US embassy cable - 05BAGHDAD4082

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 004082 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR NEA, PA-TAPPAN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, KDEM, KPAO, IZ, Reconstruction 
SUBJECT:  IRAQI OFFICIALS HOLD TOWN HALLS ON CONSTITUTION 
WITH COALITION HELP 
 
REF: A) Baghdad 3779; B) (S)Mosul 112; C) (C)Basrah 109 
 
1.  Summary: During the week of September 18-24 the Iraq 
Transitional Government (ITG) Outreach Program sent groups 
of senior Iraqi officials to four provincial capitals: 
Diwaniyah, Karbalah, Najaf and Nasiriyah.  Each ITG Outreach 
group is comprised of a cabinet level official and one or 
two Transitional National Assembly (TNA) members recruited 
for the assignment by the Prime Minister's Spokesman's 
Office.  Programs typically include a visit to a 
reconstruction site, a luncheon with top officials, a town 
hall style meeting, and ample press availabilities for both 
local and traveling press.  The ITG Outreach Program is a 
collaborative effort among the ITG, TNA, DOS and Coalition 
Forces.  The Public Affairs Section is the lead on 
coordination, with Multinational Force Iraq providing 
logistical oversight and support.  Previous ITG Outreach 
Program activity included visits to Mosul, Basrah, Irbil, Al- 
Hillah, Ba'qubah, Kirkuk and Tikrit.  End Summary. 
 
2.  On September 20, Minister of Civil Society Ala al-Safi, 
TNA Constitutional Committee member Ali al-Adeeb and Hussein 
Baraka (PM's office) traveled to Diwaniyah.  The VIP's were 
met by Multi-National Division Central South (MNDC-S) 
Commander Major General Pietr Czenski and his advisor, 
Polish Ambassador Stanislaw Smolen.  First, the Polish Army 
escorted the group to a primary school reconstruction site. 
Traveling press attended discussions with Governor Khalil 
Jalil Hamza al-Krawy at the downtown governorate center. 
Talks ranged from constitutional issues to the financial and 
reconstruction needs of the province.  Governor al-Krawy 
complained, "We are quiet here and we get nothing while 
others cause trouble and receive all the help they need." 
For security reasons related to the Shi'a observance of the 
birth of the twelfth (hidden) imam, the governor cancelled 
the town hall meeting.  In lieu of that event, Provincial 
Constitutional Committee members were invited to talk 
directly to the media. Governor Khalil then escorted his 
visitors on a tour of the city accompanied by the traveling 
press. 
 
3.  On September 21, Minister of State for Provinces Sa'ad 
al-Hardan, Advisor to the Prime Minister Basam Ridha and TNA 
member Ali al-Adeeb traveled on the Iraqi Air Force C-130. 
Landing at Talil Air Force Base near Nasiriyah the group was 
escorted by Italian Special Forces to a rehabilitated and 
expanded power plant.  A town hall event held in the plant's 
auditorium began with statements by the attending officials 
and proceeded to Q&A.  Subjects discussed by the 55 
attendees included reconstruction, basic services and food 
rationing as well as the alleged past neglect of the 
province under the former regime.  The attendees 
participated in a generally positive discussion of the 
constitution.  A short power plant tour followed a formal 
press conference with a panel that included the VIP's and 
Vice Governor Mr. Ahmed Sheikh Ali. 
 
4.  On September 22, Minister of Education Falah al-Sudani, 
TNA Constitutional Committee member Ali al-Dabagh and 
Supreme Council of the Islamic Resistance in Iraq (SCIRI) 
TNA member Mona Zalzala were transported by military rotary 
wing to a Forward Operating Base (FOB) located between the 
Shi'a cities of Karbalah and Najaf.  U.S. Army armored 
military vehicles picked up the entourage and transported 
them first to the city of Karbalah where they attended a 
town hall style event.  In the afternoon, the group moved 
with traveling press 40 miles south to Najaf where they were 
greeted by Governor Asaad al-Taae and other dignitaries. 
The Najaf town hall meeting was held at the studios of the 
SCIRI television station.  Mr. Dabagh said that while Iraq 
is probably not ready for federalism, they must nevertheless 
try.  Ms. Zalzala argued in favor of more rights for women 
and said that the constitution does not give them all the 
rights they asked for.  According to Poloff, the two TNA 
members were sometimes critical of the draft constitution, 
but generally supported it. 
 
5.  ITG Outreach Program activities are continuing in the 
run-up to the October 15 Constitution Referendum and will be 
reported septel. 
 
6.  Comment: Media assessment of these events was generally 
positive both locally and nationally within Iraq.  The 
impact of ITG and TNA officials being empowered under this 
program to visit directly with officials and constituencies 
at the provincial level should not be understated.  Visits 
by officials from Baghdad are rare due in large part to the 
security situation on the ground.  Although ITG and TNA 
officials provided by the Prime Minister Spokesman's Office 
ranged in effectiveness, local officials in all four 
provinces were clearly appreciative of this unusual event. 
End Comment. 
 
SATTERFIELD