Cablegate: Tfiz01: Dart Abuse Prevention Unit

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 KUWAIT 001166

SIPDIS

STATE PASS TO IO COLLECTIVE
STATE ALSO PASS USAID/W
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 USAID/AA:NATSIOS
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 PHUM PREF MOPS PREL IZ
SUBJECT: TFIZ01: DART ABUSE PREVENTION UNIT

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SUMMARY
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1. The DART Abuse Prevention Unit has been activated to
identify, monitor, prevent, and respond to human rights
abuses and protection issues in Iraq. Since arriving in
Kuwait, the APU has briefed military units, NGOs, ORHA, and
the USAID Reconstruction Team on the importance of reporting
on reprisals and human rights abuses and the central role of
the APU in that process. The APU is coordinating its work
closely with State (PRM/DRL), NSC, and DOD. End Summary.

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APU BRIEFINGS
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2. On 25 March, in coordination with several non-
governmental organizations (NGOs), the DART Abuse Prevention
Unit (APU) completed an official Request For Information
(RFI) with the Humanitarian Operations Center (HOC) that
would formally ask forward Coalition units to begin
reporting on human rights issues. The APU is working with
the Military Liaison Unit (MLU) to develop additional
instructions for military personnel to identify and better
characterize human rights violations using the Rapid
Assessment Form.

3. During a meeting with Physicians for Human Rights (PHR)
on 25 March, the APU received a sample of "Survey Questions
for Determining Human Rights Abuses". The APU will use
these as a basis for its own assessments. PHR also raised
the possibility of establishing joint NGO / DART teams to
monitor human rights abuses.

4. The APU has distributed 200 `Field Guides to Preventing,
Mitigating, and Responding to Human Rights Abuses" to
Coalition forces and NGOs, including Interaction, PHR, the
International Organization for Migration, and others. An
additional 800 Field Guides are scheduled to arrive by the
end of the week and will be rapidly distributed. Many
Coalition units and NGOs have asked the DART for additional
copies of the Field Guide, and the APU is considering
ordering an additional 2,000.

5. On 26 March, the APU met with senior staff at ORHA to
discuss plans for preventing, deterring, and responding to
human rights abuses. ORHA expressed strong support for
APU's program and offered assistance, including ensuring
that the APU will have maximum access in country and
offering to recruit additional Abuse Prevention Officers
(APOs) if necessary. The APU is following up with ORHA to
identify potential Coalition force components that could be
used to assist responding to and deterring abuses.

6. On 27 March, an APO was part of the DART assessment of
Umm Qasr. General unrest after fighting was dominated by
looting of government and property of regime supporters.
Coalition forces there report that there may have been some
"lynching" but do not know of any specific incidents to
corroborate the statement. Doctors at the hospital gave no
information about treating victims of violence other than
war wounded.

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Conclusion
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7. The DART APU will continue to gather information that is
crucial to the monitoring and prevention of human rights
abuses. Once the DART moves into the field, the APU will
include regular reporting on human rights issues that impact
political and military stability. The APU will continue to
coordinate its response with other USG agencies operating in
the field.

JONES

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