US embassy cable - 03KUWAIT2639

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 KUWAIT 002639 
 
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 WESTERN IRAQ UPDATE 2 JUNE 
 
 
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SUMMARY 
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1.  DART Field Team West witnessed the smooth start up of 
the public distribution system in Al Hillah on 2 June with 
numerous food trucks dropping off and picking up 
commodities.  Public response to the mistaken release of a 
notorious killer, linked to thousands of victims in the mass 
graves of Babil, was diffused by the new Human Rights 
Society of Babil that helped to persuade local residents to 
remain calm.  The DART participated in the daily Governorate 
Support Team meeting and learned that former Ba'ath 
government workers would have to renounce their affiliation 
with the Party and turn in their Ba'ath issued weapons 
within 24 hours.  End Summary. 
 
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FOOD DISTRIBUTION IN AL HILLAH 
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2.  Babil Governorate food and flour agents began the June 
food distribution on 2 June following scheduled collections 
of commodities from the main Al Hillah warehouse and grain 
silo.  Coalition security forces were present at the 
warehouse and assisted with the smooth movement of 36 short- 
haul trucks entering and exiting the compound throughout the 
morning and early afternoon.  Flour and rice collections 
were also occurring without incident from the grain silo 
warehouse, and Australian wheat grain was arriving and 
discharging at the silo bins.  Final total numbers from the 
silo will be available shortly.  All 1,713 Babil agents are 
expected to arrive in Al Hillah to collect ration 
commodities during the next 15 days. 
 
3.  Collections continued until approximately 15:00 even 
though Ministry of Trade (MOT) employees normally worked 
until early evening during pre-war distribution periods. 
However, workers stated that due to the lack of authorized 
overtime payments from MOT, they would only work normal 
hours.  As previously reported by the DART, the MOT said the 
normal overtime payment of 1,000 Iraqi dinars was paid to 
those workers that stayed and worked on weekends, holidays, 
and extra hours during distribution periods.  To date, this 
1,000 dinar overtime payment has yet to be authorized. 
 
4.  U.N. World Food Program (WFP) national staff reported 
that MOT/Baghdad has informed MOT Al Hillah that the 
following exchanges would occur to assist Al Hillah in 
covering shortages in certain food commodities: vegetable 
Oil (800 metric tons (MT) from Basrah); detergent (100 MT 
from Karbala); detergent (300 MT from An Najaf); and pulses 
(280 MT from Al Anbar). 
 
5.  The MOT also instructed Al Hillah to ship 120 MT of 
infant formula to Diyala Governorate.  Due to the double 
rations provided by the former regime prior to the war, 
beneficiaries have only two monthly coupons available for 
the remainder of the year. These remaining coupons 
correspond to the months of November and December.  Al 
Hillah food agents have been instructed to accept one-half 
of the November coupon for the complete June ration, and 
next month, to accept the second half of the November coupon 
for the complete July ration. They will repeat the same 
procedure with the December coupon for August and September. 
 
6.  This strategy is designed to allow beneficiaries to 
double value their remaining November and December coupons 
to avoid running out of coupons after July. Therefore, the 
November coupon will be valid for June and July; the 
December coupon will be valid for August and September. 
This should allow MOT additional days to print, properly 
prepare, and distribute coupons for October, November, and 
December, as well as for 2004. 
 
7.  As a result of the 2 June activities, several public 
service announcements were prepared for broadcast on Al 
Hillah television regarding the public distribution system 
for June. The message will contain information to 
beneficiaries and agents on the following issues: 
 
--  Confirm that the on-going distribution for full rations 
has begun as planned; 
 
--  Provide food and flour agents with their schedules for 
collection; 
 
--  Announce that, unlike the old system, agents need to 
bring cash to collect their commodities; checks would not be 
accepted by MOT; and 
 
--  Confirm that the June ration will be the same ration as 
before the conflict. 
 
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PROTECTION ISSUES 
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8.  Mohammed Jawad An-Neifus, who was suspected of 
involvement in the murder of thousands of Iraqi Shiites in 
and near Al Hillah, was released from the Bucca Internment 
facility at Umm Qasr on 18 May.  According to a Coalition 
statement, An-Neifus was detained by Coalition forces near 
Al Hillah on 26 April and was turned over to Coalition 
Military Police on 29 April.  An officer from the Judge 
Advocate General's Corps conducted a routine screening of An- 
Neifus on 18 May, and nothing he said alerted the officer to 
his true identity.  The documents containing evidence of his 
crimes did not arrive with him in Umm Qasr, so he was then 
cleared for release.  Coalition forces have accepted sole 
responsiblity for An-Neifus' erroneous release and are 
conducting a thorough investigation to ensure against 
recurrences.  The Coalition is also offering a USD 25,000 
reward for information leading to his capture. 
 
