Cablegate: Update On Cn Activities 11/20-12/20

This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 KABUL 005223

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR INL/FO AND SA/FO AMB QUINN
NSC FOR AHARRIMAN/KAMEND

E.O. 12958 N/A
TAGS: SNAR PREL PGOV PTER KCRM AF
SUBJECT: Update on CN Activities 11/20-12/20

REF A) KABUL REF B) REF C) KABUL 5137

1. Summary: The Counter Narcotics Public Information (CNPI)
campaign is entering phase two: eradication, which will be
folded into ongoing rule of law and health campaigns. Hiring
for PEP teams continues with the aim of hiring of Afghan
staff by early January and the hiring of the International
Advisors (IA) by the end of January. The national seed and
fertilizer program is nearing completion with provisions
distributed to farmers in 97 percent of all districts across
Afghanistan. USAID, with its implementing partners is
planning a spring planting activity using market-oriented
vegetables, instead of wheat. Working with the Border Police
and National Interdiction Unit (NIU) at Kabul International
Airport, DEA assisted in the apprehension and arrests of
four individuals attempting to smuggle drugs from
Afghanistan to China and India. The Counter Narcotics Law
was adopted by the Afghan Cabinet on December 17. To plan
for governor-led eradication, the Afghan Ministry of
Interior drafted a request for support to the Afghan
Eradication Force (AEF) which outlines the resources needed
for eradication, province by province. End Summary

Public Information
------------------
Poppy Elimination Program

2. (U) The Counter Narcotics Public Information (CNPI)
program CNPI campaign is entering into phase two:
comprehensive eradication messaging. Rule of law and health
will be folded into a comprehensive eradication messaging
campaign. In keeping with the Public Information Strategy as
described in REF A, five radio spots will begin airing
nation-wide next week and will include messages from: a
mother of a drug addict, the chief of police in Kabul, the
head of the Jalalabad Shura, a prominent Jalalabad school
principal, a farmer from Badakshan and a Kabuli drug addict.
Each radio ad will have a related CN message followed by an
emphasis on the impending eradication process.

3. (U) From January 1 until January 15 we will have
distributed 14,000 posters (2 designs), 80,000 stickers,
100,000 booklets, 18 billboards and 42 banners. From Dec 28
to Feb 12 a projected 1,080 radio spots will air.

4. (U) The Embassy's CNPI team will release a second tranche
of eradication products beginning January 15, which will
include a similar number of printed materials and radio
spots. ISAF has substantial CN messaging coverage in the
Northern and Western parts of the country and the Embassy is
discussing with the ISAF PSYOPS Support Element how to best
integrate its CN campaign with ours.

5. (U) A CN survey will be completed the first week of
January. This survey will build off the last survey
conducted in April 2005 and will measure: economic
conditions, local and national problems,
attitudes/confidence towards community leaders and
government officials, health related causes of using
opiates, opinions about who uses opiates and overall
exposure to the CNPI campaign.

Poppy Elimination Program (PEP) Update
--------------------------------------

6. (U) Deputy Minister of the Interior Daoud hosted
conferences from December 14-21 to develop plans for
governor-led eradication. Daoud invited provincial
representatives and tribal elders, from key opium producing
provinces to Kabul, to discuss how eradication will be
conducted in their provinces. The following provinces
participated in the conference:
December 14th---Nangarhar and Kunar
December 15th---Kandahar and Helmand
December 17th---Uruzgan and Farah
December 18th---Badakhshan and Baglan
December 20th---Balkh and Sar-e-Pul
December 21st---Badghis and Samangan

7. (U) The conferences provided an excellent venue for the
provincial leaders to air their grievances about the
previous year's eradication campaign and for leaders to
constructively develop plans for eradication in 2006.

8. (U) The governors in the seven PEP provinces were
required to submit draft plans for governor-led eradication
to the Ministry of Counter Narcotics by December 15. The
Ministry of Counter Narcotics is in the process of reviewing
these plans and determining what resources will be needed
for the 2006 eradication campaign.

9. (U) General Daoud has begun discussions for a National
Conference for Counter Narcotics, similar to the national
conference held in December 2004. Daoud envisions a
conference in Kabul of approximately 600 participants from
all over Afghanistan that would include national, provincial
and local authorities, elders and religious leaders.

