US embassy cable - 05BAGHDAD3795

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 003795 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/14/2015 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, PTER, KDEM, IZ 
SUBJECT: UNAMI SOLIDIFIES PLANS TO LAUNCH CIVIC  OUTREACH 
CAMPAIGN IN RUN-UP TO OCTOBER 15 REFERENDUM 
 
Classified By: 
Classified by Political Counselor Robert S. Ford for 
reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
1. (C) Summary: UNAMI is currently in the final 
planning stages for launching its civic outreach 
campaign on the draft permanent constitution and plans 
to begin in earnest upon receipt of an electronic copy 
of the signed text.  UNAMI intends to print 5 million 
copies of the draft to be largely distributed through 
the Public (i.e., food) Distribution System (PDS) as 
well as through the NGO community, civil society, and 
the governorates.  This distribution will run parallel 
to UNAMI-supported outreach efforts by the 
Constitution Committee of the TNA as well as by 
international donors.  End summary. 
 
2. (C) In a September 13 meeting, key members of 
UNAMI's outreach subcommittee told PolOff, USAID rep, 
and UK EmbOffs that they will begin their civic 
outreach campaign in earnest once TNA Deputy Speaker 
Shahristani provides an electronic copy of the signed 
text, which they expect to receive September 14. 
UNAMI staff explained that they plan to publish 5 
million copies of the draft to be largely distributed 
through the Public Distribution System (PDS) that 
provides food to over 4 million households throughout 
Iraq. 
 
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DETAILS ON PLAN TO DISTRIBUTE 5 MILLION COPIES 
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3. (C) The PDS will serve as the primary means to 
distribute authorized copies of the draft constitution 
with additional distribution conducted by NGOs, civil 
society, and local government offices.  Key aspects of 
the overall distribution program are as follows: 
 
-- 5 million total copies will be printed by 5 
Baghdad-based print shops (4 million in Arabic, and 1 
million in Kurdish); in a separate contract, UNAMI 
plans to print 500,000 copies in Turkmen that will be 
distributed directly by Turkmen leaders. 
 
-- The UNAMI print contract includes delivery from the 
print shops to the primary PDS-selling centers (admin 
and logistics sites) in each governorate where PDS 
food delivery agents will pick up the drafts as part 
of the monthly food distribution cycle; UNAMI staff 
said that the Trade Ministry, which administers the 
PDS, promised to dispatch distribution agents to those 
selling centers that are off-cycle. 
 
-- UNAMI is coordinating with the TNA Constitution 
Committee and the Ministry of Trade to allow pre- 
designated personnel (selected NGO groups, civic 
leaders) access to the selling centers to pick up pre- 
authorized quantities of the drafts; USAID rep noted 
that the Mission could activate its nationwide NGO 
network to assist in distribution. 
 
-- UNAMI expects that most deliveries of the draft 
constitution will take place during the last week of 
September and the first week of October. 
 
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PARALLEL OUTREACH CAMPAIGN 
-------------------------- 
 
4. (C) UNAMI plans to conduct, in coordination with 
the Constitution Committee, a parallel outreach 
campaign that includes the media (newspapers, radio, 
and TV) and interactive events (seminars, conferences, 
and town hall meetings).  The UK EmbOffs and USAID rep 
said they would work with their respective 
implementers in order to devise the best campaign for 
the limited time available. 
 
5. (C) PolOff stressed that special attention would be 
needed in Sunni-dominated provinces to ensure the 
widest distribution of constitution material as well 
as access to media information.  PolOff also 
emphasized the importance of the media and interactive 
outreach component since the PDS is designed to target 
households and not individual voters.  UNAMI and UK 
Emboffs concurred, and the UN staff committed to 
ensure maximal possible coverage of Sunni areas. 
 
Satterfield