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Viewing cable 06KABUL573, WARDAK PROVINCE JUSTICE INITIATIVE - AN EMERGING

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
06KABUL573 2006-02-08 11:08 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED Embassy Kabul
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KABUL 000573 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR SA/FO AMBASSADOR QUINN, S/CT, SA/A 
NSC FOR AHARRIMAN, KAMEND 
CENTCOM FOR POLAD, CG CFA-A, CG CJTF-76 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM IR RS AF UNGA SEP
SUBJECT: WARDAK PROVINCE JUSTICE INITIATIVE - AN EMERGING 
PATTERN 
 
1.  (U)  SUMMARY.  On January 29, the Maidan Wardak province 
judicial sector coordinating committee, a joint U.S - U.N 
funded effort, highlighted major accomplishments towards its 
goal of reforming the provincial judicial system.  Key 
accomplishments thus far include approval for renovation of 
the courthouse and construction of a justice administration 
building, identification of a defense attorney for the 
province, and mobilization of public outreach/awareness 
working groups to disseminate information about citizens' 
constitutional rights.  Governor expressed optimism that 
reforming the courts system will help Maidan Wardak establish 
itself as a model for all of Afghanistan.  END SUMMARY. 
 
--------------- 
ACCOMPLISHMENTS 
--------------- 
 
2.  (U)  This was the fourth meeting on reform of the Maidan 
Wardak provincial judicial system, a project jointly funded 
by USG and UNAMA.  Throughout the course of discussions USAID 
had agreed to fund the renovation and expansion of the 
existing courthouse, and architectural designs approved at 
the January 29 meeting.  In addition to the courthouse 
project, CFC-A will fund the construction of a 7,000 square 
foot administrative building.  The administrative building 
will provide office space for most sectors of the judicial 
system, including the defense attorney and the director of 
prisons.  Currently, the defense and government directors are 
operating out of a small room in a rented building.  (NOTE: 
The Kandahar PRT has also granted USD 140K for the 
refurbishment of provincial prison facilities.  END NOTE.) 
 
3.  (U)  Members of the defense and government sectors 
received a list of all registered defense attorneys 
throughout the country, including the attorney that was 
designated by the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) as the defense 
attorney for Maidan Wardak province.  Defense Sector Director 
Shah Hussain argued that, although one attorney was better 
than none, more assistance would be necessary to handle the 
case load for the 57 detainees currently in pre-trial 
confinement.  Hussain stated that identifying the number of 
pre-trial detainees was only possible because he had started 
a statistical compilation of all cases that his office 
received and registered over the past nine months as well as 
the number of detainees that were held on related charges. 
Cases were organized by the date/quarter received and 
assigned to a category.  The three categories were family, 
land, and debt disputes.  Hussain further expressed gratitude 
to CFC-A for their efforts in assisting his department with 
detainees' rights and transportation.  CFC-A has contracted 
two organization to assist with addressing the legal rights 
of detainees.  One of the organizations was the International 
Legal Foundation (ILF), currently in country, whose goal was 
to develop a strategy to provide legal counsel to all 
detainees throughout the province.  CFC-A Legal Advisor 
Michael Tobin noted that discussions were underway with the 
PRT Commander to establish and manage a fleet of vehicles to 
transport staff and detainees to official appointments 
throughout the province. 
 
4.  (U)  USAID has granted funds for a Rule of Law project 
(RoLP) to provide information to citizens on their 
constitutional rights.  By December 2005, the project had 
been implemented throughout all 11 districts in Wardak 
province.  Activities included community-wide discussions at 
public outreach/awareness gatherings, distribution of RoLP 
materials, radio broadcasts, and equipment (TV, DVD, etc.) 
for a community information center in each of the 11 
districts.  Community and religious leaders, media officials, 
government and judicial authorities, and the RoLP's public 
outreach team members all participated in planning these 
outreach activities. 
 
---------- 
OPEN ITEMS 
---------- 
 
5.  (U)  Leaders from the six working groups noted that the 
following needs must be addressed: guidance/interaction 
between provincial judicial leaders and the ministries in 
Kabul; transportation for staff and movement of detainees; 
communications equipment to facilitate contact between the 
provincial capital and surrounding districts; training for 
officials to include delineating the roles and 
responsibilities of each department; office equipment for 
daily functions; increased salaries to offset the costs of 
living and commuting; and security for staff members, 
detainees, and buildings. 
6.  Comment.  The accomplishments signify a step in the right 
direction towards reforming the Maidan Wardak justice sector. 
 Of the open issues outlined above, many will be resolved 
with the renovation and expansion of the courthouse, the 
building of the administrative building, and the 
establishment of a fleet of vehicles to transport staff and 
detainees for official business throughout the province. 
During the establishment of the judicial infrastructure, 
capacity building and training exercises could be 
concurrently implemented.  However, while the construction 
and training projects are costly endeavors, the delineating 
of roles and responsibilities for each department is a task 
that could be immediately addressed without any additional 
costs to the donors of the Maidan Wardak judicial system 
reform project.  End Comment. 
NEUMANN