Cablegate: Dart Ar Rutbah Update

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 002106

SIPDIS

STATE ALSO PASS USAID/W
STATE PLEASE REPEAT TO IO COLLECTIVE
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 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 PREF IZ WFP
SUBJECT: DART AR RUTBAH UPDATE

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SUMMARY
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1. The DART Field Team West visited Ar Rutbah, Anbar Governorate
on 10 May, meeting with cooperative agreement partner World
Vision, the former hospital director, and Coalition forces.
Since the DART's last visit to Ar Rutbah on 6 May, the town of
25,000 people experienced a failed distribution of donated food
and clothes, witnessed an airdrop of 100,000 UXO awareness
leaflets, conducted a city council meeting, and underwent the
cleanup of four UXO areas, including the
new temporary hospital. Ar Rutbah also received visits from the
Greek Orthodox Church, the Jordanian Ministry of Health, Convoy
of Hope, ICRC and the Emirates Red Crescent Society. End
Summary.

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WORLD VISION INTERNATIONAL
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2. DART partner World Vision International (WVI) returned to Ar
Rutbah on 10 May to develop a seven-member committee to oversee
the DART-funded rehabilitation of a temporary hospital across
from the former hospital that was bombed. The temporary
hospital, to be housed in the former Baath Party building, was
cleared of 457 pieces of unexploded ordnance (UXOs) by Coalition
forces. The hospital committee will solicit contractor bids to
carry out water, sanitation, and other rehabilitation work to
prepare for the opening of the temporary hospital.

3. WVI planned to convene principals of all 12 Ar Rutbah schools
on 11 May to discuss DART-funded repairs to their water and
sanitation systems. With the DART funds secured, WVI was able to
obtain private funds to purchase desks, chairs, and other school
property looted after the war.

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OTHER DONORS
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4. The Greek Orthodox Church donated 11 tons of food and clothes
to Ar Rutbah on 7 May that the town's "governor" (Kah-em-makam)
said the 63 public distribution system agents would disburse to
residents. The Coalition forces said the governor was soon
besieged by town residents because they thought a handful of
agents were profiting from the donation. The governor's office
was damaged and the governor sought protection from the Coalition
forces outside of Ar Rutbah. Coalition forces estimated one-
third of the donated boxes were missing. The governor later said
he did not want additional food donations to Ar Rutbah because it
caused too many problems.

5. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) visited
Ar Rutbah on 10 May and indicated it would rehabilitate the
clogged septic system at the health center and undertake a UXO
awareness program. WVI said it would work closely with ICRC on
the program. Throughout the week, the Jordan Ministry of Health
vaccinated all children from the ages six to fourteen. On 6 May,
the non-governmental organization Convoy of Hope delivered
hospital equipment. Regarding water, CARE will soon begin its
DART-funded emergency water project, improving the faulty deep-
well, water system 20 kilometers south of Ar Rutbah.

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AR RUTBAH TOWN COUNCIL
----------------------

6. The town's city council met on 10 May to discuss several
issues, including:

-- Donation distribution: the Greek donation would be held until
enough food was donated for all residents;

-- Fuel: Gas from the nearby H3 airfield would be tapped for the
town's gas station;

-- Drug pricing: the health clinic is permitted to charge for
MOH drugs, but not donated drugs;

-- UXOs and security;

-- Water: Parts of town were not receiving water, while all
water lacked chlorine; and

-- Municipal wages: most employees received a percentage of full
salaries this week from existing funds. The council is comprised
of 25 representatives, of whom ten are sheiks. The
others are directors of the town's schools, hospital, bank,
public buildings, and water. Also on the council are the
governor, three mullahs, and one imam.

JONES

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