US embassy cable - 03KUWAIT2295

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 05 KUWAIT 002295 
 
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 VISIT TO AD DIWANIYAH 
 
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SUMMARY 
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1.  Four members of DART Field Team West traveled to Ad 
Diwaniyah, Qadisiyah governorate between 21 and 22 May.  The 
DART met with the local Governorate Support Team, various 
CMOC members, the Director General of the MOH, a team of 
doctors from the local maternal/pediatric hospital, WFP, 
Iraqi Red Crescent, and DART implementing partner Mercy 
Corps. 
 
2.  Overall, Ad Diwaniyah is facing a situation similar to 
most other cities in the upper south.  Basic services 
(electricity, water, health care, PDS, etc.) have returned 
to pre-war levels.  However, these systems are vulnerable 
for a variety of reasons (lack of re-supply for health 
facilities, lack of chlorine and spare parts to repair 
equipment in water/sewage systems, etc.), and there are 
pockets of need in outlying villages - particularly with 
regard to water and sanitation.  In addition, there are 
numerous opportunities for transition initiatives that would 
have a quick and positive impact on the community.  The city 
is not experiencing an immediate humanitarian emergency, but 
is faced with chronic vulnerabilities, which threaten to 
become worse given disruptions to centralized distribution 
systems and centralized decision making.  End Summary. 
 
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GOVERNORATE SUPPORT TEAM MEETING 
-------------------------------- 
 
3.  The DART participated in two Governorate Support Team 
(GST) meetings during its visit to Ad Diwaniyah.  The GST is 
currently transitioning from a Marine battalion to an Army 
Civil Affairs unit.  The Marines have been very active in 
standing up the local government and the justice system; 
ensuring that water, sewage, and garbage collection are 
functioning; collecting and disposing of arms and unexploded 
ordnance (UXOs); and rehabilitating schools. 
 
4.  Coalition forces have begun using seized Ba'ath party 
funds to finance the rehabilitation of the city hall.  City 
hall was thoroughly looted, but only after former-Ba'ath 
party officials set fire to government documents inside the 
building.  The rehabilitation is focused on one wing of the 
building and will provide 17 offices and two conference 
rooms by mid-June.  These funds are also being used to 
rehabilitate a "model school".  In the meantime, the GST is 
soliciting U.S. Department of Defense ODAHCA funds for 
several projects ranging from support to police units to 
repair of city sewage systems. 
 
5.  There are currently no non-governmental organizations 
(NGOs) based in Ad Diwaniyah, although Mercy Corps 
International (MCI) and Solidarites have shown interest in 
working there (see below). 
 
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VISIT TO AD DIWANIYAH PEDIATRIC HOSPITAL 
------------------------------------- 
 
6.  Doctors at the Maternal and Child Hospital of Ad 
Diwaniyah reported that the hospital suffered from a number 
of problems, including no staff salaries, a lack of some 
essential drugs and oxygen, cooling system breakdowns, a 
shortage of fuel for ambulances, and insecurity.  However, 
the hospital's interim director admitted to the DART that 
many of the hospital's current problems also existed before 
the war.  "We have almost the same problems; the same 
difficulties," he said.  The hospital has 260 beds and 24 
specialist doctors, 14 whom are women. 
 
7.  The doctors estimated that 70 percent of the 100 to 150 
children they treat daily suffer from diarrhea, and about 
one third of these patients have severe diarrhea.  They said 
this number is comparable to rates of previous years. 
Doctors said there was adequate supply of water in Ad 
Diwaniyah, but that the quality was poor, leading to 
diarrhea problems.  Poor rural residents are often forced to 
obtain water straight from canals.  Doctors said there used 
to be diarrhea-prevention and other health-education 
messages broadcast on the now-defunct Iraqi television 
stations. 
 