10. (U) The Afghan PEP Program Manager reports that hiring
for, the seven-member, Afghan PEP teams will be completed in
early January. Hiring for the PEP International Advisors
(IAs) continues. Post has reviewed more than twenty resumes
and has recommended seven candidates. Offers were made to
the seven and four advisors have been hired to work in the
following provinces:

Kandahar: Tim Sessum (Kandahar- on the ground)
Uruzgan: Tim Stiffey (Tarin Kowt- on the ground)
Nangarhar: Charlie Rentieria (Jalalabad- on the ground)
Balkh: Martha Barbosa (Mazar e Sharif- 12/12/05)
Badakshan: empty
Farah: slotted for non-US (Farah)
Helmand: slotted for non-US (Lashkar Gah)

11. (U) The Embassy continues to work with DynCorp to
identify candidates for the remaining PEP provinces and
hopes to have all hiring completed by the end of January.

12. (U) Site Surveys for PEP offices have been conducted in
all but two provinces: Balkh, with a survey trip scheduled
for next week. A cursory trip was conducted in Badakshan and
a follow-on trip will be scheduled for early January. Dyn
Corp has identified three sites for PEP offices: Kandahar,
Nangarhar and Helmand. Dyn Corp has submitted a cost
proposal for construction of the office in Laskar Gah. Post
is in the process of reviewing the proposal and will forward
comment SEPTEL.

Alternative Livelihoods
-----------------------
12. (U) The national fall seed and fertilizer program is
drawing to a close. The program distributed wheat seed and
fertilizer to farmers in all provinces across Afghanistan.
The program was unable to reach 11 of 397 districts in time
for fall planting due to early snow falls, and security
issues. However, the seed and fertilizer used in these
areas is suitable for spring wheat planting and will be kept
until spring to allow farmers in those districts to benefit
from the program. Thus, the program has successfully
delivered seed and fertilizer with counter narcotics
messages to 97 percent of its target beneficiaries.

13. (U) USAID plans to implement a spring seed and
fertilizer program that will focus on market-oriented
production of vegetables, rather than the one off
distribution of wheat seed in the fall program. The spring
program is a sustainable development activity that will
require a lot of assistance not only to deliver the seed,
but also to transport and market the products. USAID's
Alternative Livelihoods implementing partners will implement
the program in nine provinces (Badakshan, Takhar, Nangahar,
Laghman, Kunar, Kandahar, Helmand and Zabul/Uruzgan. The
spring program will 1) be driven by existing market networks
to ensure producers will not over produce for current market
conditions, 2) work through and strengthen the Afghan
Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Food (AMAAHF)
extension services, and 3) provide business development
support services for market intermediaries.

Interdiction
------------

14. (U) National Interdiction Unit (NIU) and CNPA (Counter
Narcotics Police Afghanistan (CNPA) officers (186 total)
attended sessions during the five one-week Basic Narcotic
Investigator Seminars, conducted by the DEA Office of
International Training. A graduation ceremony for all
participants was held on December 7 and was attended by
Deputy Minister of Interior General Daoud and U.S.
Ambassador Neumann.

15. (U) DEA continues to mentor the Border Police and NIU at
Kabul International Airport and have assisted in the
apprehension and arrests of four individuals attempting to
smuggle drugs from Afghanistan to China and India. (December
7: one Ghana male arrested with 2.7 kg of heroin destined
for Urumqi, China, 12/10/2005, two female Afghan couriers
with 5.5 kg of heroin and an Ariana Airlines employee
destined for New Delhi, India).

Justice Sector Reform
---------------------
16. (U) As reported in REF B, the Counter Narcotics (CN) law
was adopted by the Afghan Cabinet on December 17. This law
will greatly enhance the tools available to law enforcement
to combat narcotics trafficking. The law also allows for the
extradition, of persons of interest, to the United States.

17. (U) The Requests for Proposals (RFP) for the
construction of the interim Vertical Prosecution Task Force
facility at the CNPA, are under review and bids should be
obtained by the end of December. Construction will likely
start in early January with a target completion date in mid-
February.

Eradication
-----------

18. (SBU) The Afghan Eradication Force continues
preparations for the upcoming season. The Afghan Ministry of
Interior has developed a plan outlining AEF support for
governor-led eradication during the month of January.
The first targeted area (according to the UK plan) is
Nangahar. The addition of aerial assets, further targets and
eradication locations will be finalized using aerial and
ground recons.

19. (U) Pay problems continue to plague the AEF. We have
paid the last of the AEF their basic salaries and
supplements for September and October and have requested
additional funding from INL (REF C) to support the AEF. The
Embassy has requested the funding through post's Financial
Management Office (FMO) for the AEF's November and December
payroll.
NEUMANN

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