VZCZCXRO1977
RR RUEHDBU RUEHPW
DE RUEHBUL #1309/01 1450520
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 250520Z MAY 09
FM AMEMBASSY KABUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9056
INFO RUCNAFG/AFGHANISTAN COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KABUL 001309 
 
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 KDEM AF
 
SUBJECT:  Paktika - Governor Katawazay Addresses Security, 
Development and Tribal Dispute in Gayan District 
 
Summary 
------- 
 
¶1.  (SBU) On May 17, PRT Paktika (Sharana) facilitated a visit by 
Governor Katawazay, National Directorate for Security provincial 
commander General Mohammad Yaseen, and the governor's tribal affairs 
advisor (and cousin) Mohammad Mateen to Gayan district in 
northeastern Paktika, on the border with Pakistan's unstable North 
Waziristan tribal agency, to meet with the district's tribal shura. 
Although security considerations prevented advance notice of the 
event, almost two hundred people from the district's majority Zadran 
tribe (the tribal base of the Haqqani network insurgency) assembled 
in the district center compound.  The governor spoke with the people 
about security and development and said he would invite to the 
provincial capital leaders of Gayan's Zadran tribe and its minority 
Waziri population to resolve differences that are impeding extension 
of governance to the district's Waziris, who reside in the area of 
the strategically important Lwara border crossing area. 
 
Support to GIRoA, but Accommodation with Taliban 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
 
¶2.  (SBU) Governor Katawazay urged the Zadran tribal leaders to 
support the GIRoA and help stabilize their region, explaining that 
better security will lead to more development projects for the 
district.  Governor Katawazay said he would do his best to increase 
the number of Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) in the district 
and secure more support from the provincial government.  The shura 
members and other participants responded that the leaders and people 
fully support GIRoA.  Several claimed, however, that the Taliban 
present in the district "do not bother us, so we do not bother 
them."  Although the school near the district center was burned down 
in 2007 and students are now studying under open-air tin-roof 
shelters next to the district center, the people maintained that the 
Taliban do not interfere with madrassas operating in the district. 
 
 
Health Care and Governance Concerns 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶3.  (SBU) One leader complained that the lack of health services in 
Gayan district sometimes leads to deaths of patients en route to 
hospitals in surrounding areas (neighboring Orgun district or Miram 
Shah, in Pakistan).  Others complained about the district 
sub-governor, Saber Gul, saying he spends more time at home than in 
the district center.  Many participants presented impromptu written 
petitions to the governor, a number of which he addressed on the 
spot with cash payments.  Attending the shura was the head of a 
household to which U.S. forces had made condolence payments in 
September after a civilian casualty incident killed several family 
members; he spoke cordially with provincial officials and PRT 
members. 
 
Governor takes Initiative in Resolving Tribal Dispute 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
 
¶4.  (SBU) During a lunch after the shura, Governor Katawazay 
encouraged the Zadran leaders to resolve the dispute between their 
tribe and the minority Waziri tribe in Gayan district. The Zadran 
elders energetically denied that the Waziris belong to Gayan 
district, saying they belong to neighboring Bermel district, where 
nearly all Paktika's Waziris reside.  They insisted that the Waziris 
differ fundamentally from the Zadran in language, custom, and 
culture and cannot be trusted because they are more Pakistani than 
Afghan.  Unable to convince the Zadran to cooperate with the 
Waziris, Governor Katawazay said he would invite ten leaders of both 
tribes to the provincial capital Sharana to resolve the dispute. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶5.  (SBU) Gayan district, located in northeastern Paktika and 
bordering Pakistan's North Waziristan tribal agency, is difficult 
for PRT to reach and, because of remoteness and security challenges, 
benefits from few development projects.  The large majority of Gayan 
residents belong to the Zadran tribe, which dominates the 
mountainous area where Paktya, Paktika, and Khost provinces join and 
is the home base of the Haqqani network insurgency.  The small 
Waziri population in Gayan who reside in southeastern Gayan adjacent 
to Bermel complain that the Zadran refuse to allow them to 
participate in the district shura or receive government services, 
such as identification documents, in Gayan.  This situation 
effectively blocks the extension of governance to the strategically 
significant area near the Lwara border crossing point and Forward 
Operating Base Tillman.  None of the nine tribal leaders currently 
in the Gayan shura is Waziri.  Governor Katawazay's suggestion to 
bring both groups together to resolve their differences is a 
 
KABUL 00001309  002 OF 002 
 
 
positive step that the PRT intends to support. 
 
¶6.  (U) Maneuver unit commander for east Paktika and Brigade 
Commander have seen this cable. 
 
EIKENBERRY