08-F-1338 CPA 0767 Administratior weekly Governance March-12-2004

BAGHDAD 00115 UNCLAS Laserl: ACTION: EXEC IPC COS INFO: IMAR 18 2004 DISSEMINATION: EXEC /1 CHARGE: PROG APPROVED: SLNORWOOD DRAFTED: RJONES CLEARED: RJONES, SCARPENTER, JVANREST, JOHNSON, AGLOVER AGLOVER, VZCZCBGI089 RR RUEKJCS RUEHC RHEHNSC DE RUEHGB #0115/01 0781229 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 181229Z MAR 04 FM CPA BAGHDAD TO RUEKJCS/ SECDEF WASHDC 0232 RUEHC/ SECSTATE WASHDC 0240 RHEHNSC/WHITE HOUSE NSC WASHDC 0225 UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 BAGHDAD 000115 SENSITIVE STATE PLEASE PASS TO IRAQ COLLECTIVE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL, PROV, PHUM, KISL, KDEM, SUBJECT: CPA 0767: ADMINISTRATOR'S WEEKLY GOVERNANCE REPORT: MARCH 12, 2004 HEADLINES OF PARAGRAPHS 3-7 REFLECT 1. #*** SUMMARY. GOALS IN THE COALITION PROVISIONAL AUTHORITY STRATEGIC CPA-WASHINGTON DISTRIBUTES ALL THREE ADMINISTRATOR'S WEEKLY REPORTS - ESSENTIAL SERVICES THE FULL ESSENTIAL SERVICES WEBSITE, WWW. CPA-IRAQ. ORG. END SUMMARY. REPORT REMAINS SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED. HIGHLIGHTS 2. THE IRAQI GOVERNING COUNCIL (IGC) SIGNED THE ON MARCH 8 TRANSITIONAL ADMINISTRATIVE LAW (TAL) WILL SERVE AS THE SUPREME LAW OF IRAO UNTIL A NEW WHICH WILL OCCUR NO LATER THAN GOVERNMENT IS ELECTED, THE TAL PROVIDES A FRAMEWORK FOR AN DECEMBER 31, TRARM GOVBRIMENT THAT WILA BE REPUBLICAN, FEDERAL, BAGHDAD 00115 UNCLAS UNCLAS BAGHDAD 00115 DEMOCRATIC, AND PLURALISTIC. THE IRAQI PEOPLE CELEBRATED INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY ON MARCH 8. AMONG THE EVENTS MARKING THE CELEBRATION WAS THE GRAND OPENING OF THE MANSOUR WOMEN'S CENTER IN BAGHDAD. SUPPORT TRANSITION TO IRAQI SOVEREIGNTY CPA TASKS: SUPPORT TRANSITION THE IRAQI GOVERNING COUNCIL (IGC) SIGNED THE TRANSITIONAL ADMINISTRATIVE LAW (TAL) ON MARCH 8. THE TAL IRAQ UNTIL A NEW WHICH WILL OCCUR NO LATER THAN GOVERNMENT IS ELECTED, THE TAL PROVIDES A FRAMEWORK FOR AN DECEMBER 31, 2005. DEMOCRATIC, AND PLURALISTIC REPURALESM WIED RA BASED ON GEOGRAPHY, HISTORY, AND THE SEPARATION OF POWERS, ETHNICITY OR SECT. AMONG THE SIGNIFICANT PROVISIONS IN THE TAL ARE: 1) IRAQ'S CIVILIAN POLITICAL LEADERSHIP WILL ISLAM WILL BE THE CONTROL THE IRAQI ARMED FORCES; 2) OFFICIAL RELIGION OF THE STATE AND WILL BE CONSIDERED A SOURCE OF LEGISLATION, NOT THE ONLY SOURCE; 3) THE LAW RESPECTS THE ISLAMIC IDENTITY OF THE MAJORITY OF THE IRAQI PEOPLE AND GUARANTEES THE FREEDOM OF RELIGIOUS BELIEF AND PRACTICE; 4) ARABIC AND KURDISH ARE THE OFFICIAL LANGUAGES OF IRAQ; AND 5) IRAQI ELECTION LAW "SHALL AIM TO ACHIEVE THE GOAL OF HAVING WOMEN CONSTITUTE NO LESS THAN ONE- QUARTER OF THE MEMBERS OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY AND OF HAVING FAIR REPRESENTATION FOR ALL COMMUNITIES IN IRAQ, INCLUDING THE TURCOMANS, CHALDOASSYRIANS, AND OTHERS." FOLLOWING THE LOSS OF SEVERAL MEMBERS IN RECENT MONTHS, THE BA'QUBAH MUNICIPAL COUNCIL CONDUCTED NEW ELECTIONS IN WHICH APPROXIMATELY 5,000 REGISTERED VOTERS SELECTED 11 NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS (INCLUDING THE FIRST WOMAN) FROM