US embassy cable - 03KUWAIT2106

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KUWAIT 002106 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE ALSO PASS USAID/W 
STATE PLEASE REPEAT TO IO COLLECTIVE 
STATE FOR PRM/ANE, EUR/SE, NEA/NGA, IO AND SA/PAB 
NSC FOR EABRAMS, SMCCORMICK, STAHIR-KHELI, JDWORKEN 
USAID FOR USAID/A, DCHA/AA, DCHA/RMT, DCHA/FFP 
USAID FOR DCHA/OTI, DCHA/DG, ANE/AA 
USAID FOR DCHA/OFDA:WGARVELINK, BMCCONNELL, KFARNSWORTH USAID FOR 
ANE/AA:WCHAMBERLIN 
ROME FOR FODAG 
GENEVA FOR RMA AND NKYLOH 
DOHA FOR MSHIRLEY 
ANKARA FOR AMB WRPEARSON, ECON AJSIROTIC AND DART 
AMMAN FOR USAID AND DART 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: EAID, PREF, IZ, WFP 
SUBJECT:  DART AR RUTBAH UPDATE 
 
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SUMMARY 
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1.  The DART Field Team West visited Ar Rutbah, Anbar Governorate 
on 10 May, meeting with cooperative agreement partner World 
Vision, the former hospital director, and Coalition forces. 
Since the DART's last visit to Ar Rutbah on 6 May, the town of 
25,000 people experienced a failed distribution of donated food 
and clothes, witnessed an airdrop of 100,000 UXO awareness 
leaflets, conducted a city council meeting, and underwent the 
cleanup of four UXO areas, including the 
new temporary hospital.  Ar Rutbah also received visits from the 
Greek Orthodox Church, the Jordanian Ministry of Health, Convoy 
of Hope, ICRC and the Emirates Red Crescent Society.  End 
Summary. 
 
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WORLD VISION INTERNATIONAL 
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2.  DART partner World Vision International (WVI) returned to Ar 
Rutbah on 10 May to develop a seven-member committee to oversee 
the DART-funded rehabilitation of a temporary hospital across 
from the former hospital that was bombed.  The temporary 
hospital, to be housed in the former Baath Party building, was 
cleared of 457 pieces of unexploded ordnance (UXOs) by Coalition 
forces.  The hospital committee will solicit contractor bids to 
carry out water, sanitation, and other rehabilitation work to 
prepare for the opening of the temporary hospital. 
 
3.  WVI planned to convene principals of all 12 Ar Rutbah schools 
on 11 May to discuss DART-funded repairs to their water and 
sanitation systems.  With the DART funds secured, WVI was able to 
obtain private funds to purchase desks, chairs, and other school 
property looted after the war. 
 
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OTHER DONORS 
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4.  The Greek Orthodox Church donated 11 tons of food and clothes 
to Ar Rutbah on 7 May that the town's "governor" (Kah-em-makam) 
said the 63 public distribution system agents would disburse to 
residents.  The Coalition forces said the governor was soon 
besieged by town residents because they thought a handful of 
agents were profiting from the donation.  The governor's office 
was damaged and the governor sought protection from the Coalition 
forces outside of Ar Rutbah.  Coalition forces estimated one- 
third of the donated boxes were missing.  The governor later said 
he did not want additional food donations to Ar Rutbah because it 
caused too many problems. 
 
5.  The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) visited 
Ar Rutbah on 10 May and indicated it would rehabilitate the 
clogged septic system at the health center and undertake a UXO 
awareness program.  WVI said it would work closely with ICRC on 
the program.  Throughout the week, the Jordan Ministry of Health 
vaccinated all children from the ages six to fourteen.  On 6 May, 
the non-governmental organization Convoy of Hope delivered 
hospital equipment. Regarding water, CARE will soon begin its 
DART-funded emergency water project, improving the faulty deep- 
well, water system 20 kilometers south of Ar Rutbah. 
 
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AR RUTBAH TOWN COUNCIL 
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6.  The town's city council met on 10 May to discuss several 
issues, including: 
 
--  Donation distribution: the Greek donation would be held until 
enough food was donated for all residents; 
 
--  Fuel: Gas from the nearby H3 airfield would be tapped for the 
town's gas station; 
 
--  Drug pricing: the health clinic is permitted to charge for 
MOH drugs, but not donated drugs; 
 
--  UXOs and security; 
 
--  Water: Parts of town were not receiving water, while all 
water lacked chlorine; and 
 
--  Municipal wages: most employees received a percentage of full 
salaries this week from existing funds.  The council is comprised 
of 25 representatives, of whom ten are sheiks.  The 
others are directors of the town's schools, hospital, bank, 
public buildings, and water.  Also on the council are the 
governor, three mullahs, and one imam. 
 
JONES