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Viewing cable 06KABUL874, PRT/LASHKAR GAH - NAW ZAD PROSECUTOR SAYS

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
06KABUL874 2006-03-01 15:46 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Embassy Kabul
VZCZCXRO3661
PP RUEHDBU RUEHIK RUEHYG
DE RUEHBUL #0874/01 0601546
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 011546Z MAR 06
FM AMEMBASSY KABUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8593
INFO RUCNAFG/AFGHANISTAN COLLECTIVE
RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE
RUCNIRA/IRAN COLLECTIVE
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEKJCS/OSD WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC//JF/UNMA//
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC//J3//
RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RHMFIUU/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RUMICEA/JICCENT MACDILL AFB FL
RHMFIUU/COMSOCCENT MACDILL AFB FL
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2284
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 2491
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 5619
RUEHUNV/USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA 1125
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KABUL 000874 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR SA/FO, SA/A, SA/PAB, S/CT, EUR/RPM, 
EUR/UBI 
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR AID/ANE, AID/DCHA/DG 
NSC FOR AHARRIMAN, KAMEND 
CENTCOM FOR CG CFC-A, CG CJTF-76, POLAD 
REL NATO/AUST/NZ/ISAF 
 
E.O. 12958 N/A 
TAGS: PGOV SNAR KJUS PTER AF
SUBJECT: PRT/LASHKAR GAH - NAW ZAD PROSECUTOR SAYS 
OFFICIAL CORRUPTION CAUSES ALIENATION 
 
KABUL 00000874  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
1.  (SBU) Summary:  Helmand's northern Naw Zad 
district suffers from both a lack of governance and 
security.  District leadership appears to be engaged 
in drug trafficking.  According to the district's 
prosecutor, after four years citizens are running 
out of patience and their loyalty to the government 
is diminishing.  All schools are closed, pending 
improved security.  Over the past two years, there 
has been a rise in homicides, most remaining 
unsolved.  Poppy cultivation continues apace.  End 
summary. 
 
2.  (U) On February 22, PRToff accompanied the PRT 
commander and civil affairs personnel on a visit to 
Naw Zad district, located in the northern section of 
the province.  During the visit, PRT civil affairs 
personnel also performed a quality control 
assessment for two ongoing projects:  (1) a new 
district jail; and (2) a new school. 
 
Corrupt Leadership Mitigates Support for Government 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
 
3.  (SBU) Prosecutor Abdul Baqi told poloff that the 
district chief and the chief of police (CoP) are 
both engaged in drug trafficking, including 
extorting local merchants to facilitate the 
trafficking.  A number of shops in the local bazaar 
were being used to transport and market opium, he 
added.  (Note:  Another source told PRToff that 
Baqi is "not an honest man."  Although in Helmand, 
one official's accusing another of corruption and/or 
drug trafficking is not unusual, Baqi's allegations 
should also be considered in this context.  End 
Note.) 
 
4.  (SBU) According to Baqi, after the fall of the 
Taliban, people had great hopes that with the move 
towards democracy they would see governance 
improvements.  After the elections for President, 
national legislature, and provincial council, 
however, they are still faced with a local 
government that is dishonest and inept.  Baqi said 
that corruption in the district was so rampant that 
"it is more like looting."  People are losing 
patience, he added, and this makes it easier for the 
Taliban to convince people to work against the 
government.  As a result, security in Naw Zad has 
also deteriorated.  Separately, district chief Haji 
Sadozi said that, due to the lack of security, all 
schools in Naw Zad are closed and will remain so 
until the security situation improves.  Sadozi said 
that he could not predict when this might occur. 
(Note:  Naw Zad district center was attacked by 
armed gunmen on February 3.  End Note.) 
 
Murder for Hire 
--------------- 
 
5.  (SBU) Baqi lamented the significant rise in 
homicides in Naw Zad over the past two or three 
years.  This past year, there were 30 homicides, 
compared to about 20 the year before. Many of these 
murders were contract hits, he claimed, usually 
 
KABUL 00000874  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
involving drugs or other criminal enterprises.  Baqi 
complained that the police only arrested suspects in 
six cases, primarily because they were bribed to 
ignore potential suspects.  (Note:  In Lashkar Gah, 
this type of bribery also extends to the 
prosecutor's office.  End Note).  Baqi predicted 
that the murder rate would continue to rise as long 
as poppy cultivation and drug trafficking continue 
to flourish in Naw Zad. 
 
Extensive Poppy Cultivation 
--------------------------- 
 
6.  (SBU) As we have heard in other districts, poppy 
cultivation in Naw Zad is also continuing apace. 
Baqi said that farmers are planting poppy "to the 
extent possible."  He said that the Taliban are 
"encouraging" the cultivation as a way to promote 
anti-government activity among the population. 
Since the top district officials are part of the 
drug trade, they have no incentive to take action 
against farmers and/or traffickers, he added. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
7.  (SBU) Notwithstanding Baqi's shaky credibility, 
our discussion with him followed an all too familiar 
pattern.  The appointment of Governor Daud is 
obviously an important step in the right direction. 
As exemplified by Naw Zad, however, governance in 
Helmand's districts remains distressingly inept and 
corrupt.  Faced with a growing insurrection, whether 
reforms in Helmand proceed quickly enough to restore 
the faith of an increasingly skeptical population is 
an open question. 
 
NEUMANN