A LIST OF 30 CANDIDATES. THE BAGHDAD CITY ADVISORY COUNCIL FINALIZED THE SELECTION PROCESS FOR MAYOR OF BAGHDAD. THE MAYOR WILL BE SELECTED ON MARCH 31. BAGHDAD 00115 UNCLAS BAGHDAD 00115 UNCLAS ELECTIONS. DEVELOP CIVIC PARTICIPATION IN GOVERNANCE PA TASKS: DEVELOP INDIGENOUS POLLING CAPACITY ROVIDE WOMEN AND YOUTH WITH THE SKILLS NECESSARY TO BECOM MPORTANT PARTICIPANTS IN THE POLITICAL PROCESS; DEVELC OCAL CIVIL SOCIETY CAPACITY TO CONDUCT ADVOCACY AN BORNE RON CARE FISCTOR A SOCIETY ONE ENOCRATIC PREVENTION AND MITIGATION A MARCH 8 "PEOPLE'S CONVENTION" IN BA'QUBAH GATHERED OF IRAQ AND THE PROVINCE OF DIYALA. DURING THE MEETING THAT THE TAL HAD JUST BEEN SIGNED IN THE CPA LOCAL GOVERNANCE PROGRAM (LGP) FACILITATED THE DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY, DIN UNIVERSITY. ROLE IN THE GLOBAL ECONOMY. 'HE CPA LGP HELD THEIR FIRST DEMOCRACY TRAINING II TAJAF AT THE SAID BIN JUBAIR SCHOOL HALL ON MARCH 7 TRAINING TOPICS INCLUDED THE PROMISE AND CHALLENGE OF DEMOCRACY, DEMOCRACY'S HISTORIC ORIGINS, AND THE IMPORTANCE OF AWARENESS IN THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS. ON MARCH TRACT AMONG THE LEERS MARKERE ARENAL BRATS DAY TRAINING CENTER, AN ART EXHIBIT BY IRAQI WOMEN ARTISTS, AND BAGHDAD 00115 UNCLAS BAGHDAD 00115 UNCLAS PERFORMANCES BY AN ALL-FEMALE BAND THAT FORMED AFTER THE THE CENTER, WHICH WILL BE MANAGED BY WOMEN FOR WOMEN INTERNATIONAL, WILL SERVE AS THE COORDINATION POINT TO INVOLVE WOMEN IN THE DIALOGUE ON THE TRANSITION AND PARTICIPATION IN THE POLITICAL PROCESS. THE CPA HOSTED A DEMOCRACY WORKSHOP ON MARCH 8, IN BASRAH TO COINCIDE WITH INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY. RESEARCH TRIANGLE INSTITUTE (RTI) DEMOCRACY SPECIALISIS FACILITATED THE WORKSHOP IN WHICH WOMEN FROM A VARIETY OF ARMOCRATTC PROCESSES DEMOCRATIC PROCESSES, AND THE ROES GO TE FUTURE THE SESSION INCLUDED A QUESTION AND ANSWER OF IRAQ• WITH THE CPA REGIONAL COORDINATOR DURING WHICH DISCUSSION FOCUSED ON THE TAL AND THE THREAT OF FOREIGN TERRORISTS ENTERING IRAQ. THE CPA LGP PROVIDED TRAINING IN BASRAH FOR DEMOCRACY DIALOGUE ACTIVITY (DDA) FACILITATORS, WHO FURTHER HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS DISSEMINATE THE DEMOCRACY MESSAGE TO AND STUDENTS, UNIVERSITY STUDENTS, AND NON-GOVERNMENTAL UNIVERSITY STUDENTS AND HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS (NGOS) • LAWYERS ATTENDED THIS FIRST SESSION. ANN CLYWD, THE SPECIAL ENVOY OF UK PRIME MINISTER TONY BLAIR FOR HUMAN RIGHTS IN IRAQ, AND A MEMBER OF THE BRITISH PARLIAMENT WERE ALSO PRESENT AS THE PARTICIPANTS PRESENTED "ROAD TO DEMOCRACY" MAPS AND CONDUCTED A VARIETY OF INTERACTIVE EXERCISES ON TOPICS INCLUDING DEMOCRACY, ELECTIONS, HUMAN RIGHTS AND ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY. ------ SUPPORT DEVELOPMENT OF SUSTAINABLE POLITICAL PARTIES/ ASSOCIATIONS CPA TASKS: SUPPORT DEVELOPMENT OF POLITICAL ASSOCIATIONS THE NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTE (NDI) HELD ITS FIRST POLITICAL PARTY WORKSHOP OUTSIDE OF BAGHDAD ON MARCH 4-6 IN THE THREE-DAY EVENT PROVIDED PARTICIPANTS THE TIKRIT. OF DEMOGRAPHIC PROFILES, MESSAGE