Meeting with Dep Gov Alizai and Provincial Council members.

Attendees: Dep Gov, NDS Dep Chief, ANP Chief, PCC chief, STB CDR, PRT CDR, STB S2, and 8 members of the PC (about 50%)

Background: PRT and STB were involved with three consecutive days of meetings involving the capture/arrest of Zabid Zahir by ODA. The day following the arrest, PRT CDR received a call from UNAMA Chief of Office regarding a meeting with the Provincial Council in which the PC proclaimed that they had lost their patience with the ANSF and Coalition Forces regarding the conduct of night raids and arrests, especially recent incidents involving PC members (a PC members home was searched during a recent CN operation in Achin). The PC claimed that unless they were provided guarantees from the provincial government and coalition forces against these operations, they had planned to call a news conference on 30 Dec and announce the resignation of the entire council. I contend that the entire situation is directly connected to the recent arrest of influential Sherzad elder, Zabid Zahir, father of PC member Tahir Omar. The day after Zahirs capture, 10 Sherzad elders met with PRT & STB CDRs and ODA to discuss the arrest. The following day the ten Sherzad Elders met with the Dep Gov to register their complaints and concerns with Zahirs arrest and detention. The Dep Gov also met with the PC and listened to their concerns and potential resignation.

Update: Today PRT and STB CDRs met with the Dep Gov and PC to discuss the situation. Although the PC (PC Chairman, Muslimyar was the primary spokesman) claim the two incidents (Zahirs arrest and PCs concerns over recent operations in Nangarhar) arent related, its obvious that Tahir Omar is directly influencing their concern. The subject of Zahirs PUC kept coming up. Since the arrest occurred in the compound shared by Zahir and his sons (PC member Tahir Omar), the PC took that as an attack to their position and perception of importance within the province. Muslimyar quoted several items from Provincial Council Law that he said only allowed investigations of PC members by the PC Chairman. Although I have not see the law he quotes, I doubt it applies to cases of criminal activity; probably more applicable to corruption within the PCs activities. Todays meeting ended with the PC assuring the coalition and Dep Gov that they no longer were considering resignation, but this allowed them an opportunity for their concerns to be addressed. The coalition assured the PC that the CF will continue to work closely with the ANSF regarding future SOF operations and will also honor the positions that the PC hold, but this doesnt allow them to be able to act with immunity. They are held to the same standards (or higher standards) than those in their communities. R6 assured them that Nangarhar citizens must be held responsible for security in their communities and districts, and that includes Shura members and village elders. Recently I have increased the frequency of the PRT-PC meetings to twice a month and added a monthly Gov-PC meeting; I believe these events will assist in gaining better cooperation and coordination from the provincial government bodies. R6 also addressed the need to maintain the frequency of the weekly security meeting, which have lagged lately.

Report key: 3C33F3FA-98CE-4313-BC5E-1DA5CDA7A51C

Tracking number: 2007-364-152448-0653

Attack on: NEUTRAL

Complex atack: FALSE

Reporting unit: PRT JALALABAD

Unit name: PRT JALALABAD

Type of unit: None Selected

Originator group: UNKNOWN

Updated by group: UNKNOWN

MGRS: 42SXD3389011430

CCIR:

Sigact:

DColor: GREEN