INDEPENDENT NEWS

Cablegate: Baghdad Bombings: Usg Assistance Coordination

Published: Thu 29 Oct 2009 04:17 PM
VZCZCXYZ0004
PP RUEHWEB
DE RUEHGB #2900/01 3021617
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 291617Z OCT 09
FM AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5272
INFO RUEHKU/AMEMBASSY KUWAIT PRIORITY 0619
RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC PRIORITY
UNCLAS BAGHDAD 002900
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID ASEC PGOV PTER IZ
SUBJECT: BAGHDAD BOMBINGS: USG ASSISTANCE COORDINATION
WORKING GROUP - OCTOBER 29 UPDATE
REF: A) BAGHDAD 2877 B)BAGHDAD 2883 C) BAGHDAD 2884
D) BAGHDAD 2889 E) KUWAIT 1030
1. (SBU) Summary: Baghdad's Assistance Coordination Working
Group continues to meet daily to assess the damage and
respond to needs following the October 25 bombings. INL has
delivered 12 vehicles and several work stations to the Higher
Judicial Council (HJC) and is expediting delivery of
additional computer equipment. Baghdad PRT and MND-Baghdad
have sent cadaver dogs in the recovery effort. USAID has
identified five generators for the Ministry of Justice (MOJ)
and Ministry of Municipalities and Public Works (MMPW). The
Council of Ministers has responded with damage assessment
allocations totaling $13.7 million with the possiblity to
consider reallocation of funds from its 2010 budget for
reconstructing the affected ministerial offices. The Ministry
of Health (MOH) has requested anesthetic from the World
Health Organization, but reported it otherwise has sufficient
medical supplies and blood banks. Potable water and raw
sewage services near the bombing site have been restored.
End Summary.
USG Support Continues
---------------------
2. (U) Baghdad's Assistance Coordination Working Group
continues to meet daily to assess the damage and respond to
needs following the October 25 bombings. On October 28, INL
delivered its emergency loan of 12 vehicles to the HJC,
permitting HJC staff to marshal resources and deliver them to
their continuity operations cell at the Old Karkh courthouse.
On October 29, INL also delivered and helped HJC staff build
work stations at Al Karkh, with plans for delivery of laptops
in the next few days. This will ensure that judicial
throughput continues uninterrupted at courthouses nationwide.
INL has agreed to expedite development of its
software/hardware package to help the MOJ manage internal
data and link the MOJ to the HJC and MOI. The previously
agreed package includes $60,000 of servers, computers,
scanners, and printers that we expect to deliver in early
December. INL has also instructed its subcontractor to
expedite approximately $40,000 worth of training for the MOJ
IT sections.
3. (SBU) MOJ's Deputy Minister has told us his staff is
assessing the use of the National Security Council building
as temporary office space in the next few days. The DGs for
Juvenile Welfare, Notary, and Implementation will work from
their satellite offices for the time being. The DG for
Administration and Finance has requested assistance in
furnishing its offices with equipment and computers. MOJ has
asked for vehicles, most of which were destroyed in the
bombing. We are working to determine if any additional
vehicles can be provided.
4. (SBU) USAID has identified five generators for delivery,
including three to the MMPW and two to the MOJ. It also
delivered previously-committed furniture, computers, IT
equipment and two vehicles to the Ministry of Finance, which
suffered substantive losses after the August 19 bombing.
5. (SBU) On October 29, Baghdad PRT and MND-Baghdad provided
two cadaver dogs and two bomb dogs to the Iraqi Civil Defense
Directorate (ICDD) (per ICDD's request) for the MOJ bomb
site. Gulf Region Division engineers conducted safety checks
prior to the dogs entering the site. We will provide updates
on the results of these activities.
GOI Provides Funds, Restores Water
----------------------------------
6. (U) On October 27, the Council of Ministers (COM)
authorized a transfer of $6 million to the MMPW and $7.7
Qauthorized a transfer of $6 million to the MMPW and $7.7
million to the MOJ to assess damages to the buildings. If the
structural assessments require rebuilding, the COM would have
to consider reallocation of funds within the 2010 budget,
which is currently with the Council of Representatives (COR)
for approval. (Note: Reallocations could also be made after
the COR approves the budget, up to a certain percentage of
the respective capital budget. End Note). Per reftel D,
engineers hired by the local government are evaluating the
Baghdad Governorate and Provincial Council Building. The
Provincial Council Administrative Committee Chairman told us
it would take a minimum of two weeks before they could return
to their office.
7. (SBU) The World Health Organization (WHO) representative
has reported that the Ministry of Health (MOH)'s Emergency
Plan was effectively implemented on October 25 and subsequent
days. MOH senior officials supervised the medical evacuation,
triage, transfer and recovery operations throughout Baghdad's
hospitals, with 97 ambulances mobilized for evacuation
operations. Physicians from outside Baghdad have also been
called upon to assist. MOH reported that its supply of
medical supplies and central blood bank stocks were
sufficient. An emergency buffer stock of 180 bottles of blood
was supplied to various hospitals on the day of the bombing.
In response to MOH's request, WHO is shipping 75,000 vials of
anesthetic early next week. WHO also reported it has eight
sets of surgical kits for 200 cases stored in Baghdad ready
for deployment if needed. Per reftel E, the Government of
Kuwait has also offered to provide treatment at Kuwaiti
hospitals for 20 Iraqis.
8. (SBU) After requesting MND-B's contractor to switch off
the Jadriya pump station on October 25 due to damage to the
raw water trunk main near the blast area, Baghdad Water
Authority reported on October 29 that it has now restored
both potable and raw water services near the explosion site.
HILL
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