DEVELOPMENT, THE PARTICTPANTS WINNING ELECTIONS. WERE INTERESTED IN BUILDING NATIONAL LEVEL POLITICAL PARTIES AND UNDERSTOOD THE SIGNIFICANT WORK REQUIRED TO BUILD POLITICAL AGENDAS. - - NDI FACILITATED A COALITION-BUILDING WORKSHOP FOI POLITICAL PARTIES ON MARCH 8 AND 9 IN HILLAH APPROXIMATELY 25 REPRESENTATIVES OF PARTIES IN THE SOUTH CENTRAL REGION PARTICIPATED IN THE EVENT. UNCLAS BAGHDAD 00115 BAGHDAD 00115 UNCLAS - - NDI PROVIDED TRAINING TO THE IRAQI NATIONAL GATHERING, A COALITION OF PREDOMINANTLY SUNNI POLITICAL PARTIES, ON THE TRAINING CONSISTED OF AN MARCH 8-9 IN BAGHDAD. INDIVIDUAL PARTY TRAINING SESSIONS FOR FIFTY GRASSROOTS MEMBERS IN BAGHDAD AND SURROUNDING AREA. - - THE INTERNATIONAL REPUBLICAN INSTITUTE (IRI) CONDUCTED THE IRI FOCUS GROUPS NEAR HILLAH AND BA'QUBAH ON MARCH 6. BELIEVES THESE EFFORTS ARE AMONG THE FIRST TO ANALYZE PUBLIC OPINION AMONG THE RURAL 30 PERCENT OF IRAQ'S POPULATION. CPA STAFF AND REPRESENTATIVES OF 13 POLITICAL PARTIES ATTENDED A COORDINATION MEETING OF MAJOR POLITICAL PARTIES THE EVENT INCLUDED REPRESENTATIVES OF IN MOSUL ON MARCH 7. GROUP TO FIND RELIABLE ANSWERS FROM EITHER THE PROVINCIAI COUNCIL OR IGC REPRESENTATIVES IN BAGHDAD REGARDING ELECTRICITY DISTRIBUTION AND REASONS FOR THE INCREASE IN THE PRICE OF CEMENT IN MOSUL. THE CPA CO-SPONSORED A MEETING OF DEMOCRACY AND HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISTS FROM THE SOUTH CENTRAL REGION ON MARCH 9 AT THE IN HILLAH TO DISCUSS POLITICAL PARTY BUILDING. THE MEETING ALSO INCLUDED DISCUSSION OF GROUP'S REQUEST, HOW THE UPCOMING ELECTIONS MIGHT AFFECT THE SHI'A COMMUNITY. PROMOTE RESPECT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS --- CPA TASKS: EDUCATE ON HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUES; PRESERVE DOCUMENTATION OF PAST ATROCITIES, RAISE AWARENESS, AND PROMOTE RECONCILIATION; STRENGTHEN LOCAL CAPACITY TO INVESTIGATE AND ADDRESS PAST ATROCITIES; IRAQI SPECIAL IRAQ PROPERTY CLAIMS TRIBUNAL (IST) FOR PAST ATROCITIES AND COMMISSION FOR PROPERTY DISPUTES; HUMAN RIGHTS INCORPORATED INTO LAWS; DEVELOP ROLE OF INDEPENDENT HUMAN RIGHTS NGOS AND MEDIA; ESTABLISH A HUMAN RIGHTS MINISTRY A TEAM OF EXPERTS FROM FINLAND ARRIVED TO ASSESS REPORTED IRAQI MASS GRAVE SITES. AND ATE ASSESS SHE NEES AN A LUTE DEPARTMENT/S DERAL AND WILL ASSESS BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION TEAM TO ASSIST THE HUMAN RIGHTS MINISTRY WITH PAST ATROCITY INVESTIGATIONS. BAGHDAD 00115 UNCLAS BAGHDAD 00115 UNCLAS PROMOTE DURABLE SOLUTIONS FOR REFUGEES AND INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS (IDPS) --—=---=-- * CPA TASKS: FACILITATE THE RETURN OF REFUGEES AND IDPS; BUILD LOCAL AND NATIONAL CAPACITY TO PROTECT AND ASSIST REFUGEES AND IDPS; DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT A PROCESS TO RESOLVE PROPERTY DISPUTES -- APPROXIMATELY 30 REFUGEES RETURNED TO VARIOUS DESTINATIONS IN IRAQ IN THE 18TH CONVOY FROM THE RAFHA CAMP THE UN HIGH COMMISSION ON IN SAUDI ARABIA ON MARCH 7. NEARLY COMPLETING THE REFUGEES SUPPORTED THIS EFFORT, REPATRIATIONS OF IRAQIS FROM THE RAFHA CAMP. BREMER BT #0115 NNNN UNCLAS BAGHDAD 00115