8.  The hospital's nutrition rehabilitation center closed 
one year ago because deliveries of therapeutic milk and high 
protein biscuits stopped. A few days ago, CARE delivered 40 
cartons of lactose-free milk, biscuits, cheese, blankets, 
and detergents.  Medecins Sans Frontieres-Holland, the 
International Rescue Committee (IRC), and MCI had also 
visited over the last three weeks.  There are approximately 
20 to 30 babies born at the hospital each day, though 
doctors said the majority of babies in Ad Diwaniyah are 
delivered in special birthing facilities, often with 
assistance from traditional birth attendants. 
 
9.  Doctors said up to 80 percent of their female adult 
patients had anemia, and that most babies were born 
underweight.  The number of female patients at the hospital 
has greatly declined since the war because of medication 
shortages.  As a result, admissions at private clinics have 
increased.  Doctors said the hospital's electricity supply 
was adequate, albeit erratic, and that its immunization 
program was ongoing.   The hospital had telephone 
communications within Ad Diwaniyah only. 
 
10.  Qadisiyah's Minister of Health said that all the 
hospitals in the governorate would hold departmental 
elections next week to choose hospital directors, and chiefs 
of nursing, pharmacies, engineering, and other sections. 
The Minister also said that the Ministry of Health (MOH) in 
Baghdad instructed health facilities nationwide to carry out 
in-house elections. 
 
11.  To deal with donations, he said the three hospitals in 
Ad Diwaniyah had each set up special teams to accept and 
distribute donated drugs and medical supplies.  The 
governorate drug warehouse is operating, but has not 
received any drugs from Baghdad since the war.  The Minister 
said it would be preferable to donate drugs directly to the 
hospitals rather than to the drug warehouse.  He added that 
MOH Baghdad informed him all future MOH drugs would be 
distributed to health facilities at no cost, and that 
hospitals would soon be forbidden to charge patients for 
drugs.  Currently, most hospitals charge patients a 30 
percent markup to cover their overhead costs. 
 
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MCI IN AD DIWANIYAH 
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12.  Team West met with DART cooperative agreement partner 
MCI in Diwanyah to discuss potential interventions, 
including essential drug distribution and water and 
sanitation activities in and around the city.  MCI suggested 
an integrated health and water and sanitation project could 
significantly reduce the debilitating childhood diarrhea 
problem in Ad Diwaniyah and its surrounding villages.  MCI 
has visited Ad Diwaniyah several times, and is now 
establishing an office there.  It will soon send a water and 
sanitation engineer, a health officer, and support staff to 
focus on developing and implementing projects. 
 
13.  MCI established its first base in neighboring Al Kut 
rather than in Ad Diwaniyah because the security situation 
was more permissive there.  It said it will coordinate its 
potential activities closely with city and governorate 
officials, Solidarites, which will carry out rural water 
projects, the Office of Reconstruction and Humanitarian 
Assistance (ORHA), Bechtel, the Governorate Support Team, 
and CARE, which conducts activities in Ad Diwaniyah.  ORHA 
and Bechtel representatives visited water and sewage plants 
in Ad Diwaniyah Wednesday, and Bechtel expressed interest in 
improving water and sanitation services in the city. 
 
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JUSTICE ISSUES IN AD DIWANIYAH 
--------------------------- 
 
14.  The DART spoke with the Coalition officer who is 
transitioning out as the justice officer (an army lawyer 
will be taking over for him).  The Coalition officer 
explained that things are moving along smoothly in the 
region - approximately 33 judges in Qadisiyah have been 
recently appointed, 113 criminals have been through the 
interim justice system in the last three days in Diwanyah, 
and a makeshift prison has been established since the 
original prison was destroyed in the war.  His major concern 
is the lack of police in town and continued lawlessness, 
especially in the outlying areas.  The military was planning 
to begin a training of trainers program for police officers 
the next day.  Thus far, approximately 25 recruits will be 
attending the training.  The officer has seen no significant 
evidence of acts of retribution thus far, but looting sprees 
and peaceful protests continue.  The officer also reported 
that a small mass grave was found in the former Ba'ath Party 
security complex.  The bodies of 12 men were found bound and 
blindfolded.  According to the officer, his superiors deemed 
this site a "humanitarian issue" and not evidence of a war 
crime and turned over the bodies to local religious leaders, 
who in turn, returned them to their families. 
-------------------------- 
IRAQI RED CRESCENT SOCEITY 
-------------------------- 
 
