 elders met with the Helmand 
Provincial Council on April 16 and voiced opposition to 
Governor Mangal, Deputy Governor Satar and their 
administration. End Summary. 
 
Land Corruption Blame Game 
-------------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) Helmand's Governor Mangal left for India on April 
12, after a week of meetings in Kabul with senior Afghan 
officials, including the Minister of Defense, Minister of 
Interior and the National Directorate of Security (NDS) 
Director to discuss security issues and additional Afghan 
National Army (ANA) deployments to Helmand.  During Mangal's 
high level meetings, he reportedly redirected the blame for 
the recent allegations of financial and land corruption deals 
in Helmand away from himself and on to his Deputy Governor, 
Satar Marzakwal.  Mangal told IDLG Director Jelani Popal that 
while he was out of the country on a recent trip to London, 
Satar and the previous local director from the Ministry of 
Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock (MAIL), Haji Gulam Nabi, 
distributed land parcels belonging to the Agriculture 
Department between themselves and other parties. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Governor Mangal seems to have made his case 
repeatedly to Popal and has asked that the IDLG fire Satar. 
Reportedly, Mangal's request is under consideration by the 
IDLG.  Satar, who is aware of the allegations, contacted the 
State Department officer at the Helmand Provincial 
Reconstruction Team (PRT) to flatly reject these charges and 
instead pinned the blame on Governor Mangal himself, who he 
accused of being involved in the distribution of the 
Agriculture land parcels.  Satar said he was in contact with 
IDLG and seems to be making his own case with them.  He wants 
the Governor to address the accusations about the land 
corruption. 
 
Food Zone Charges 
----------------- 
 
¶4. (SBU) In addition to the land deal allegations, the 
Ministry of Counter Narcotics continues to receive reports 
from various Helmand residents of corruption during the Food 
Zone Project in Helmand.  Unverified accusations -- possibly 
malicious -- continue to linger that Mangal, or members of his 
staff, sold the certified wheat seed that was intended for 
Gereshk, Sangin and Garmsir districts.  (Note: This 
distribution effort was likely separate from the US-funded 
effort in Lashkar Gah; the UK-funded wheat distribution 
program was undertaken with the assistance of local elders, 
which could have allowed some wheat to be redirected from the 
local farmers. End Note).  The PRT State Department officer 
continues to receive reports that some elements in Kabul want 
Mangal called in to explain this accusation. 
 
Satar Situation 
--------------- 
 
¶5. (SBU) The Deputy Governor called the PRT State 
Representative late Tuesday evening on April 12 and asked 
whether the PRT had received phone calls from the governor, 
the governor's brother or Nizamuddin, the governor's cousin. 
He was concerned that U.S. PRT officials called off their 
visit to a USAID-funded power sub-station, which is currently 
under construction, at the request of Governor Mangal.  The 
State Representative to the PRT told him that we had received 
no directions from Mangal and it was the recent threat of a 
suicide bomber in the city and that delayed our visit.  Satar 
seemed very skeptical and said, "He assumes something is going 
on in shadows." 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
KABUL 00000973  002 OF 002 
 
 
 
¶6. (SBU) At the heart of the widening split between Mangal 
and Satar is the elections and pressure to support President 
Karzai.  President Karzai indirectly instructed Provincial 
Governors to support his candidacy for re-election, but 
Governor Mangal is closely tied to the Afghan Nation Party and 
his support for Karzai can be characterized as moderate at 
best.  PRT believes that Karzai's people approached Deputy 
Governor Satar for his support and Satar has agreed to lobby 
on the President's behalf in Helmand.  Mangal is not pleased 
with this development and the possibility of a Karzai minder 
as his deputy, and may be using some or all of the recent 
allegations to push Satar out of Helmand. 
 
¶7. (SBU) IDLG Director Popal, who arranged Mangal's series 
of high-level meetings in Kabul, continues to support Mangal 
through this latest episode and seems intent on bringing him 
more deeply into the Karzai fold.  Popal understands Mangal 
retains influence in Eastern Afghanistan and he could still be 
useful for the Karzai re-election effort, or as a minimum 
could divide the support for the Afghan Nation Party.  Still, 
the tensions between the two men and the land corruption 
allegations may be having an impact on public perceptions.  On 
April 16, 70-80 elders met with the Helmand Provincial Council 
and voiced opposition to Governor Mangal, Deputy Governor 
Satar and their administration.  Many of the elders have never 
supported Mangal, but the fact they are publicly voicing their 
opposition against him suggests they are aware of the 
weaknesses created by the allegations and the tensions between 
the two men. 
 
¶8.  (SBU) We do not pretend to have a full picture of what 
might or might not be going on with regard to this alleged 
case of corruption.  We do understand, however, that Mangal 
has been coming under increased pressure to promote the 
President's re-election.  It is also clear that Karzai himself 
would almost certainly be pleased if he found himself in a 
position to remove Mangal for cause.  The governor's 
appointment, it should be recalled, came about only as a 
result of pressure from international stakeholders. 
 
RICCIARDONE