9.  In conversations with the deputy of the Human Rights 
Society as well as with local Iraqis, the community is 
stunned at this revelation.  Many do not believe that this 
release was accidental.  Some believe he used bribery in 
order to buy his release.  There is a lot of frustration 
among Iraqis in Al Hillah at this time; many question the 
true aims of Coalition forces. 
 
10.  A joint statement was prepared by the Lawyers' Union 
and the Human Rights Society denouncing An-Neifus' release 
and putting sole responsibility for his recapture on 
Coalition forces.  The deputy of the Human Rights Society 
also said the community would like to try An-Neifus through 
the Iraqi courts.  A silent demonstration was scheduled for 
1 June; however, the Human Rights Society was able to halt 
the demonstration because of fear of violence. 
 
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BABIL WEAPONS COLLECTION 
------------------------ 
 
11.  All Babil government workers must sign one of two forms 
denouncing affiliation with the Ba'ath Party before 
receiving their May salaries, a Civil Affairs officer 
announced on 2 June at the Babil Governorate Support Team 
(GST) meeting in which DART participated.  One form is for 
those who never joined the Party; the other for those who 
had.  Ex-Ba'ath government workers who denounce affiliation 
will be paid, but must forfeit their Ba'ath-issued AK-47 
rifle or pistol within 24 hours.   Coalition forces will 
search the houses of those who say they do not have a Ba'ath 
weapon.  Ex-Ba'ath workers who do not denounce and sign the 
document will not receive their salary and will be fired. 
 
12.  Fliers distributed in Al Hillah on 1 June declared a 14- 
day amnesty period for people who own weapons.  Non- 
Ba'athists can keep their AK-47s and pistols, but must 
register them.  Other weapons are forbidden and must be 
turned over by the end of the amnesty period. 
 
13.  A GST Civil Affairs officer announced the formation of 
a Babil "city council" to work with the governor.  The 
governor's first attempt to create a city council dissolved 
on 20 May when residents protested that initial appointments 
had been stacked with the governor's allies.  The GST asked 
the governor to develop a new city council plan while the 
GST established a plan of its own.  On 4 June, they will 
meet to merge the plans for a 20-to 30-member council with 
elected officials.  There is no date set for a gubernatorial 
election. 
 
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DART VISIT TO LOCAL AL HILLAH SCHOOL 
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14.  Nearly 100 percent of 1,350 students have returned to 
the primary school that the DART visited on 2 June on the 
south side of Al Hillah.  The director said 36 windows were 
broken from bomb reverberations during the war, and that 
other problems existed, including poor water supply and 
sanitation (five toilets), crowded classrooms, and no 
ceiling fans for the hot months.  The director said the 
facility was actually two schools in one: 630 girls attend 
for three days straight, followed by 715 boys for the next 
three days.  Classrooms hold between 50 and 55 students 
each. 
 
15.  The director said this school was one of the best in 
the area because high-level Ba'ath Party members lived 
nearby.  The deputy director said he remained at the school 
during the war with other staff and neighbors to protect the 
facility from looters.  There are 43 teachers, including 35 
women.  Passersby at the school entrance expressed anger at 
DART for visiting a school that had received a modicum of 
Ba'ath largesse.  They asked DART to visit other nearby 
schools that were in worse condition. 
 
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AR RUTBAH SCHOOL OPEN DUE TO DART-FUNDED INTERVENTION 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
 
16.  World Vision International (WVI) completed DART-funded 
water and sanitation improvements at nine of 12 damaged and 
looted Ar Rutbah schools, creating a groundswell of 
enthusiasm to reopen the schools that had been destined to 
remain closed until the next school year in September.  With 
DART funds secured, WVI was able to obtain private donations 
to fund additional repairs, such as replacing broken 
windows, chalkboards, and doors, and painting walls.  WVI 
said the rehabilitation provided a psychological boost to 
the townspeople who have not only decided to restart 
classes, but to extend the school year and hold final 
exams.  The town was to forsake the entire year. 
 
JONES