15.  The DART briefly visited with the Director of the Iraqi 
Red Crescent Society (IRCS).  IRCS is comprised of eight 
permanent staff and over 100 volunteers.  Most worked 
throughout the war, assisting war wounded and vulnerable 
families (including those who lost their homes during the 
war.)  IRCS is not currently working on particular projects 
because of lack of funds.  They are mostly focusing on 
delivering donations of food, non-food items, and medicine 
(from ICRC and others) to the local elder care institution, 
and local hospitals and orphanages.  IRCS has forged a very 
good relationship with MCI and explained that upon the 
mayor's request, MCI's presence in town was announced on 
local television and radio. 
 
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FOOD 
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16.  The DART met with WFP, representatives from the Civil 
Military Operations Center (CMOC), and Ministry of Trade 
(MOT) managers to discuss the public distribution system 
(PDS) in Qadisiyah governorate and to determine possible 
bottlenecks that would disrupt the planned 1 June PDS start 
date.  The DART did not identify any major problems in 
Qadisiyah that would threaten to delay the start date. 
 
17.  WFP and the DART are concerned about the stability of 
the MOT.  The MOT has made several personnel changes during 
the past week, including the removal of the MOT manager. WFP 
and the DART met with the present, acting manager and are 
hopeful that he will win the confidence of MOT and will be 
selected as the permanent manager within the week. 
Consistent management will be essential during the June 
distribution. 
 
18.  Due to the recent management changes, the emergency USD 
20 payment to MOT staff has yet to be delivered. According 
to the CMOC, the paperwork is complete and payment will be 
made once the decision of a new manager is made. This should 
be resolved within the next few days. 
 
19.  The CMOC has received several lists from MOT that 
detail looted or needed equipment for the silo, warehouse, 
registration center and grain board.  CMOC has agreed to 
review the lists, conduct CMOC assessments at the MOT 
locations and if viable, submit requests for funding to 
purchase the items and make the repairs.  CMOC is also 
working with the community to retrieve some of the looted 
items. 
 
20.  The DART briefed the CMOC on the need for properly 
trained security officers for the MOT facilities and 
described the CMOC training program in Al Hillah. CMOC 
representatives will work with MOT and CMOC security to 
determine if a similar program could include MOT security 
personnel in Ad Diwaniyah. 
 
21.  The DART and CMOC visited two grain storage sites that 
had been identified as viable wheat supplies for the PDS. 
According to WFP, these sites hold an estimated 60,000 
metric tons of wheat grain. The quality and age of this 
grain is uncertain, but CMOC agreed to follow-up with MOT to 
inventory the grain and have it tested for suitability for 
human consumption. If the grain is deemed safe for human 
consumption, it could be used for some of the wheat ration 
in June. According to WFP, this is Iraqi wheat purchased by 
the Grain Board. 
 
22.  WFP confirmed the food stock numbers at Ad Diwaniyah 
and determined there would be a shortage of pulses and oil. 
WFP will try and obtain these commodities from surrounding 
governorate overstocks.  The total June distribution cycle 
for Qadissiyah is 15 days. 
 
23.  WFP will work with several feeding programs to provide 
food for the orphanage, an elderly home, a mentally disabled 
home and several hospitals.  The total rations for these 
feedings will be 864. 
 
24.  WFP stated that the MOT understands that some people 
were punished by having their names stricken from the PDS 
roles.  The MOT plans to re-register these people so that 
they can receive PDS rations in June.  The MOT will also 
ensure that those who have lost their ration cards or had 
them confiscated for reasons of punishment will be included 
in the June ration. 
 
25.  WFP staff conducted a taste test on the navy white bean 
provided for distribution. The results of this test was 
"Good smell and tasty." 
 
JONES