US embassy cable - 05DARESSALAAM428

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DAR ES SALAAM 000428 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR AF/EX AND AF/E 
 
E.O. 12958:    N/A 
TAGS: APER, AMGT, TZ 
SUBJECT:   REQUEST FOR RETENTION OF ONE-TIME FILL POLITICAL 
OFFICER POSITION IN DAR ES SALAAM 
 
REF: A) STATE 29976 
--   B) 02 STATE 268674 
 
1.  SUMMARY:  Embassy Dar es Salaam requests that the FO-04 
POL T/JORP (#14050000, vice Peterson) position be retained. 
The loss of this position will severely impede post's 
ability to achieve critical counter terrorism, democracy and 
governance, humanitarian assistance, and other MPP goals, 
and would seriously limit our ability to engage the GOT in 
several areas at a particularly critical juncture.  END 
SUMMARY. 
 
2.  Embassy Dar es Salaam believes that the FO-04 POL T/JORP 
(#14050000, vice Peterson) position may appear on the One- 
Time Fill list by mistake.  Post has never seen any 
indication that this was not a permanent position and the 
Department's staffing pattern shows the position as R 
(regular), rather than X (one-time).  Confirmation that this 
position had been created is contained in 02 STATE 268674, 
which makes no mention that it would be a One-Time Fill 
only.  If the One-Time Fill designation is correct, post 
urgently requests that the position be retained.  For the 
reasons outlined below, post cannot absorb the loss of this 
position at this time. 
 
3.  First, Tanzania has just assumed a seat on the UN 
Security Council, which it will hold through 2006.  As such, 
Tanzania will be directly involved in numerous high-priority 
and contentious issues, including the UN and AU roles in 
Darfur, peace efforts in the Great Lakes region, and 
Security Council reform.  These will all require our active 
and continuous engagement with the GOT.  Post is already 
experiencing a substantial increase in demarches as a result 
and expects greater workload demands in the coming year as 
we help the GOT navigate through this critical period. 
 
4.  In addition, Tanzania will hold national elections in 
October 2005, and the likelihood of fraud, violence, and 
related turmoil on Zanzibar is very high.  The P/E Section 
will need to closely monitor and report as election events 
unfold, and engage vigorously with the Governments of 
Tanzania and Zanzibar to ensure elections are free and fair, 
and that violence is averted.  The P/E Section can ill 
afford to lose one-third of its officer strength at this 
juncture. 
 
5.  Terrorism remains a critical threat in Tanzania, and 
Counter Terrorism is the number one Mission priority.  The 
incumbent plays a key role by conducting innovative Muslim 
outreach by visiting Muslim neighborhoods to report on 
issues of popular concern, such as the political impact of 
madrassa education, and to reach out to up-and-coming young 
Muslims.  Without this position, post's Muslim outreach 
program will have to be severely curtailed.  The incumbent 
also monitors aviation security and recently uncovered a 
massive corruption ring at Tanzanian airports targeting 
international flights.  If this position is cut, post will 
not have the personnel to provide the continuous close 
scrutiny of aviation security that is required in this 
environment. 
 
5.  Tanzania continues to host over 400,000 refugees, one of 
the largest refugee populations in Africa.  With continued 
volatility in eastern Congo and upcoming elections in 
Burundi, the prospect of renewed refugee flows in either 
direction is very substantial.  As post's designated refugee 
POC, the incumbent spends about 25 percent of her time 
generating support for US refugee policy and monitoring and 
reporting on hot button refugee issues like recruitment of 
child soldiers.  Post must continue pressing for voluntary 
return to avoid potentially destabilizing Congo and Burundi. 
The loss of this position will cripple post's vital work in 
this area. 
 
6.  Human trafficking is a major issue in Tanzania, and 
Tanzania is currently on the Tier Two Watchlist.  As the 
Trafficking point person, the incumbent is key to generating 
understanding of the issue among government officials and 
motivating action to combat it.  The incumbent helped create 
an anti-trafficking task force in Tanzania and her continued 
attention contributed to Tanzania's first-ever arrest for 
trafficking in persons.  Moreover, the incumbent is 
responsible for coordinating approximately USD 2 million of 
trafficking assistance through the Presidential Initiative 
on Trafficking.   Without post's dedicated attention to this 
issue, Tanzania is unlikely to progress beyond Tier Two 
Watchlist status. 
 
7.  Finally, post's entire P/E section will turn over this 
summer, so there will be no P/E veterans available to assume 
extra duty if this position is cancelled.  Post will also 
have a new DCM/Charge, new Ambassador, new Regional Affairs 
Officer, new Defense Attach, and new RSO.  The loss of one 
third of the officer strength of the Pol/Econ section would 
be a severe blow that would cripple our ability to achieve 
MPP goals, and to engage with the GOT at a key juncture. 
Post urgently requests that this position be retained and 
filled as expeditiously as possible. 
 
Owen