WIREDGOV

Musa Qaleh – Changing for the better

News Release issued by the COI News Distribution Service on 11 March 2010

Musa Qaleh is a much safer town than it used to be; so says Mike McKie, the Foreign Office Stabilisation Officer. ‘Historically Musa Qaleh had the title of being the most dangerous place in Helmand. Six months ago when I arrived it was still taking incoming mortar fire on a fairly regular basis – UK operations pushed the firing points back to their maximum range and after 3 weeks we found there was nothing incoming anymore.’

Lt Col Harry Fullerton, Commanding Officer of the Household Cavalry Regiment (HCR) Battle Group based in Musa Qaleh agrees, ‘Yes I think there have been an number of considerable changes and its probably partly to do with the partnership we have with the Afghan National Army (ANA) and Afghan National Police (ANP). It’s a close relationship, they’ve been very well trained and they’ve got a lot of experience.’

And there lies one of the keys, security, provided by the ANA, ANP and ISAF. The ANA now work as a separate entity in Musa Qaleh, working closely with the British ISAF troops around the planning table they patrol as standalone units.

Major Gule Ahmad the planning officer for the 3rd Kandak, the ANA unit based in Musa Qaleh said, ‘In two years we have seen more promotion of security in Musa Qaleh. If you go to another district in Helmand province they have 2-3 Km of domination but in Musa Qaleh we occupy the whole of Musa Qaleh. You can travel to Chacou village by car with no problem. If you want to go south or north there are no problems for you so you can travel. We have units 10 Km down to the south and 8 Km to the north of Musa Qaleh, that is our domination.

The police led by Commander Koka lead the way in Helmand Province, they have moved on from the ill-trained poorly managed force we have heard so much about in other areas of the country. Under Cdr Koka and British police mentoring, extensive training courses have been put in place. Now they have the trust of the locals in Musa Qaleh the para-military side of the ANP is fading away. They are being training in handling evidence and other standard policing skills you might expect to see on the streets of the UK.

This has paved the way for Civic leadership.

Lt Col Fullerton said, “District Governor Mullah Salaam, himself an ex-Taliban fighter, was involved in delivering Musa Qaleh to coalition forces two years ago. Ever since then it has been a case of trying to get him to govern correctly and make the right decisions so that the people feel that justice is being delivered.”

Mike McKie said: “The town now has a Mayor who is setting about the task of delivering municipal services to the community and is learning as he goes along. He is constantly mentored by the Stabilisation team that works here.”

The Stabilisation team is part Armed Forces, the Military Stabilisation and Support Team (MSST) and part Foreign Office. Each element has its part to play, Mike in mentoring the district Governor and the MSST in mentoring the Mayor Jumo Jan. As a group they are working the improve Musa Qaleh. Municipal works that have been completed are the flood reducing barriers along the Wadi to the west of the town, the refurbishment of the Community Healthcare Centre and the District Centre School, and the construction of water towers to provide for the school and healthcare centre. There are projects underway to build the town a new police station, and to provide water and drainage in the Bazaar, the bustling market to the north of the town.

Mike Mckie adds, “We’re building government offices that will accommodate the full ‘TASHGIL’ which is Pashtu for the government staff that are required. This will be enough space for the various ministries including the local administration to carry out their functions. This will be quite a major project due to start in April. That’s giving daily employment to a team of 170 local people, dismantling the dilapidated former government building, and they’re going at a rapid rate, it’s as if they’re as anxious as we are to put in the civic infrastructure. Coupled with this there is to be a significant infrastructure project which will create a Mosque sufficient for 800 worshippers. Unfortunately this Mosque replaces one that was damaged back in 2008 in the operation that liberated Musa Qaleh. Never the less the local population are extremely welcoming of the fact that they’re getting a much improved mosque on the one they had before.”

Outside the town centre additional projects planned by the MSST and constructed by local contractors have been the refurbishment of schools to the south of Musa Qaleh and the Henefee Mosque to the north. In all 2300 children are now attending regular education where just over two years ago there was none.

“That’s fairly significant when we consider the population of MSQ, by best estimates it is in the region of 65000”, says Mike McKie.

He continues, “The municipality is employing about 50 people and in the other tasks in the vicinity there is another 100 people doing municipal work. On future projects I anticipate regular employment for 100-150 people from the locality.”

WO2 Michael Bates of the MSST says, “Over the last five months we would have employed 350-400 possibly 500 people for these types of jobs.” But the MSST are not just stopping at helping to generate jobs, they have implemented a Youth Training Scheme.

“The idea was to try to get the local population to come in where we could teach them basic brick laying and block paving. We started with five trainees who were instructed by a Royal Engineers reconstruction and development officer. They then got practical training. The idea behind it is for the locals, once they have done their training, to go back into the community to then teach other kids the same skills and hopefully learn from that and earn a living,” he adds.

This new confidence has spurred on local business.

Lt Col Fullerton said, “We have certainly seen the market which happens twice a week here enlarge possibly by up to 30%. We have about 1200 stall holders in the Bazaar.”

The Livestock market just outside the town can have up to 3000 traders buying cattle, goats, horses, and poultry.

He went on, “Probably the key to their issues is the connection with places like Geresk and we’re still quite cut off here in MSQ. The Wadi crossing will benefit the community by giving 365 days a year access to other markets. The Southern market town of Geresk is a main economic hub in Helmand, this Wadi crossing opens the opportunity to rapidly access Geresk no matter what time of year. For a large part of the winter the community in Musa Qal’eh is effectively cut off from that market, this has an effect in the Bazaar as prices spike. Following the completion of the bridge prices will be maintained at a stable level.”

There are still obvious cultural difficulties in Musa Qaleh, walking the street and visiting the school you are struck by the complete lack of women and girls above the age of 3 or 4. Musa Qaleh is in a relatively isolated location and is essentially a country town. This gives it a very conservative outlook.

Mike McKie puts this into the healthcare context, “When we talk about the health situation here, the developing health infrastructure is challenged by the need for female health practitioners, midwifery is a critical need. Throughout the years of hostilities in Afghanistan sufficient trained woman have not been available, this is because the opportunity for women to gain an education has not been afforded, particularly during the time under the Taliban. There seems to be a realisation in the population that educating the girls will ultimately provide them the kind of health services they expect to be provided by a health centre. It has been a long process in the learning but this is forthcoming.”

“Looking ahead the new projects in Musa Qaleh will bring about $3.5 million of investment starting in April 2010. We have projects that have already been planned, have already been worked upon, projects that have already been designed in order to achieve maximum impact and output for the local community are about to begin. This bodes well for our American allies when they come to take over from the current Battle Group.” he added.

Lt Col Fullerton concluded, “The American Marines have been here on various recces, they have looked at the area, they are happy to be taking over a relatively safe and secure environment. I think the important thing the stress is that what they are taking over is a British success story, five battle groups have been here over the past two years and they have progressively expanded the area of governance. It hasn’t been without its cost but it has been a cost worth making in order to deliver success for the British Army, the British Government and most importantly the people of Afghanistan.”

END

Contacts:

Ministry of Defence
NDS.MOD@coi.gsi.gov.uk