US embassy cable - 03KUWAIT2134

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 KUWAIT 002134 
 
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 
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 ASSESSMENT OF KARBALA 
 
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SUMMARY 
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1.  DART Field Team West traveled to Karbala to meet with 
local officials and gather assessment information on 15 
May.  The population is generally friendly and happy with 
the Coalition presence.  There have been neither threats to 
Coalition forces nor targeted incidents.  Sixty Iraqi police 
officers have been trained by Coalition forces with police 
experience.  There are a total of 830 police officers now 
active in Karbala.  End Summary. 
 
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FOOD 
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2.  The DART met with U.N. World Food Program (WFP) staff, 
Ministry of Trade (MOT) silo manager, and Coalition forces. 
The DART discussed overall food needs in Karbala area and 
confirmed positive WFP assessment of the public distribution 
system (PDS), observed initial arrivals of WFP rice 
deliveries, and confirmed wheat grain stocks in the Karbala 
grain silo. 
 
3.  WFP's ten-person national staff is established and 
operational at the MOT warehouse. Two additional staff, 
office and communications equipment, and other operational 
support are due to arrive soon.  WFP has assisted MOT in 
planning initial PDS activities, including the release of 
wheat grain for milling, followed by a flour delivery to 
beneficiaries beginning on 17 May and a rice distribution to 
begin the first part of June. 
 
4.  The DART confirmed that the Coalition has vacated the 
grain silo property.  The MOT silo manager claims that 
Coalition forces removed property from the silo grounds and 
has presented an inventory of missing items to battalion 
headquarters.  The DART discussed this issue with a 
Coalition representative who stated that he would follow-up 
to determine a course of action.  Among the items on the MOT 
list are two tractor-trailer cabs, tools, several computers, 
office furniture, and cash from the office safe. 
WFP staff and silo manager asked DART to inquire about 
security assistance from Coalition forces during the 
upcoming food deliveries.  The Coalition source told the 
DART that frequent patrols and visible presence by Coalition 
forces in the area of the silo and warehouses could be 
established and stated that he would follow-up for possible 
action. 
 
5.  WFP stated that public service messages regarding PDS 
had been received and should be improved. Information should 
be focused on instructions to food agents and should include 
precise dates for ration distributions, the per person 
quantity of food to be received and the ration basket 
contents. Beneficiaries will be expecting this information 
as a normal function of PDS. 
 
6.  WFP and DART discovered unexploded ordnance (UXO) in one 
area of the MOT warehouse complex.  DART requested and 
received an initial UXO assessment by Coalition forces that 
confirmed UXO contamination.  A request for UXO removal and 
a general mine sweep of the warehouse area has been made 
with a planned sweep set for 18 May. 
 
7.  The DART confirmed that all MOT staff in Karbala 
received USD 20 emergency payments and is in contact with 
MOT Baghdad. 
 
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SECURITY 
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8.  Challenges in Karbala include a large minefield near the 
"Karbala gap" close to the main cemetery; significant 
amounts of UXOs in the city; and the "Karbala Protection 
Force" (KPF) who are to be disbanded by Saturday and have 
acted as a separate, vigilante type police force with 
considerable criminal element.  There are, however, joint 
patrols with Coalition forces, the police, and the KPF. 
 
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MEDIA AND COMMUNICATIONS 
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9.  There are newspapers in Karbala, and the former state TV 
station is operating six hours per day. Included in the 
broadcast are UXO and public health messages.  Of Karbala's 
population, 40 to 50 percent own televisions, and the rest 
rely on coffee shops and restaurants to get TV news and 
programming. 
 
10.  Interviews with local residents provided mixed reviews 
of Radio SAWA.  The biggest complaints were repetitive news 
and music.  The most popular news broadcast was BBC.  Many 
asked the DART why they could no longer receive Voice of 
America. 
 
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COALITION PRIORITIES FOR KARBALA 
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11.  The DART witnessed a well-organized and proficient 
effort by Coalition forces to restore services to Karbala. 
The DART was briefed on several rehabilitation priorities 
for Karbala including: 
 
--  Police professionalism and training:  A 30-officer 
training cadre has been established to increase proficiency 
of local police forces.  Coalition forces are supporting the 
Karbala Police Department by providing uniforms, 
communications equipment, vehicles, weapons and ammunition. 
 
--  Disbanding former militia:  The Karbala Protective Force 
has been deemed antagonistic to rehabilitation efforts and 
will be disbanded by Coalition forces. 
--  Water:  The water system is functioning, but it is 
contaminated and contributes to chronic gastro-intestinal 
problems among Karbala populace.  Four water purification 
units have been provided for Karbala hospitals. The water 
administration headquarters functions at 50 percent and a 
secure chlorine supply is needed.  The International Rescue 
Committee and CARE are present and working on water 
problems. 
 
--  Electricity:  Electricity is reported at pre-war levels 
of 75 percent.  Coalition forces are repairing suspension 
and transmission lines. 
 
--  Education:  One hundred-thirty school buildings have 
been cleared of UXO, and battalion teams have begun 
renovation of five school buildings for various levels of 
students, including adults. Textbooks and curriculum 
development were identified as priority needs. 
 
--  Fuel:  There have been no LPG deliveries in the last 30 
days and benzene is in short supply. 
 
--  Refuse and Sewage:  Coalition forces have established a 
garbage landfill outside town limits, but it is under- 
utilized.  The former regime flooded the sewage system with 
diesel fuel rendering the system inoperable. 
 
--  UXO and mines are considered a serious and long-term 
issue.   Coalition forces have been mapping UXO sites, and 
removal teams are in the area. 
 
--  Civil Administration:  A city council has been 
appointed, but it is untrained and not yet vetted. 
 
12.  Many of these priorities will increase employment 
opportunities.  Coalition forces estimate unemployment to be 
as high as 85 to 90 percent. 
 
JONES